Atlanta Braves: Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad…For Now.
Perhaps it was a bigger park or some sort of reverse bad taste magic from that absurdity in left center, but our Atlanta Braves won two out of three in Miami this weekend. There is, at least, one reason for we true believers to hope for better in the days to come.
Our Atlanta Braves just wrapped up the weekend set in Miami, taking two of three from the Fish. What’s more is that they did it on the strength of quality starting pitching; something they have lacked and sorely needed.
So much consternation on the part of we fans has been over the video game numbers opposing hitters have compiled against our starters so far this year. You add three veteran guys (Colon, Dickey, and Garcia) who have all won before to Julio Teheran and a year-more-matured Mike Foltynewicz, and most of us expected better than we have seen from the rotation.
Well, “Friday Night Folty” showed up to the park for Game One of the series and gave up a single run on six innings pitched, while striking out four and walking none. Further, he not only managed to keep his secondary pitches mostly in the park, but he also pitched well his second time through the lineup, both a struggle for him, in a close game as he exited having held a slim 2-1 lead right before the bats went bananas in the top of the 7th…Braves win.
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Saturday brought with it another strong six inning effort from Julio Teheran. Julio shut the gate on home plate, yielding no runs and allowing only five batters to reach base in those six innings. For you math majors, that’s a sub 1.00 WHIP for the day. He also struck out four…Braves win.
R.A. Dickey took the loss earlier today, but he carried a shut out into the 7th that he may have taken forward were it not for a few questionable ball calls leading to a walk with one on and one out in the inning. Horseshoes and hand grenades and all that…Dickey gave up a three run homer to Tyler Moore two batters later that would be the difference in the 3-1 final. All of that on a day where the Braves left 12 men on base…Horseshoes, hand grenades, and all that.
So far, the bats have been middling. The bullpen has been great, then terrible, and now great again. Regardless, we all know the rotation has been the main culprit in this less than lovely, now, 13-21 start.
The wins are, obviously, the main thing, but winning games with great pitching is particularly encouraging and must continue, if we are to make this season the step forward out of the rebuilding abyss we have all been inhabiting.
Next: Atlanta Braves: Keep the Faith Braves Nation! Keep the Faith!
Even if we all suspect that our real pitching future lies with names like Newcomb, Allard, Fried, and Soroka, winning two games on the arms of the only two guys who may still actually be in our rotation this time next year, or whenever it is that we plan on winning again, is cause for celebration and hope as we head to Toronto.