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Atlanta Braves Extend NL East Lead With 9-1 Homestand

By Deke Lloyd

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Josh Donaldson #20 is congratulatedin the dugout after hitting a solo homerun during the eighth inning of a game against the San Diego Padresat PETCO Park on July 12, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Josh Donaldson #20 is congratulatedin the dugout after hitting a solo homerun during the eighth inning of a game against the San Diego Padresat PETCO Park on July 12, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves finished a very successful homestand with a 9-1 record, which included taking three of four from the Washington Nationals over the weekend. With the series win, the Braves now hold a commanding 9 game lead in the NL East.

After finishing their last road game with a win, the Braves came home with series against the Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals. The Braves would sweep two teams, White Sox and Blue Jays, and take three of four from the Nationals before losing the final game of the series, snapping their nine-game winning streak in the process. Even with the loss, the Atlanta Braves were able to extend their NL East lead to a comfortable 9 game lead with 18 regular-season games remaining.

With such a successful last ten games and cushion between the Braves and the rest of the NL East, Atlanta now has a chance to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers for home-field advantage in the NL playoffs. As of today, the Braves record is 89-55 and the Dodgers are at 93-52. The Braves will have to make up the 3.5 games in the next 18. It’s not going to be easy but with the way this Braves team has been playing lately, it’s possible.

A week-long road trip through two divisional rivals, Philadelphia and Washington, is next for the Atlanta Braves after the extended homestand. A four-game series against the Phillies will start on Monday night and take the Braves through Friday when the Braves meet the Nationals for their final three games of the season. Both the Phillies and Nationals are pushing for Wild Card spots so the Braves will not have an easy week against two opponents still jockeying for playoff position.

By playing such good baseball as a team over the last week, the Braves have afforded themselves a buffer from the rest of the NL East. This will get the Braves a chance to relax, slightly, down the stretch of the season. Instead of having to scoreboard watch these last 18 games, the Braves can focus on playing their best baseball going into the playoffs. With a playoff position all but wrapped up, the Braves focus now needs to shift to postseason baseball. Possible meetings with the Dodgers, Nationals, and Cubs are what the Braves have to look forward to in October.

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