When you’re 63-78, it may take some searching to find any positives. But the Braves’ late-inning offense might be their best trait this season.
The Braves have scored 240 runs in the seventh inning or later, good for second-best in Major League Baseball and most in the National League. The Astros lead the league with 260 and the Yankees rank third with 237.
Saturday night’s walk-off win over the Marlins was the Braves’ eighth of the season. Their 18 wins in the last at-bat are tied for the most in the NL with the 92-50 Dodgers.
Pinch-hitting is also a feather in the Braves’ cap. Atlanta has 44 pinch-hit RBIs, which leads the majors and is the team’s best since 2008. This group has a chance to surpass the franchise record of 53 (1986).
Yet much of that is for not given the porous pitching. Atlanta’s staff ERA is 5.23 since July 17, worst in the NL. Since reaching .500 on July 16, the team has gone 18-33. It required 55 days for the Braves to reach 18 wins; for perspective, the Indians have won 17 games in as many tries entering Sunday.
