The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Freeman keeps hitting
First baseman extends streak to 29 games Tuesday.
Long after most Atlantans had gone to bed, Freddie Freeman started the Braves’ comeback from a 6-0 deficit Tuesday with his two-out homer in the fourth inning and then scored the tying run in the eighth after leading off the inning with a single. The Braves beat the Phillies 7-6 after two rain delays.
That’s the way things have gone lately for the resurgent Braves offense and the hottest hitter in the National League. Freeman’s 33rd home run gave him 10 more than his previous career high.
He entered Wednesday’s game on a 29-game hitting streak that was tied for longest in the majors this season and on a 45-game on-base streak that was one shy of the majors’ longest this season. The latter streak reached 46 when Freeman was hit by a pitch early in Wednesday night’s game.
“He just keeps doing it,” Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said of Freeman, whose hitting streak was tied for third-longest in franchise history and the longest since Dan Uggla’s Atlanta-record 33-gamer in 2011.
The on-base streak was the Braves’ longest since Gary Sheffield’s Atlanta-record 52-game streak in 2002.
Over 45 games before Wednesday, Freeman produced these statistics: .389 average with 17 doubles, 15 homers, 45 RBIs, 45 runs, 40 walks, 39 strikeouts, a .507 OBP and .772 slugging percentage. The Braves were 24-21 in those games.
“Doing nothing different,” Freeman said after Tuesday’s win, the 20th in 33 games for the Braves and eighth in the past nine games. “Things are going through and I’m hitting pitches I was missing early in the season. There’s nothing really to it, just trying to get a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it.”
Since Freeman, 27, doesn’t like to say much about his hitting, just ask Braves rookie outfielder Mallex Smith.
“Freddie? He’s amazing,” Smith said. “That is a professional hitter, everybody. He’s the man. You just kind of stay out of his way and watch . ... Freddie Freeman been locking down first base since he was, what, 21? 20? It’s just nice to see a professional just do his thing.”