Usually the Braves don’t score enough runs. Other times the bullpen can’t hold a lead, or the defense falters. It’s rare that Shelby Miller is just not good enough to win.
Yet Miller doesn’t have a win in his last nine starts. The Phillies beat the Braves 4-0 in 10 innings on Sunday at Turner Field in spite of 6 1/3 shutout innings and eight strikeouts by Miller.
Miller last earned a win on May 17 at Miami, when he lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning. He’s posted a 2.80 ERA in his past nine starts but got 2.82 runs of support per nine innings, among the lowest in the majors. The Braves are 2-7 in those games.
So it goes as a starting pitcher for the Braves, who had their winning streak ended at four games.
“That’s part of the game,” Miller said. “You are facing Cole Hamels, a guy who has had a lot of success in the big leagues, the ace of the Phillies, a great pitcher. I’m trying to go out there and just pitch. Whether we score eight runs or one, we are just trying to win.”
They can’t win without scoring a single run. Hamels shut them down over seven innings and the Braves (40-42) left two runners stranded against relief pitcher Luis Garcia (3-3) in the bottom of the ninth.
Pinch hitter Kelly Johnson walked and catcher A.J. Pierzynski singled against Garcia. The Phillies brought in left fielder Cody Asche as an extra infielder against Pedro Ciriaco, whose fly out to center fielder Odubel Herrera wasn’t deep enough to score Johnson.
Braves manager Gonzalez sent pinch hitter Juan Uribe up next. He struck out while taking big swings at three Garcia breaking balls. The Phillies (28-56) scored four runs against three Braves relief pitchers in the 10th inning but Gonzalez said that wasn’t the real issue.
“The bottom of the ninth was the key to the whole game,” he said. “We punch one through the infield or pop one out a little deeper than it was, we win the game and the 10th inning doesn’t even come to exist.”
Miller said his mechanics were off early in the game. A between-innings meeting with catcher A.J. Pierzynski and pitching coach Roger McDowell got him straightened out.
When Miller gets in trouble, he can always throw a fastball that explodes high in the strike zone, a sinker with late movement or a cut fastball that finds the corners of the plate. He throws all of those pitches with so much velocity that it’s hard for hitters to catch up.
That’s how Miller made it through some ragged innings without allowing a run. Miller recorded seven of his first nine outs by way of strikeout.
Miller struck out Asche with the bases loaded in the first inning. After Carlos Ruiz walked to lead off the fourth inning and Freddy Galvis hit a one-out single, Domonic Brown grounded out weakly to first base and Cole Hamels popped out to second base.
The Phillies weren’t scoring runs but they were making Miller work. He needed 24 pitches to get through the first inning. Miller was up to 70 pitches after four innings.
While Miller was taming the Phillies with power, Hamels kept Braves hitters off balance. They left the bases loaded in the first inning, hit into a double play after the lead-off hitter reached in the third and stranded a runner at second base with one out in the fourth.
Miller was nearly as effective as Hamels but, once again, he couldn’t get the win.
“It’s a little unfortunate,” Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons said. “He battles, man. He battles every chance he gets. He threw great today but the offense didn’t help him out.”
Miller could get some consolation when All-Star reserves are announced on Monday. He’s probably got the best chance of making the team among Braves players.
Entering Sunday Miller ranked among MLB leaders in ERA, complete games and shutouts. He probably deserves better than his 5-4 record.
“If you get told you make it, you do,” Miller said. “At the end of the day it’s just another day. I’m not going into tomorrow looking forward to that kind of stuff. I’m looking forward to playing baseball and cheering my teammates on.”
