Read our views on the news

The AJC’s Editorial Board offers its opinion on the Braves’ heartbreaking defeat and looking toward the future.

As baseball games go, this one was heartbreaking.

A 10-run first inning. A roller coaster of a series filled with plenty of highs — then a dud when it mattered the most.

It stings.

But set aside, if you can, what happened at SunTrust Park on Wednesday night.

Back in April, did you expect the Braves to win 97 games this season? Or clinch the NL East in mid-September? Or host a do-or-die Game 5 in early October?

Could you have guessed Ronald Acuna would have such a breakout season? Or Josh Donaldson would live up to his contract? Or this team would be so much fun to watch? Probably not. Baseball, as we know, is about numbers, averages and statistics. But it’s also about grit, determination and heart – the stuff that never shows up on the back of any baseball card.

This team’s chemistry dazzled fans all season.

Let’s not forget some fans had sworn off the Braves when the team moved from Atlanta to Cobb County.

Winning can change that.

This season, the team drew 2.65 million fans — the highest in 12 years.

Sure, this season ended sooner than any Braves fan would have liked. And it came to a halt in a spectacularly disappointing fashion.

But the Braves are a young team — an organization that’s waxing, not waning.

This team has a lot of promise.

This team will be back. For now, let’s join baseball fans in 26 other Major League cities, counting the days until pitchers and catchers report.

After all, there’s always next year.