The Atlanta Braves opened a four game series against the Washington Nationals at home in a clash of two of the top three scoring offenses in MLB this month. The Braves went 9-4 against the Nationals last season but are not doing quite as well against them this season being 4-3 against them thus far. The last two games were low scoring by both teams despite both offenses being some of the best in MLB. The Braves have this four game series plus another series in early September left to widen their season series lead against the Nationals.
Tonight Grant Holmes took the mound for the Braves to face both the Nationals and Jake Irvin for the second time this season. He was able to hold the Nationals to two runs and strike them out ten times. Irvin one hit the Braves the last time he faced them this season.
Per usual, the first inning was solid for Grant Holmes. He was able to get James Wood to ground out to lead off the game. He gave up a double to Luis García off a hard hit ball, but then sat down Dylan Crews and CJ Abrams via ground out and fly out. Jake Irvin, pitching his first game since he faced the Braves in late May, picked up right where he left off against them and retired the side.
Grant Holmes struggled in the second inning. Daylen Lile smashed a cutter that Holmes pitched right down middle over the center field wall for a solo shot. Holmes was able to prevent anymore damage in the second after surrendering a single. Irvin continued to show he was locked in against the Braves sitting them down in order yet again.
In the third inning Holmes was now at the top of the order again. It is well documented that he struggles mightily the second time through the order. He was able to get Wood to ground out again, but then García, who already had a double, took him deep to make the score 0-2. Holmes then settled down and picked up his first two strikeouts of the game. Irvin continued his dominance in the third, and sat down the Braves in order for the third straight inning.
In the fourth inning, Holmes was still facing the order a second time and it showed. Lile homered off of him for the second time of the game to lead off the inning to put the Braves in a three run hole. Fortunately, Holmes showed off one of his best skills, which is to shake off mistakes and settle back in. He was able to sit down the next three hitters in order. Drake Baldwin flied out to CF to lead off the bottom of the fourth making it ten straight Braves to be retired by Irvin. Ronald Acuña apparently decided ten hitters were enough and absolutely destroyed the ball with a 104.9 MPH shot over the CF wall that flew 421 feet.
That was the only hit of the fourth inning, but it seemed to be a spark the Braves drastically needed.
In one of the key innings of the game, Holmes came back out to pitch the fifth and instantly struggled. He walked Nuñez and Wood to lead off the inning. Both players then stole a base. In a tough spot, Holmes settled down again and struck out García, who had a double and HR already, and Crews before being replaced by Danny Young who got Abrams to pop out. Somehow the Braves got out of a jam with runners on second and third with no outs. Holmes finished his night with five hits to include three solo shots, three earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.
The Braves struck back in their half of the fifth. With Irvin still in the game, Albies popped up and Dubón lined out, but Dom Smith was able to get on via a single and then Mike Yastrzemski finally came through for the Braves with a clutch two-run HR that was a no-doubter to tie the game at three.
Jarvis grounded out, but the Braves clearly had some momentum after struggling to start the game.
Danny Young stayed in the game to pitch and Walt Weiss’ confidence in him paid off for the most part. He got Lile, who had two HRs this game, to ground out, and struck out Ruiz. He did give up a double and was wisely pulled from the game to be replaced by fan favorite Victor Mederos after the Nats had Brady House pinch-hit for Jorbit Vivas. House grounded out.
The sixth started off great for the Braves. Irvin walked both Baldwin and Acuña and then was replaced by Carson Palmquist. It got a little scary for a second like the Braves were not going to be able to take advantage of the free passes when Olson flied out and the Harris hit a soft grounder that moved the runners but resulted in the second out. However, Ozzie Albies, now facing a lefty, came in clutch with a single off the end of the bat that scored both runners to put the Braves up by two. Dubón grounded out on a sharply hit ball, but the damage was done.
Mederos stayed in to pitch the seventh and struggled a bit. He induced a pop up, but then the top of this scary lineup was up to bat again. Wood walked and then García tripled to score Wood which made him a single short of the cycle and bring the Nats within a run. After a pop up from Crews, Dylan Lee came in the game and got Abrams to ground out. The Braves did not do any damage in the seventh, even with red hot Eli White replacing Yazstremski for the platoon advantage.
Dylan Lee stayed in for the eighth and retired the side in order. The bottom of the eighth started off for the Braves with the player who sparked the offense to wake up, Ronald Acuña striking out looking followed by an Olson strikeout and Harris grounding out.
It all came down to a Raisel Iglesias shutting down the bottom two of the Nats’ order and James Wood to win it, if possible. Iggy was able to get two groundouts to start the bottom of the ninth, but then walked Wood on six pitches. This brought up García, who was a single short of the cycle. Iglesias pitched a changeup right down the middle and García just missed it and hit it deep to RF, but fortunately it fell short and the Braves secured the victory.
The key to tonight’s victory was that the Braves only left two runners on base while the Nationals left seven. The Braves’ pitching was able to settle down in tough spots, and the Braves’ bats were able to hit in clutch situations. There was some smart bullpen management by Weiss this game as well.
The Braves will face the Nationals again tomorrow at the same time and same place. Bryce Elder is scheduled to face Nationals’ ace Foster Griffin. Sure would be nice if Griffin got traded tomorrow morning.
