KANSAS CITY – He pitched so well and again wasn’t rewarded with a win, but at least this time Braves starter Matt Wisler didn’t get saddled with an “L” after a sparkling performance.
In the Braves’ 4-2, 13-inning loss to the Royals Sunday, Wisler allowed eight hits and two runs in 7 1/3 innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts. The Braves scored two runs in the ninth to force extra innings and get Wisler off the hook for the decision.
After giving up a leadoff double to Alcides Escobar and one-out single by Eric Hosmer in the first inning, Wisler allowed only four hits over the next six scoreless innings before giving up two hits and a run to start the eighth.
He retired 10 consecutive batters – four by strikeout — after Escobar’s leadoff single in the third inning.
“Wisler pitched great,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez.
“Wisler pitched his butt off,” Braves rookie Mallex Smith said. “We’ve got to find a way to get him a win.”
Wisler has surrendered five runs in 23 1/3 innings over his past three starts (1.93 ERA), and the Braves scored one and no runs while he was in the last two of those games. In his first full season in the majors, he entered Sunday with a .192 opponents’ batting average that as ninth-best among major league starters.
Wisler has a 2.74 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) since early September, but just a 4-5 record, due mainly to a meager 2.3 support runs scored per nine innings pitched in that span. The Braves scored two or fewer runs while he was in nine of those 12 starts, including one or no runs in six.
In the three-game series, Braves starters Julio Teheran, Mike Foltynewicz and Wisler gave up just four runs (three earned) in 22-1/3 innings, and Teheran’s two walks were the only walks issued by Atlanta starters.
“That’s real encouraging,” Gonzalez said. “I hope that continues because you’ll end up winning a lot of games doing that, not giving any free bases and making people earn it. That’s a good formula.”
