Atlanta Braves Overcome by Cubs in a Battle of the Bullpens

The Atlanta Braves entered Saturday’s game at Wrigley Field with hopes of ending a road trip in which they have gone 0-5. That unfortunately didn’t happen.

In the second inning, Nick Swisher hit a solid two-run blast out to left field, giving the Atlanta Braves and Williams Perez an early lead. However the Chicago Cubs would strike back immediately when they scored 2 runs on three straight singles. Perez didn’t have that great of a game, as he allowed a home run to Anthony Rizzo for the Cubs to take the lead in the 3rd.

-= Atlanta Braves: Projected 2016 Bullpen =-

What’s baffling is that this afternoon’s game is the first time in the series that we have seen Nick Swisher. His average in Wrigley is pretty outstanding, as he now has 4 home runs in 13 games there. His average is also sitting around .400 lifetime at Wrigley. So why would Fredi have been so willing to sit a guy who tears up the Cubs at The Friendly Confines? If we knew, and probably even if Fredi knew, he still couldn’t tell you.

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Williams Perez didn’t seem very dominant today in the match-up, while still having 4 strikeouts through 5 innings. However he was able to outlast his opponent in Dan Haren on the mound, as the Atlanta Braves forced manager Joe Maddon to pull him in the 5th with two straight singles with only one out. From the his errant reaction, you could tell that he was non-too-pleased being pulled so early from the game.

His frustrations mounted even more when Freddie Freeman stepped up to the plate and drove in a run on a laser shot double to the ivy in the outfield. Immediately afterwards, AJ Pierzynski drove in two runs on a hard hit shot to second base that bounced off the glove of Chris Coghlan to score two runs, effectively giving the Atlanta Braves a 5-3 lead. The Braves then got to witness Nick Swisher pour it on even more against the Cubs as he clobbered a second home run out to left field to bump up the lead to 7-3. We also got to see the fabled Double Tomahawk Chop from Nick Swisher as he rounded the bases (somewhere, Shooter McGavin is rethinking how cool the double pistol move is).

Getting to watch Nick Swisher was something special today, as the switch hitter was able to blast two home runs batting left-handed and then right-handed. I’m sure that not too many people can boast that kind of stat in a game. Hopefully we’ll be seeing him again in the lineup tomorrow. And even if he has a bad game, his enthusiasm and willingness to play are much appreciated as the Atlanta Braves aren’t technically out of the playoff race, but they’ll need to really go on a miracle run to make it happen.

-= Atlanta Braves: 2016 Projected Starting Lineup =-

The Atlanta Braves and Williams Perez got a scare in the 5th, as the Chicago Cubs were able to rally off several hits and came within a run of tying up the game, making the score 7-6. It was classic pitching mismanagement for the Braves as the starter was left in too long. I get it, you don’t want to bring in your bullpen early because of how unsteady they have been all year, but taking him out could have potentially saved two runs.

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There was some excitement in the 6th, as Addison Russell for the Cubs hit a home run that became questionable when a fan reached over the basket in the outfield and obstructed the ball flight. At first, the call seemed like it would be overturned due to fan interference (Insert Steve Bartman joke). However the call stood, causing a few things to happen: Complete mockery of the instant replay system, the fan still getting ejected from the game and then readmitted among a standing ovation, and the game being tied 7-7.

The game eventually got away from the Braves in the 8th inning, when the former Cubs player Edwin Jackson allowed back to back home runs to make the score 7-9. After that, not much changed as the Braves weren’t able to maintain a lead against a solid Cubs offense. Hopefully they can salvage a win tomorrow, ending the misery that has been this road trip.

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