PHILADELPHIA — A day after B.J. Upton broke the franchise single-season strikeout record Friday, he hit his 12th homer of the season Saturday to give the Braves a 2-1 lead in the third inning. And so the odd month of the Braves’ Upton brothers continued.
B.J. and Justin Upton were the Braves with more than one homer in the team’s dismal September. They each had one Saturday, and each also had an outfield assist apiece in the first five innings Saturday, both throwing out a runner trying to score.
B.J’s homer Saturday was his third of the month, while Justin’s two-run homer in the seventh inning also gave him three homers in September, 29 for the season, and a career-high 102 RBIs. Meanwhile, both brothers continue striking out like no previous duo in franchise history, much less a pair of brothers.
B.J. Upton’s two strikeouts Saturday gave him 173 for the season, two more than Dan Uggla’s franchise record set last season. And Justin Upton struck out in his first at-bat Saturday to give him his 171st whiff of the season, tied with Uggla for the second-highest total in franchise history.
The top six strikeout totals in franchise history now are held down by three people: Uggla (171 in 2013, 168 in 2012, 156 in 2011) and the Uptons. Justin Upton had 161 last season in his first year with the Braves.
B.J. was fourth in the NL in strikeouts before Saturday, but first in strikeouts per plate appearance with one every 3.3. Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard led the majors with 189 before Saturday, but was averaging one strikeout every 3.4 plate appearances .
