Culberson comes through for Braves again
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves’ Charlie Culberson has only a lukewarm acceptance of his “Charlie Clutch” nickname.
He only made the moniker more difficult to shed with his game-saving throw to the plate in the final inning of Sunday’s matchup with the Miami Marlins.
Atlanta third baseman Josh Donaldson capped a strong finish to the first half of the MLB season by hitting a two-run homer, and Culberson’s defensive play helped the National League East Division leaders escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to beat the Marlins 4-3 and earn another series victory.
The Braves are 10-2 in decisive contests of three-game series this season, including five straight wins, and 7-0 in those decisive games at SunTrust Park. The Braves are 8-0-1 in their past nine series.
With no outs and the bases loaded, Culberson, a former Calhoun High School standout, caught Neil Walker’s fly ball in left field and threw out Jorge Alfaro at the plate.
“I got chill bumps,” Culberson said of hearing the fans’ reaction to the play.
Culberson has hit .323 as a pinch-hitter this season and has hit eight pinch-hit homers since the start of 2018, tied for the most in the majors, to earn the “clutch” nickname.
“I like it,” Culberson said. “I just hope people don’t hold me to it every single day.”
The Braves — who are 10-2 against the Marlins this season and 24-7 the past two seasons — led 4-0 before Garrett Cooper hit a three-run homer off Chad Sobotka in the eighth.
Miami then loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth. Alfaro led off the inning with an infield hit off Braves closer Luke Jackson. Alfaro was called out at first base before the ruling was overturned after a review. Harold Ramirez singled up the middle before Yadiel Rivera popped up a bunt that landed behind Jackson for an infield hit, loading the bases.
Culberson, a late-inning defensive replacement, caught Walker’s fly ball while running toward center field. His momentum caused him to fall after making the throw. After making the tag, Braves catcher Brian McCann pumped his fist and pointed to Culberson.
The out call at the plate was upheld after a review. Marlins manager Don Mattingly said he wanted a review because he thought McCann was blocking the plate.
“I don’t know where the rule went or maybe I don’t understand it, because when we looked at the replay, McCann is standing on home plate and then he goes directly to taking home plate completely away with nowhere to slide,” Mattingly said, adding “… in that scenario, Jorge should have cleaned his clock.”
The replay showed McCann had his right foot in front of the plate and his left foot on the middle of the plate as he caught Culberson’s throw.
Jackson walked Curtis Granderson, again loading the bases, before ending the game on Miguel Rojas’ flyout to center to earn his 14th save of the season.
Donaldson applauded Culberson’s catch and throw and McCann’s tag.
“He made a great throw,” Donaldson said. “Great tag. Great all around. Great execution.”
Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman’s bloop single off Trevor Richards in the third drove in fellow All-Star selection Ronald Acuña Jr. for a 1-0 lead. Donaldson then hit a high fastball over the right-center field wall for the 200th homer of his MLB career and his 18th this season.
The 33-year-old Donaldson, who signed a one-year, $23 million deal with the Braves in the offseason, has hit 10 homers since June 11. He helped the Braves hit a franchise-record 143 homers before the break for Tuesday night’s MLB AllStar Game in Cleveland.
Donaldson is one of five Atlanta players with more than 15 homers. Ozzie Albies finished the first half with 14 homers, one shy of making the Braves the first team in major league history to have six players hit 15 homers before the break. Freeman (23), Acuña (21), Swanson (17) and Austin Riley (16) have more than 15. Acuña will participate in tonight’s All-Star Home Run Derby.
Braves starter Dallas Keuchel (2-2) allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings after the start of the game was delayed 26 minutes by rain. The left-hander was lifted after walking pinch-hitter Brian Anderson and giving up a single to Rojas with one out in the eighth. Sobotka struck out César Puello before giving up Cooper’s threerun homer.
Richards (3-10) allowed four runs on six hits and five walks, matching his season high, in five innings.