Atlanta Braves drop series opener to Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-2

For the first five innings on Monday night, much of Braves Country was justifiably confident that the team would secure a “winning streak” by claiming the series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, some slow and consistent bleeding in the sixth inning erased that optimism, and erratic play haunted the Atlanta Braves as they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers by a score of 6-2.

The evening began with an ominous tone, as spot starter Kevin Correia retired the first nine batters for the Braves. Correia, who was making his first start for Los Angeles, finally broke stride in the fourth as Justin Upton drove home Emilio Bonifacio with a single to gave Atlanta the lead, but unfortunately, that was the full extent of the damage against him. In total, the veteran right-hander navigated six innings while allowing just one earned run, and his effort served as yet another reminder that this team has significant trouble scoring runs on a consistent basis.

Julio Teheran, who took the ball for the Braves, was operating on cruise control through five innings, but he ran into a road block in the sixth. Correia, Dee Gordon and Yasiel Puig singled to load the bases to lead off the inning, and Adrian Gonzalez found a hole with a bloop single that brought home the first run for the Dodgers. After Matt Kemp popped out, Carl Crawford continued the slow drip against Teheran with an RBI infield single, and the most brutal blow came when Bonifacio botched a potential double play ball to allow another run that extended the Los Angeles advantage to 3-1.

Sadly, that wasn’t nearly the end of the onslaught, as the Dodgers scored three additional runs in the eighth inning to bust things open. After Puig drew a walk, Kemp produced a ground rule double, and James Russell relieved Teheran in time to allow yet another RBI single to Crawford. From there, the defense didn’t help matters, as Ramiro Pena airmailed a throw on a potential double play to allow the sixth and final run for the visiting Dodgers, and the bats were never able to mount any sort of serious charge despite a whimper in the ninth.

Regardless of what seems like a lopsided score, blame for this particular loss almost certainly does not fall on Julio Teheran. Teheran allowed five earned runs, but much of that damage was done by relievers who inherited issues, and the sixth inning trouble was “earned” by various bleeders and bloops against a pitcher who was in a groove previously. The defense was ghastly in the absence of Andrelton Simmons (come back soon), but offensively, it was yet another substandard effort from a group that has officially worn out any goodwill in Braves Country.

The same two teams will meet again at Turner Field on Tuesday night, and when first pitch occurs, the Atlanta Braves will once again hold a four-game deficit in the National League East. Stay tuned.