Atlanta Braves Clicking On All Cylinders Right Now
By Deke Lloyd
With the win over the Mets on Sunday, the Braves made it back-to-back sweeps over their last two series. The Braves have won 8 games in a row after the win on Sunday.
The Braves are clicking on all cylinders at the moment. Winners of their last 8 games, the Braves have won their series over the Dodgers while sweeping the Marlins and Mets over the last 8 games. Going into September in the next week, the Braves are really starting to perform like one of the best teams in all of baseball.
The thing that has been so special about this Braves eight-game winning streak is the way this team has done it. The offense has led the charge, scoring 5 or more runs in four of the wins. The pitching has been the special part of the winning-streak, holding their opponents to 5 or fewer runs in all 8 of the games. It’s been a special performance from every player on this team, including bench players, bullpen guys, and back of the rotation starters.
Yet, even with the incredible baseball, the team has been playing the Braves still hold a 6 game lead in the NL East over the Washington Nationals. While the Braves have been playing great baseball to an eight-game winning streak, the Nationals have won 4 in a row, including an extra-innings win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The Nationals have games against the Baltimore Orioles and Miami Marlins this week, two of the worst teams in all of baseball. The Braves will have to stay on their toes this week with the Nationals still in play for the NL East crown.
Coming off the sweep of the Mets, the Braves will go on to play a makeup game with the Colorado Rockies tomorrow afternoon. The Braves will go on to some interleague play with the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox this week. The Braves won’t get any off days this week, which will be a challenge, but there aren’t many challenges that have tripped this team up so far this season.
This Braves team just continues to improve game after game. While the calendar soon flips to September, this Braves team feels more and more like a legit World Series contender. The momentum the Braves found after winning the Dodgers series has yet to subside. If this Braves team continues to play this well, there aren’t many teams in all of baseball who can slow down this Braves team.