Wood Good, Martin Ineffective, Braves Lose 5-4 In Sweep

By John Buhler | May 10, 2015

You can’t blame this loss on Braves southpaw Alex Wood. Wood hunkered down after a three-run first inning and pitched a great ball game. He went 6.2 IP with three earned runs, seven strikeouts, and just one walk in his best start of the season for the Braves. The light-hitting Wood owned the talented Jordan Zimmermann at the plate, going 3-3 with an RBI. It’s a shame that Cody Martin couldn’t keep the Nationals from scoring in the bottom of the eighth as the Braves fall 5-4 Sunday afternoon, getting swept by their arch rival on the road.

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Something has to give with this leaky bullpen of the 2015 Atlanta Braves. Youth and inexperience from the ‘pen is proving very costly for an Atlanta team that’s doing all the other parts of the game well. The offense manufactures runs, the defense makes run saving plays, even the starters are beginning to fall into midseason form. Well, maybe not Julio Teheran just yet but you get my point. This bullpen is on a major downward spiral.

To put things in perspective, at the start of the 2014 MLB Season the Atlanta Braves and the Kansas City Royals were hands-down the two best bullpens in baseball. I know Kimbrel is now on the San Diego Padres, but Eddie Perez’s Braves bullpen has plummeted in 2015. This has been a complete 180 in the wrong direction for the Atlanta Braves.

While I know that John Hart’s emphasis on this team is to contend in 2017, I thinks he seriously needs to consider making some sort of trade to bring in much-needed help in middle relief. Trade a lower level prospect and get these boys some help in the ‘pen. It’s killing morale! The last thing Fredi Gonzalez needs in the Braves clubhouse is tension between the team and its bullpen. Nothing is worse than a leaky bullpen.

Jace Peterson is continuing to swing the bat well with regular playing time at second. Though hitless this afternoon, Andrelton Simmons looks comfortable in the two-hole. Nick Markakis and Freddie Freeman are rock solid at one and three in the Braves batting order. Cleanup is now an issue in the Braves order. While Alberto Callaspo has played well at third with regular playing time, Atlanta really misses Chris Johnson’s bat in the middle of the Braves order. Get well soon, CJ!

Atlanta ventures north to the banks of the Ohio River to take on the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park tomorrow for a three game set. Shelby Miller gets the start and has pitched marvelously since coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals. I’m just glad Bryce Harper didn’t hit a home run today.

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