Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Braves can’t hold a lead in loss to Dodgers
Julio Teheran entered Wednesday still feeling the effects from an illness that forced him out of his scheduled Tuesday start. It’s like not a full-health Teheran had been particularly effective in 2016 either—he was 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA through his first three starts.
But a less-than-healthy Julio still got the Braves through five-and-a-third, at which point the bullpen proceeded to do what the Atlanta Braves bullpen has been known to do in 2016—cough up a lead and, ultimately, the game.
That Eric O’Flaherty is the designated LOOGY isn’t a reflection of his abilities at this stage in his career, but rather the Braves commitment to a veteran who they’re comfortable with. They needed a lefty specialist; O’Flaherty was available. Option two was Ian Krol. Option three was Alex Torres. Fairly certain I was option four.
But after a totally gassed Teheran was removed with Adrian Gonzalez up, EOF did the one thing a guy whose sole purpose is to get lefties out can’t afford to do: he let a lefty hit a home run. Gonzalez’s big fly in the sixth tied it up and sent Atlanta deep into its bullpen for the second time in as many nights.
Then a funny thing happened—the bullpen held. Chris Withrow and Hunter Cervenka (otherwise known as the guy who should be facing tough left-handed batters) held down the next two innings. Jim Johnson was sharp. And Arodys Vizcaino was right filthy to hold the Dodgers in check in the ninth and send it to extras.
Then came Jason Grilli.
Grilli opened things up in the tenth by allowing a single to Chase Utley and walking Corey Seager on four pitches, none of which were particularly close. That brought up Justin Turner, who roped a looping liner into left-center.
Mallex Smith looked to have broken back before using his tremendous speed to close on it. He dove. The ball hit the webbing of his glove.
Then it bounced out. Smith stumbled going after it. Utley scampered home.
For all intents and purposes, the four-game winning streak died right there. The extra run Yasmani Grandal drove in was just salt in the wound. And rather than add to his trade value, Grilli now looks and plays just like Gerard Butler: longer hair, scruffy beard and no business pitching in a tight baseball game.
As ever, there were some nice spots. Teheran looked like a legitimate threat to vomit on the mound at times but gutted through for his season’s finest performance. The velocity issues remain—if you believe MLB.com’s Gameday page, he threw precisely five pitches over 90 miles per hour all evening—but his control was precise and he kept the ball low, doubling up his groundout to flyout ratio.
I don’t think anybody will call it vintage Julio Teheran—the velocity thing has gone from slightly troublesome to legitimately worrisome, especially if the fastball remains in the low-90s after he’s back to full strength. But as we’ve said many times already in 2016, that performance deserved better than what he was rewarded with.
Fredi Gonzalez’s lineup construction—which at this point I’m pretty sure is just him and a Magic 8 ball with an irrational hatred of quality defense spitballing ideas 45 minutes before first pitch—was curious once again but paid dividends for an otherwise putrid offense.
Hit Daniel Castro second, Fredi.
Good idea, as Castro responded with a couple of hits, including a two-run single in the fourth.
I know A.J. Pierzynski is slugging a toddler’s body weight, but why don’t you hit him clean-up tonight?
Whatever works man; Pierzynski inched closer to 2,000 career hits with a couple of knocks of his own and drove in Castro on a single in the third.
(Not included on this list: Freddie Freeman, who struck out four times and did not look good doing it. Also not included: Kelly Johnson’s 0-for-5, including two strikeouts and four stranded runners, including strikeouts in the first and third innings with men in scoring position.)
Next: Nick Markakis has been hot since 2006--Why trade him?
After a four-game win streak went by the wayside, the Braves try to start a new streak during tomorrow’s matinee. Standing in their way will be Clayton Kershaw, The Greatest Pitcher of His Generation. Should be a blast. First pitch is 12:10 p.m. (ET).