Losers of six of seven entering the night, the Braves earned a much-needed win Thursday, defeating the Cardinals 4-0 in the opener of a four-game series at Truist Park.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
1. It was a good time for Charlie Morton to provide his best start of the season. Morton was phenomenal, limiting the Cardinals to three hits over 7-2/3 innings. He struck out seven and didn’t issue a walk (he also hit two batters). He carried a no-hitter into the seventh.
“It was nice,” Morton said, pausing for a moment with a smile. “I feel like I did my job.”
Morton finished the seventh at 97 pitches, but manager Brian Snitker let him hit in the bottom of the frame and start the eighth. Morton recorded two outs but also surrendered two hits, prompting Snitker to remove him at 112 pitches with the top of the Cardinals lineup looming.
“That was about as clutch as it’s been all year,” Snitker said of Morton’s performance. “And it was fun to watch. He was really good. ... There was probably no bigger start than today after the last two games (losses to Boston). And the bullpen, we had to use so many guys in that last series. This was about as clutch as it comes.”
2. Reliever Luke Jackson entered the two-on, two-out situation following Morton and struck out Tommy Edman to end the Cardinals’ only threat of the night. It was just another scoreless appearance for Jackson, who’s allowed a run in only three of his 29 outings. He’s sporting a 1.05 ERA.
“He has been quietly throwing the ball really well,” Snitker said. “Kind of where he was two or three years ago when he was closing games for us. His stuff is better now than it was then, even. It’s really live. He’s been nails for us. Quietly having a really, really good season. He’s been efficient with his pitches, come in in some tough spots. He’s done a great job.”
3. At age 37, Morton became the oldest Braves starter to pitch 7-2/3 scoreless innings since Hall of Famer John Smoltz in 2006, per MLB Stats. It was the deepest a Braves pitcher has gone in a game since Mike Foltynewicz pitched eight innings Sept. 20, 2019, when the Braves defeated the Giants to clinch the division.
“The big thing tonight was there was a change in my delivery that allowed me to be more direct to the plate,” Morton said. “Just the same stuff we’ve been working on. Really trusting the adjustment and let the ball go.”
4. Morton’s bid for a no-hitter was snapped with one out in the seventh, when he surrendered a single to conclude a 10-pitch battle with Cardinals All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. It was the deepest no-hit bid in Morton’s career, besting his 5-2/3 no-hit innings Sept. 23, 2019, against the Yankees.
“I was aware of (the no-hitter),” Morton said. “Goldy had a heck of an at-bat. That was tremendous. A lot of away, away, away then I tried to go in with the sinker. That was probably one of the few sinkers I threw all night. And he did a great job barreling the ball. ... That’s fun. I was definitely aware of it. It’s fun to be in that spot every now and then. It’s nice.”
5. Outfielder Guillermo Heredia put the Braves on the board with a solo shot off Cardinals starter John Gant in the fifth. It was Heredia’s first home run since his two-homer, six-RBI outburst at Wrigley Field on April 18. Like Heredia, Abraham Almonte has also stepped up to help the Braves’ outfield. He doubled home the Braves’ third run Thursday. It was Almonte’s fifth double in five games.
Stat to know
4.03 (Morton entered the start with a 4.50 ERA. He left with a 4.03 mark.)
Quotable
“The Charlie Morton express was rolling tonight, so people don’t like to move when that’s going on, especially down in the bullpen.” - Jackson
One away from 100
Morton earned his 99th career win Thursday.
Up next
Braves lefty Max Fried (3-3, 4.62) will face Cardinals’ right-hander Carlos Martinez (3-7, 5.54) Friday.
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