Thoughts on Atlanta Braves Comeback Win
By Fred Owens
Markakis Madness
Nick Markakis wasn’t signed to be a power bat though I’m sure the Braves hoped for more than the five total he hit in his time with Atlanta prior to the game.
In his first at bat Jason Hammel left a pitch up and Markakis hit his third homer of the year down the right field line to give the Braves the 2-0 lead they would hold until the eighth.
In the ninth the Cubs had their closer hector Rondon on the mound. Markakis was 0-2 with a sac fly facing the hard throwing righty and the count was full when he hit a big fly that landed in the right field seats.
Rondon had given up just two home runs to the 99 hitters he faced before Markakis. Multi-home run games are not a Markakis specialty.
Markakis ties it with a leadoff homer in the ninth. This is the third multi-HR game of his career and first since 2008.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 8, 2016
And his bat was one of the effective ones on the night.
Markakis' home runs account for two of the four hits the Braves have recorded through 10 innings.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 8, 2016
Markakis hasn’t looked like a home run threat since arriving in Atlanta yet he turned a 96MPH Rondon heater around with to tie the game. Brooks baseball says the pitch was belt high right down the middle but squaring those up isn’t easy.
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