The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BRAVES SNAP 3-GAME SKID
The offense goes to work early as the NL East leaders avoid being swept at home by a team with one of the worst records in the major leagues.
These Orioles were closer to the rendition fans expected at SunTrust Park this weekend.
The Braves defeated Baltimore 7-3 Sunday, avoiding a sweep at the hands of arguably the worst team in the majors. It snapped the Braves’ seven-game losing streak to the Orioles in interleague play and marked their first win in the rarely played series since June 15, 2012.
The first two Braves reached base
with Ender Inciarte drawing a walk and Ozzie Albies singling off David Hess. Freddie Freeman singled both home for an early lead.
Nick Markakis doubled Albies home for the Braves’ third run. It opened a three-run third frame, capped by Charlie Culberson’s tworun double.
Markakis collected his National League-leading 98th and 99th hits in his 76th game. This season will likely be the quickest he’s gotten to 100 hits, with his previous best requiring 81 games.
Freeman’s 96 hits are second in the senior circuit. He and Markakis are the only pair of teammates in the NL to start every game. Both lead in All-Star voting at their positions, first base and outfield, respectively.
Dansby Swanson launched his first pinch-hit homer in the eighth to give the Braves a pair of insurance runs. Swanson had hit .122 (6-for-49) with one walk over his past 11 games, and has produced a .195 average since returning from a
wrist injury on May 19.
Brandon McCarthy was up and down again in his first start since June 15. The veteran right-hander went five innings, allowing three earned runs on two homers. McCarthy’s allowed seven homers in June and eight total across his last five starts.
He’d allowed seven homers in his first nine starts, with five homerless outings.
Trey Mancini planted McCarthy’s first mistake into the left-field seats in the second inning. Mark Trumbo sent one deep to center to pull the Orioles to within 5-3 in the fifth.
Baltimore entered the series with a 21-52 record, worst in the majors. They staged a ninth-inning comeback Friday only to blow it in the bottom of the frame, ultimately winning in 15 innings. They protected what was once a six-run lead and won 7-5 Saturday.
In snapping their threegame losing streak, the Braves moved to 18-8 in day games and 22-15 at home. This was just their second series loss at home, the other coming when the Giants swept the Braves in early May.
The Braves open a threegame set today with the Reds, who’ve won seven in a row after sweeping the Cubs.
Closer duties to be shared: The Braves have already experimented with multiple closers throughout the year, and they’ll be forced to do so with mainstay Arodys Vizcaino sidelined for the next week.
Vizcaino was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to June 21. The Braves hope their usual closer can return in a week, but they’ll be tasked with balancing the ninth inning in the meantime.
Manager Brian Snitker said A.J. Minter and Dan Winkler will handle closer duties in Vizcaino’s absence. Winkler blew a save opportunity Friday, admitting he was amped up. Minter has more experience in the role, but it’s his first full season in the bigs.
“We have guys down there who are capable, have been in the high-leverage situations,” Snitker said. “It’s good the other day that Winks got a taste of what that really is, what that feels like. Because it’s a different animal. We talk about that ninth inning, it’s different. It’s why those guys make a lot of money to pitch in it.”
If Vizcaino returns July 1 as the team hopes, they’d only play six games (including Sunday) without him. The Braves had already been sprinkling in closing opportunities for Minter, while they’d hoped to implement Winkler more as well.
Vizcaino’s inflammation had been building up, and the Braves realized Saturday night it’d be best to rest him for a week.
“I’m hoping this DL will take care of it,” Snitker said. “It’s getting better. It’s better than it was a week ago today, the last time he pitched. We had the off day, we shut him down in Toronto thinking Friday would be good. It’s getting better but it’s still not where it needs to be.”