The Braves lost to the Cardinals, 3-2, in 11 innings on Thursday at Truist Park.
Atlanta is 49-35.
Here are five observations:
1. The Braves were so close to sweeping this four-game set.
In the ninth inning, they had the winning run on base with no outs. In the 10th, they had the winning run on third with one out. There was one mistake and an unfortunate play from the Braves. There was a great play by the Cardinals.
So it goes.
“Just one of them games, man,” manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s a game of inches and the inches got us, pretty much.”
But the Braves still took three of four from St. Louis. They are 3 1/2 games back of the first-place Mets.
“Guys are going out there and playing hard,” Tyler Matzek said. “It’s hot right now, but guys are staying focused, they’re staying locked in and we’re trying to win every single ballgame. We’ve got a chance to win every single ballgame. We’re going out there and beating some good teams, and it starts with everybody just doing their job.”
The Braves have continued to look good against tough competition.
“We’re a good team,” Snitker said. “We’re pretty good ourselves, I feel.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
2. One by one, Spencer Strider’s fastballs whizzed past the Cardinals’ bats. They whiffed on one after another as the rookie flamethrower did something rather rare.
Strider’s first nine outs were strikeouts. Strider became the first Braves pitcher since at least 1961 to record each of his first nine outs via the strikeout, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
“It’s cool,” Strider said. “A lot of really good pitchers pitched for Atlanta. So that’s neat. Wish we would’ve pulled out the win as well.”
He eventually struck out a career-high 12 batters as he shut out the Cardinals over six innings. He allowed two hits, issued two walks and threw 100 pitches in another fine outing, even if his team lost.
3. This is Matzek’s approach to the extra innings format in which a runner starts the frame at second base:
“The biggest thing is that first out, that’s the biggest one. Once you do that, you can have a chance of holding that guy at second. After that, it’s just limit the damage and give your offense a chance.”
He pitched the 10th and 11th innings. In both, he allowed a leadoff single. Still, he kept the Cardinals from scoring multiple runs in an inning, limiting them to a sacrifice fly from Juan Yepez in the 10th inning and a run-scoring single from Dylan Carlson in the 11th.
The good news was this: Matzek went multiple innings for the first time all season. When he pitched on Tuesday, his first appearance since the injury, he was trying to see if he would feel pain.
“Tonight I felt much freer on the mound,” he said. “Felt like I just let it go and throw, and felt normal. Next step is getting back into full midseason form.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
4. Opting for the faster runner, Snitker had Phil Gosselin pinch-run for Orlando Arcia with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. It didn’t go well.
Michael Harris scorched a ball to the gap and Gosselin took off for second. He rounded second and headed toward third.
That’s when he saw center fielder Carlson make a terrific grab in the gap. Gosselin stopped and sprinted back around the diamond, but the Cardinals doubled him off.
“I don’t know how Carlson caught that ball,” Snitker said. “I was looking to see which way it was going to bounce off the wall. Shocked the heck out of me.”
Instead of potentially winning the game on that play, the Braves saw their inning die.
And in the 11th, Carlson’s RBI single went off Gosselin’s glove.
5. Harris was 1-for-11 in this series when he stepped into the batter’s box to lead off the top of the seventh inning versus Giovanny Gallegos.
Then the rookie who has sparked this club tons of times did it once again.
Harris hit a 439-foot solo homer that tied the game. It’s his sixth homer of the season. And it came on a pitch that was off the plate.
“I don’t know how he hit that ball out, with where it was, and like he did, with the giddyup on it,” Snitker said.
Stat to know
19 - Braves pitchers struck out 19, the most by the team in a game since 2011.
Quotable
“We know that we can be successful. Guys that were on the team last year through that whole run, they know that they can win it and they can do well. Yeah, just don’t get in your own way and show up and replicate what you’ve done when things are good. Just let it happen.” - Strider on the Braves’ consistency
Up next
The Braves on Friday begin a three-game series with the Nationals. Charlie Morton will pitch the opener, which begins at 7:20 p.m. at Truist Park.
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