Clutch hitting fails Braves as they lose series to Pirates

In the end, Mike Foltynewicz’s pitching line will appear average – three runs over six innings – but a three-run second will overshadow what became one of his more encouraging outings since returning from the injured list.

Foltynewicz wasn’t helped by his offense, which mustered only one run off Chris Archer, and the Braves lost the finale and the series to the Pirates 6-1 on Thursday. It was only the second rubber game the Braves have lost this season in seven opportunities.

Freddie Freeman spotted the Braves a lead with his solo homer in the first. The Pirates quickly answered, scraping across three runs in the second. All three came courtesy of the long ball: Colin Moran’s two-run shot came off Foltynewicz’s slider, while ensuing batter Gregory Polanco punished a hanging curve.

Home runs are among the ailments preventing Foltynewicz from fully regaining shape. He’s allowed 15 in 44-1/3 innings after permitting 17 across 187 innings a season ago. Overall, his home-run rate has leaped, and his strikeout rate declined.

The positive sign: After getting hit hard, Foltynewicz recovered. He retired 13 of the last 15 he faced, completing six innings. It was the third time in four starts he pitched six frames. He allowed two, zero and three earned runs in those outings, respectively.

“In starts past, I wouldn’t have got to the third or even (through) that inning,” Foltynewicz said. “I got a little lucky with the line drive and double play, but I knew I had to bear down. I really felt like I got stronger as the game went on. I felt better and better every inning.

“I’m really glad I stopped the bleeding. I told (pitching coach Rick Kranitz) after the game that last year that’s what I did better. I got more consistent at stopping the bleeding, and today was one of those days. … I knew if I just kept it to three runs we’d have a chance.”

Foltynewicz has struck out 27 and walked one over his past four starts. He walked two Thursday, his first time issuing a bases on balls since May 14. Over half the hits he’s given up this year have gone for extra bases, making up for the lack of base runners. But considering how Foltynewicz’s campaign began – 15 earned runs (19 total) across his first three appearances – he’s made strides.

“I feel like he’s a click away,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He just left pitches over the middle of the plate. You do that and they get whacked. After all that, he started making pitches. You make pitches, and you get good results. You have to make pitches though. You can’t leave balls out over the middle of the plate.”

In defense of Foltynewicz’s mixed reviews, he missed spring training with bone spurs in his elbow. He returned three weeks into the season, and while he’s flashed the stuff of 2018 occasionally, it’s mostly been a roller coaster ride.

When – or if – Foltynewicz finds stability would go a long way toward the Braves’ postseason hopes, especially given their rotation’s general unpredictability.

“I’m very encouraged,” Foltynewicz said. “I’m proud of myself to get out of that second inning. I was getting stronger and stronger every inning in a day game – it was a little warmer out there. So just feeding off that. I’ve been throwing the ball really well. Just have to give credit where credit is due sometimes. Make bad pitches and they hit them. … Today was a good step.”

Freeman’s homer represented the Braves’ lone damage against Archer. The righty once was regarded as having one of the more electric arms in the game, a coveted trade target on a bargain contract. But he entered the game with a 5.66 ERA, and his ace-like stuff of the past is more a distant memory.

He was far from perfect Thursday, though it was enough to keep the Braves at bay. Archer didn’t record a clean inning until doing so in the fifth and sixth. He stranded Braves in scoring position in the second and third innings.

“Some of those breaking balls he threw you just couldn’t hit,” Snitker said. “He was on. He threw some sliders, you just couldn’t hit them. He threw the ball really, really well.”

Archer exited with two on and none out in the seventh. In came Francisco Liriano, who coaxed a first-pitch double play from Johan Camargo. Ronald Acuna flew out to right, which left Brian McCann standing at third in a salvageable 3-1 game. Dansby Swanson struck out to end the game, with the bases loaded.

It appropriately completed the Braves’ nightmarish three nights with runners in scoring position – they went 4-for-34 with men on second and/or third in the series, including 0-for-10 in the finale.

“I wish I had the formula for that,” Snitker said. “I wish I knew what the magic potion was to hit with guys on. It just happens. You go on spells where it keeps flowing, the line keeps moving. You get other spells it doesn’t. There’s no magic thing to getting that going.”

The Braves traveled to Miami after the game. Three games await with the Marlins, whom the Braves have defeated in five of six meetings this season. They own a collective 1.64 ERA against the Fish in those games.