Atlanta Braves: Missed Opportunity in Los Angeles Seems Familiar
By W. M. Lawson
The Atlanta Braves (47-50) lost in extra innings Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. While losing to the Dodgers isn’t shameful, the loss was too familiar.
Yeah, yeah. I completely understand and agree with you. At the beginning of this road trip, and this particular series with the NL leading Los Angeles Dodgers, I would’ve been OK with a series split. Most teams would be. But, the Atlanta Braves had a chance to do something unusual. Then the usual showed up.
With Kershaw on the bump for L.A., and the neophyte Sean Newcomb on the mound for the good guys, one looked at this game as a “reach”. Kershaw leaves early, though, and the Braves, and their fans, start thinking we have a chance.
The Dodgers proceeded to show why they are a championship caliber team: Deep rotation, really good defense, really good line-up. It didn’t help that Atlanta’s bats were cold until the top of the 9th.
But there it is. The unusual thing would be strolling into L.A. and taking 3 out of 4. Freeman, Kemp, and Matt Adams all got hits in the top of the 9th with 2 outs. We’re starting to get used to that. Adams’ 3 run HR to the right bleachers is also something we’re getting used to.
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It looked like L.A.’s rotation was thinning, as was their bench. But, then, something else we’re getting used to showed up: Jim Johnson lost the game.
Look. Getting 2 out of 4 in L.A. will be big, if we can win the series in Arizona, and the next in Philly. That would be a great road trip.
But let’s not pretend we aren’t seeing what we are seeing. Bats go cold at times. The team doesn’t quit. Newcomb walks too many batters at terrible times, but he also strikes out a lot batters. The core of the team continues to produce. And Jim Johnson is not good right now.
How the team shakes this off and goes and plays in Arizona will say much. If they can fight and battle and win, they have a DNA that has been missing in recent years.
Related Story: Atlanta Braves: Something’s Gotta Give With Jim Johnson
If they go to Arizona and lay an egg, we’ll look back at that 10th inning as the fulcrum to futility. Let’s go take two.