The Atlanta Braves Battle Back Twice, Beat The Brewers 10-8

The Braves open the series at Milwaukee with a win in a 10-8 shootout. After going down by four runs on two different occasions, the Braves answered twice and came away with the win. Sure, the pitching was sketchy, but the offense– magnificent.

Atlanta Braves announcers, Chip Caray and Joe Simpson, mentioned early in the game that pitchers like Bartolo Colon, who aren’t strikeout pitchers, have a higher potential for struggling against the Milwaukee Brewers. They were exactly right. Colon, who spends most of his time attacking the zone in search of weak contact and fly-outs, was lit up by the Brewers early.

The struggle began for Colon in the first inning. Despite escaping with zero runs given up, Colon gave up a double to leadoff hitter Jonathan Villar and walked Eric Thames in the inning. A GIDP by Ryan Braun and a backwards-K to Travis Shaw ended the frame.

In the second inning, the Brewers feasted. Hernan Perez— single. Jett Bandy— single. Keon Broxton— RBI double. 1-0, two on, no out. Orlando Arcia— home run. 4-0 Brewers. Working around the zone wasn’t working early on for Big Bart.

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The Braves didn’t roll over, however, and their offense showed that they can put up big numbers just as quickly as the Brewers can.

The Braves matched the Brewers with four runs of their own in the top of the third, capitalizing on bottom-of-the-lineup production, a big no-call from HP umpire Tom Hallion, and the sweet swings of Ender Inciarte and Matt Kemp.

It started with a double from Jace Peterson (more on that later) and then a full-count walk drawn by Dansby Swanson. After Colon dropped a bunt down right in front of the plate, Brewers’ catcher Jett Bandy got the force at third, but the throw was just bad enough that Shaw couldn’t make a play to first for a double play. Inciarte then singled to bring home the Braves’ first run of the night. Adonis Garcia then worked the count full, before walking on a pitch that could’ve gone either way– a changeup right at the knees. Matt Kemp then doubled home everyone and the game was tied.

After the combined eight runs through three innings, no one scored until the Brewers scored two on a Ryan Braun homer off of Colon in the fifth.

The Braves replaced Colon with Jason Motte for the sixth, but he also struggled, and the Brewers put up two more on a home run by Domingo Santana. The Braves were down by four runs for the second time of the night.

For the second time, the Braves battled back. Over the course of the next two innings, the Braves made up the deficit in full. After Dansby reached on a walk and then stole second, Lane Adams singled, moving Swanson over to third, and then stole second, as well. Ender Inciarte’s ensuing double, his fourth of the season, brought both home. Adonis Garcia then brought Ender home with a single.

In the eighth, a Kurt Suzuki double scored Julio Teheran, who was pinch-running for Tyler Flowers, to tie the game at eight.

After some good bullpen work by the Braves, Freddie Freeman finally gave the Braves a lead when he launched a two-run bomb in the top of the ninth. The Brewers couldn’t recover in their last chance at the plate and the Braves won 10-8. What a slugfest.

What the offense did was notable mainly due to the fact that Brandon Phillips was still out for the game. Jace Peterson, filling in at second, stayed hot in BP’s absence with another multi-hit performance, his third in the three consecutive games that he’s filled in for Phillips in.

Phillips is supposedly going to be ready tomorrow.

Next: Atlanta Braves Minor League All Questions Asked, April Edition

Next Game: Tomorrow, 8:10 EST at Milwaukee.

Notable Stat-Lines:

Bartolo Colon: 5 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Chase Anderson: 6 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

Ender Inciarte: 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI

Adonis Garcia: 2-4, 2B, RBI, BB

Freddie Freeman: 1-5, go-ahead HR

Jace Peterson: 2-4, 2B

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