The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trends stand up
Sanchez, Tucker help keep Braves undefeated in day games and when they hit at least one homer.
CHICAGO — The Braves got a three-run homer from Preston Tucker in the fifth inning Friday and cruised from there to a 4-0 series-opening win against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, continuing a few early trends for the Braves and giving Anibal Sanchez his first win since Aug. 1.
Ozzie Albies added two dou-
bles and made two outstanding defensive plays at second base for the Braves, who improved to 8-0 when they hit at least
one home run, compared with 0-5 when they don’t. They also remained unbeaten (6-0) in day games — they’re 2-5 at night — and moved to 4-3 on a nine-game trip that ends with day games today and Sunday against the Cubs.
It was 42 degrees with a “feels like” temperature of 34 degrees at the first pitch, but the Braves turned up some heat
quickly on Cubs starter Yu Darvish, who lasted just 4⅔ innings and gave up nine hits, four runs and four walks.
Sanchez pitched six scoreless innings and allowed three hits, with one walk and six strikeouts, ending a winless streak of 11 games (10 starts), including losses in the veteran right-hander’s last six decisions with the Tigers in 2017. It was his first win since Aug. 1 at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed two runs in 6⅔ innings. The right-hander had been 0-6 with a 6.51 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) since then and his teams were 2-9 in those games.
Tucker snapped an 0-for13 skid with a second-inning single, then stunned an afternoon crowd at the Friendly Confines when he came to bat with two out and two on in the fifth and hit a ball that easily cleared the right-field wall and bounced off the concourse to give the Braves a 4-0 lead. It was his first homer since hitting three-run homers in the first inning of consecutive wins against the Nationals on April 3-4, and it raised Tucker’s RBI total to a team-high 12.
McCarthy still set to make next start
Braves pitcher Brandon McCarthy showed no lingering effects from a Wednesday
shoulder injury when he did his regular running Friday morning at Wrigley Field, and manager Brian Snitker reiterated the veteran right-hander was expected to make his next scheduled start.
McCarthy left Wednesday’s game at Washington sustained a subluxation, or partial dislocation, of his left (non-throwing) shoulder while making a catch on a routine play as he ran to cover first base.
The 34-year-old dealt with similar injuries twice last season with the Dodgers and had one stint on the 10-day disabled list for the issue.
It’s a problem McCarthy said will have to be surgically
repaired at some point to prevent repeat episodes and return stability to the shoulder, but he didn’t want to have the procedure before this season, the final year of his contract and his first season with the Braves after he was acquired from the Dodgers in a December trade. He’s 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA in three starts, all Braves wins.
McCarthy said because he went through the uncomfortable injury twice before, he knew when it happened this time exactly what it was and that he probably would be sore a couple of days but wouldn’t need to miss any time. Braves head trainer George Poulis popped the pitcher’s shoulder back into place on the field right after the incident occurred.
“He says he’ll be good to go next start,” Snitker said. “It’s one of them things, when guys have had those (injuries), they kind of know what it is and what to do. I hate that for him, because I’ve had friends that have had that and it’s a pain to do something simple like that (and get hurt).
“I don’t think he’ll miss anything. I think he should be fine. He even said the other day after he did it, ‘I’ll be fine for my next start.’”