Braves Use Big Offensive Inning to Beat Mariners in Series Finale

The Atlanta Braves used a big inning to take down the Seattle Mariners, 5-2, and prevent being swept for the first time in the 2024 season.    

Here’s what you need to know about from the contest.

The Braves were derided by some across baseball - mostly jilted Red Sox fans, really - when they traded for veteran Chris Sale and promptly gave him an extension that would keep him in the organization through the 2025 season (and had a club option for 2026).

But that’s proving to be one of the most important moves of the offseason by President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos. 

Sale looked dominant today, allowing only one run in his five innings. While his streak of seven-inning starts was snapped at three, he put up a season-high nine strikeouts. His stuff wasn’t untouchable - he allowed six base hits - but it was a strong performance, with 21 whiffs and a 39% CSW. Sale could have gone longer in the outing were it not for the 20 foul balls that Seattle hitters got off of him. 

Backup catcher Chadwick Tromp deserves a lot of credit here, as he both received and framed very well. The Umpire Scorecard will be interesting to see when it comes out tomorrow, as home plate umpire Nic Lentz was attempting to squeeze both pitchers but Tromp consistently earned his pitcher some calls. 

For ranking in the top three in several categories entering this series, Atlanta’s hitters struggled with the formidable Seattle pitching. Both Mariners starters combined for one run allowed in their fourteen innings entering today; two of Atlanta’s three runs were scored off of the Seattle bullpen. 

But today was different. Facing Cairo, GA native Emerson Hancock, who was drafted by the Mariners out of the University of Georgia, the reality of facing his childhood team wasn’t easy to overcome. Hancock was pulled in the fourth inning after allowing four runs, all scored with two outs, on four consecutive hits from the top of Atlanta’s lineup. He finished with five runs allowed (one earned) in 3.2 innings with four walks and four strikeouts.   

Of note is how the top of Atlanta’s order finally got going in this one. Ronald Acuña Jr. had two base hits, including a 111.8 mph single (off of a fastball, a pitch that he’s struggled with so far this season), and scored twice. Austin Riley went two for three, including an RBI triple. Even Matt Olson got in on the action, flaring an RBI single to cap off the scoring in the 4th inning. 

It’s a trio that’s struggled to get going, but even the inputs were good today: Five of Atlanta’s six hardest-hit balls came from the Acuña/Riley/Olson trio, with four of them coming in over 100 mph. Maybe the power production is right behind? 

Atlanta’s shortstop was asked to step into big shoes left by the departure of the sure-handed Dansby Swanson in free agency after the 2022 season, but he’s become even better in 2024. Entering today’s game, Arcia was in the 97th percentile for all defenders (via MLB Statcast), coming in at three Outs Above Average and tied with Nick Ahmed of the San Francisco Giants for first place among all shortstops at the measure. 

He contributed some more gems today, flashing both improved range (98th percentile, a career-high) and his cannon of an arm (avg of 87 mph, a top ten figure for shortstops). 

The Braves are off on Friday before heading to Los Angeles to take on the NL West-leading Dodgers. Atlanta’s announced their rotation as Charlie Morton, Bryce Elder, and Max Fried - Los Angeles has yet to announce their pitching plans for the series.