The Braves Vs Rays Series Recap

The Braves bats are coming alive

Jun 17, 2024

Over the weekend, the Atlanta Braves had a series vs Tampa and the Braves lineup was looking like it was back in 2023. Since the beginning of may the Braves have had trouble scoring runs. Their starting pitching has been phenomenal, and the bullpen has been good, but the offense was sitting in neutral. The Braves offense even went on a stretch where 9-15 scoring 3 or fewer runs in 15 of those 24 games (per Dave O'Brien). In the series vs the Rays, the Braves scored a combined 21 runs while hitting 9 hrs. It took Atlanta from June 6-13 to score 22 runs. Let’s look at the series recap!

Friday

On Friday the Braves had Chris Sale on the mound. Sale would go 7 strong, giving up 5 hits, 2 earned, 2 walks, and punching 8 tickets along the way. Jesse Chavez would go 1 inning, punching out 1 and allowing 1 hit. Dylan Lee would pitch .2, giving up a walk, hit, and an earned run before being relieved by Raisel Iglesias, who would endused a Yandy Diaz ground out. The bats would be the story for this game, scoring 7 runs (5 in the first) as Marcell Ozuna would hit a 3 run Homerun in the first. Austin Riley would double home Matt Olson to make it 5-1 Braves. In the second, Austin Riley would hit a 2 run Homerun, and that would be all Atlanta needed. The only bad thing to happen in this game is the Injury to Michael Harris ll as he is on the 10 day IL (strained left hamstring).

Austin Riley 3-4 3 RBI (HR)

Marcell Ozuna 1-4 3 RBI (HR)

Matt Olson 2-5

Saturday

Saturday, the Braves also had a dominant start by their starting pitcher as Uncle Charlie would go 6 innings allowing 3 hits, 1 earned, walking 2, and striking out 8. The bats would again score 5 in one inning, as they scored 5 in the 5th, 3 in the 7th, and 1 in the 8th. Sean Murphy would walk and Jarred Kelenic would hit a 2r home run to put the Braves on top 2-1. Ozzie Albies would walk and Marcell Ozuna would hit a 2r home run to make it 4-1, and Matt Olson would also leave the yard making it 5-1. In the 7th, Olson and Ozuna would both single, resulting in Riley to hit a 3r home run, making it 8-1. Ozzie would hit a sac fly in the 8th, making it 9-1. Randy Arozarena would homer in the 9th and that would be all for the Rays in the 9th.

Jarred Kelenic 3-5 with 2 RBI (HR)

Marcell Ozuna 3-5 with 2 RBI (HR)

Matt Olson 2-4 with a RBI (HR)

Austin Riley 1-2 with 3 RBI (HR) (2 BB)

Sunday

On Sunday, Hurston Waldrep would get his second major league start and his first at Truist. Hurston would continue his struggles from Washington as his location and struggles to give up the long ball were on full display. Waldrep would go 3.1, giving up 5 hits, 6 earned, walking 4, and striking out only 2. Dylan Lee would pitch 1.2, allowing no hits, and striking out 3. Grant Holmes would make his MLB debut and would absolutely impress. A MILB journeyman who had spent 10 years prior in the MILB got the call and went 3 innings, only allowing 2 hits, while striking out 2 to help relieve the bullpen. Jarred Kelenic would hit a leadoff home run in the first to tie the game at 1 a piece. Travis d’Arnaud would hit a solo home run in the second to make it 2-1 Braves until the 4th when the wheels fell off for Waldrep. Waldrep would allow a HBP, BB, BB, Grand Slam, single before being removed from the game. Waldrep would struggle, and after the game was over, it was announced that he was going on the IL with elbow soreness. The Braves say it isn’t serious, but they don’t want to risk anything. I believe Hurston will probably go back down to AAA to get some more seasoning, but I believe he could throw some quality innings in relief as his past 2 starts he has been fine the first time through the order, the second time is when it blows up. The Braves bats, however, picked up Waldrep as Adam Duvall and Travis d’Arnaud would both single in runners to make the score 4-6. In the bottom of the 8th, Matt Olson would double, and Austin Riley would hit a game-tying homer on the 11th pitch of the at-bat off Jason Adam. Unfortunately, Raisel Iglesias would give up the go-ahead 2r home run in the top of the 9th, and the Braves would lose.

Matt Olson 3-3

Austin Riley 2-4, 2 RBI, (HR)

Travis d’Arnaud 2-4, (HR)

Takeaways

There are some great takeaways from this series. For starters, Sale continues his dominance, and Charlie Morton pitched better than he did his last time out. Sale and Morton would combine for 13 IPs, 16 K’s, 4 BBs, and 3 ERs. I will take that all day from my number 2 and 3 starters in the June hot box they call Atlanta. The offense was on fire, going 7-19 with RISP, a lot better than the 0-15 in the first two games against the Orioles. The trio of Ozuna/ Olson/ Riley were all mashed this weekend, with Riley having a home run in every game. Combined, the trio went 17-35 with 6 hrs, 2 doubles, and 14 RBI. Jarred Kelenic also slotted well into the leadoff spot, and the Braves might have a new rally tactic, Snit Bear! It was a great weekend and a very good sign of things to come for Braves Country. The Braves will take on the Tigers for a 3-game set on Monday.

Braves Vs. Tigers probables

Monday: Fried Vs Olson

Tuesday: Schwellenbach Vs Mize

Wednesday: Skubal Vs Lopez