Brutal. The Braves’ 10-day, 10-game road trip – just brutal.
They went 2-8 and saw trades yank away Kelly Johnson, Juan Uribe, Jim Johnson, Alex Wood and Luis Avilan. Andrelton Simmons also banged up his thumb and was out of the lineup Monday.
“We’ve had three 10-day road trips this year and this one here seemed like it was a month,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
They’re catching a break, though. The Braves play 36 of their final 57 games at home, the most of any team in either league. Entering the week, Atlanta led the league with 59 road games and had the fewest (46) at home.
“We haven’t been here it seems like at all,” catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. “That’s the biggest thing. It feels like we’re never here. It seems like we’ve been on the road the whole year.”
The Braves are 26-20 at Turner Field and 21-38 on the road. The nearly 21-percent gap between winning percentages is fifth-highest in the majors.
“We just, for some reason — especially with a younger team — at home, it’s easier for a lot of the younger guys to feel comfortable because they have a routine they can get into and things that they’re comfortable with,” Pierzynski said. “But you just try to play the same, but usually the better teams are better at home. You just try to win the games at home, especially for your fans and the people that are supporting you.”
Atlanta plays in front of the third-smallest average home crowd in the National League. The 26,045 average at each home game is 20,849 less than for the Dodgers, who lead the league in that category.
“Coming home, playing in front of your fans is always nice,” Pierzynski said. “It gives you a little bit of energy; it gives you a little bit of pep in your step.”
