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For eight innings, it was looking rather frustrating for the Braves: 8 hits, 2 walks and only one run to make it a tie game. A home plate call challenge that should have been upheld on two different grounds instead went Cincinnati’s way. There were so many reasons for Atlanta to have put somewhere between 3 and 6 runs on the board, and yet they couldn’t muster The Hit in the right situation against Mike Leake and the Reds Monday night.
The game began 100 minutes late thanks to passing storms, and Shelby Miller was excellent once again for the Braves:Â 7 innings, 100 pitches, 3 hits, 2 walks, and 8 strikeouts.
For a long time, the offenses were squelched by both starters as expected: Leake gave up a solo homer in the 4th to Andrelton Simmons; Miller scrambled to do damage control in the 2nd inning after loading the bases with nobody out – giving up just one.
The Play At Home
May 11, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez (right) talks with home plate umpire Laz Diaz (left) in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Braves won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
In the 6th, Atlanta loaded the bases with A.J. Pierzynski on third. Miller grounded a chopper to third base, which could have been turned into an inning-ending double play. Instead, 3B Todd Frazier came home with the ball – which seemed to surprise the Reds catcher. For whatever reason, while the ball arrived in time, Catcher Tucker Barnhart failed to tag the plate and tried to tag Pierzynski instead. Barnhart clearly had the plate blocked – more so, frankly than many plays we’ve seen calls reversed on. Barnhart also seemed to apply the tag late on his Atlanta counterpart. Either way, it looked like the Braves had grounds to gain a second run.
By rule, Fredi Gonzalez had to pick one of these complaints to challenge… there’s a complaint for later. He chose the blocking rule, which seemed to be the more egregious violation. The replay umpire failed to agree, though, and that changed the inning – and perhaps the rest of the game as Atlanta failed to score.
Why was this challenge outcome important? Shortly after that in the 7th inning, Jay Bruce flied out to the wall in right field. Nick Markakis caught it, but did so just inches (if that) in front of a fan leaning over to attempt a catch of his own. The Braves were thatclose from a fan interference call… and may have needed that challenge to make the case.
So many things could have turned on ‘oh, so close’ plays in this game – and there’s two: one went Atlanta’s way, but the more important one didn’t.
Fortunately, there was more to come.
To the Pen
But you think that the Braves have bullpen problems? The Reds – aside from closer Aroldis Chapman – have been worse. But tonight, you might not have known this as Tony Cingrani and Jumbo Diaz starting hanging K’s and routine grounders on the visiting club starting in the 7th. In fact, the entire blueprint ended up being flipped.
Luis Avilan responded with a perfect 8th of his own, leading to Chapman’s appearance in the 9th.
In the Braves’ 9th inning, a 102 mph fastball dispatched Cameron Maybin. PH Philip Gosselin was sitting on that fastball and sent it back up the middle for a one out single. Nick Markakis – battling the lefty for the first time, whacked the first pitch he saw into center field as well. Gosselin then stole 3rd base off of Chapman… clinging to the base as he arrived. Andrelton Simmons whiffed on a nasty slider for the second out.
That brought up Freddie Freeman… and Atlanta finally got their break… and Gosselin made that break happen thanks to the steal.
A wild fastball picked off Barnhart and went to the backstop. Gosselin raced home and finally gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead.
Freeman then singled up the middle while SS Kris Negron barely stopped it from getting into the outfield, thus saving an insurance run.
Jonny Gomes, hitting for Kelly Johnson, grounded to 1st to end the threat, setting up the bottom of the 9th.
Enter Jim Johnson
Jason Grilli, thought to be available, was nonetheless not called upon to save the game. Fredi Gonzalez explained later that it was his call to give Grilli ‘one more day’. Thus Jim Johnson was brought in to preserve the lead.
Johnson generated some drama as Brandon Phillips singled with one out and then stole second as Jay Bruce K’d.
Fortunately, SS Negron was unable to capitalize as he grounded out to end the contest. Johnson gets hgis second save as a Brave.
Braves win: 2-1. Whew! We’ll definitely take it – even as a nail-biter.