Folty, Atlanta Braves Fall 5-3 to Tampa Bay Rays

Tonight was one of those games that the best play of the game was also the first at bat.  Unfortunately, the Atlanta Braves were at home and apparently Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier can fly on the base paths.  Kiermaier’s leadoff bloop triple, yes, it was a bloop triple, set the tone for the ball game as the Tampa Bay Rays defeat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in Tuesday night’s ball game.

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Mike Foltynewicz didn’t have a great game as the Braves starter.  He went five innings, allowing five earned runs and eight hits.  Though Folty did strike out seven batters, he still hasn’t figured out how to pitch efficiently at the Major League Level.  94 pitches doesn’t cut it in just five innings pitched.  If there is a positive take away for Mike in Tuesday Night’s start, it’s that he only walked one batter.  The walks have been an issue for him since being called up from AAA Gwinnett.  We have to take the good with the bad with Foltynewicz in his rookie year.  John Smoltz struggled his first few years with the Braves, so who knows?

The bullpen was great tonight. Between Trevor Cahill, Luis Avilan, and Nick Masset (formerly of Miami), the Atlanta Braves had a perfect sixth through ninth innings.  It might have been the best game from the Atlanta ‘pen all year.  It was a bummer that the offense could only must four hits tonight.

Tomorrow night’s game will feature Williams Perez for the Braves and Jake Odorizzi for the Rays.  Perez will make his first big league start now that Eric Stults is in the Atlanta bullpen.  I have heard great things about Odorizzi when he was coming up through the minors.  Tampa has a great reputation for cultivating starting pitchers.  Atlanta is going to have to play a sound ball game to defeat Tampa Bay tomorrow night.  I did not think Tampa Bay would look this good under first year manager Kevin Cash.  His Rays are just a game back of the Yankees in the AL East.  And he’s doing this without Alex Cobb and Matt Moore in his rotation.  Better luck tomorrow, Braves.