In his latest chance to show the Braves he should be part of their starting rotation, right-hander Mike Foltynewicz made a couple of mistakes but otherwise showed why the team is so high on his promise.
Foltynewicz gave up a pair of home runs to the Orioles over six innings pitched, but also had eight strikeouts against two walks. It wasn’t good enough to overcome another anemic offensive game by the Braves, who had just four hits while losing 2-0 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
“Two bad pitches, and the way we are swinging the bats right now…,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
The Braves lost for the fifth time in six games on a trip that concludes with four games at Philadelphia starting Thursday. The Braves are 4-13 since winning six of seven games to begin July.
The Braves (46-55) scored a total of four runs while being swept in three games by the Orioles (51-49).
“They hit some big home runs and they closed out games,” Braves right fielder Nick Markakis said. “They’ve got a good ball club over there and when you are scuffling for runs it makes it a lot tougher. The pitching was good this series. It’s a little unfortunate but we’ve got to bounce back.”
Orioles starter Chris Tillman limited the Braves to four hits, including three singles, over 8 2/3 innings. After A.J. Pierzynski and Andrelton Simmons hit back-to-back singles in the fifth inning, Tillman retired the next 13 batters he faced until Cameron Maybin doubled and Tillman gave way to closer Zach Britton.
Tillman (8-7) only needed two runs to win. Jonathan Schoop hit a homer on Foltynewicz’s first pitch of the third inning. Foltynewicz (3-3) had two strikes on J.J. Hardy when the shortstop hit a homer in the fourth.
“I knew Schoop is an aggressive hitter and it was kind of right down the middle for him,” Foltynewicz said. “That’s my fault there. I just hung a curveball to Hardy and he just got enough of it to get it out of here. You’ve got to tip your hat to those guys.”
As the losses pile up and the Braves trade veterans for prospects the franchise increasingly is focusing on the future. Foltynewicz figures to be a big part of it.
The Braves acquired Foltynewicz from the Astros as the main piece in the Evan Gattis trade. Baseball America rates him as the top pitching prospect in the organization.
Foltynewicz got a promotion from Triple-A Gwinnett after the Braves placed Manny Banuelos on the disabled list Wednesday with an elbow injury. Foltynewicz allowed six hits and the two runs. Known for his superlative fastball, he also kept the Orioles off balance with an assortment of well-timed breaking pitches.
“The first and sixth innings I had clean innings,” he said. “In between I had some big hitters at the plate with runners on base so I’m glad I got out of it with two runs. I will take two solo shots any day. From two through fifth I just battled my butt off.”
Foltynewicz focused on developing his secondary pitches during spring training, but he struggled with his control. He improved while beginning the season at Triple-A Gwinnett and made his first big-league start May 1.
Foltynewicz was OK in six May starts for the Braves: 3-2 with a 3.96 ERA, 1.32 walks and hits allowed per inning pitched and 38 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. Foltynewicz faded in three June starts: 8.04 ERA with a 2.11 WHIP and 10 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings pitched.
So it was back to the minors for Foltynewicz, who stayed there save for three Braves relief appearances earlier this month. Williams Perez could soon regain his spot in the rotation, but Gonzalez said the team would wait and see how Foltynewicz performed Wednesday before deciding how long he stays on the big-league roster.
Foltynewicz retied the last five batters he faced, including strikeouts of Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and Hardy in the sixth inning. Gonzalez and pitching coach Roger McDowell considered sending Foltynewicz back out for the seventh inning but he was up to 104 pitches.
“There was nothing else more he could do and he did his job,” Gonzalez said.
