Atlanta Braves eke out an extra inning win and keep pace in East

Crazy as it seems, we’re scoreboard watching on a daily basis here in early August.

It’s another day removed from the calendar and the Atlanta Braves needed to get one job done this weekend:  taking at least 3 games from the hapless New York Mets despite being in a hostile ballpark.  After getting wheeled to the curb last night, that task was in doubt.

Atlanta now has 54 games remaining in their season schedule (Philly and Washington both have 3 fewer), but both they and Philadelphia are continuing to keep the Nats at arm’s length.

Still, you have to wonder if the defending division champs are finally getting their collective acts together, having won 8 of their last 11 contests.

Since a 4-loss streak, Atlanta has reeled off 6 of their last seven, but it has to be said that most of those came against the Marlins and Mets.

After a road day off tomorrow, the grind begins:  4 vs. Washington and 3 against the Brewers.

Atlanta will have to defend the home turf:  the Brewers’ series begins the longest home stand of the season with the Marlins and Rockies following.  Pittsburgh is the next road city after that – a slate that outlines a tough time over the next 2½ weeks.

But today:  both of their rivals won.  The Braves needed to keep pace.

But Today

Today was a key game.  No, it wasn’t a “must win” affair or something that would be a dagger blow with a loss.  But it was a game in which the Braves could remind themselves that they are still the team that has won often and won late on so many occasions this year.

This is a game in which Julio Teheran was spotty early, but held it together into the 6th inning while managing to avoid significant damage:

• The Mets manufactured a run from a walk, stolen base, groundout, and an infield hit in the 1st.
• In the 2nd, another walk plus a balk set up the Mets, but a caught-stealing ended that threat
• A second run scored in the 3rd, thanks to — yes:  a walk.  This time a double drove in the walker.
• A common bug-a-boo for Teheran got him in the 4th:  a home run.
• Teheran’s 5th inning was his only 1-2-3 inning.
• 2 hits in the 6th put runners on 1st and 3rd… then came the play of the game.

With Wilmer Flores on third and Michael Conforto on first, Jose Bautista grounded a ball sharply to third base.  Johan Camargo starts what likely would be a double play, but note that none were out in the inning:  the runner at third would still score.

Ozzie Albies would have none of that.

Instead of making the usual turn, Albies came home with the ball after tagging second base.

Flores was out by at least 5 feet.  End of threat… and also the end of Teheran’s eventful day.

Big Fly Time

While I only accounted for 3 runs above, you’ll note that the video shows the score in that 6th inning as 3-1.  How that happened was a bit unusual:

Yeah.  That happened.  Teheran’s first career jack despite a record of decent hitter over his career (.153 average, 44 hits with 6 doubles).  He’s actually hitting .214 now this season, which would be his second best season at the plate ever (.224 in 2013).

That hit didn’t exactly open the floodgates, but it did set the stage for what followed:

• 7th inning:  Ender Inciarte homer with Camargo on ahead of him… tie game
• 9th inning:  after an Inciarte single and Swanson sacrifice, Acuña got the clutch hit… 4-3 Braves.
• 9th inning, part 2: Devin Mesoraco homered to re-tie the game at 4-4.
• 10th inning:  Nick Markakis home run.

In the bottom of the 10th, Jesse Biddle managed to barely work out of a leadoff double situation (and that runner was on third with 1 out) to preserve the victory.  5-4 Braves.

Team effort involved

Teheran held things together with baling wire.  Nick Markakis had 4 hits in 5 trips – including the game winner.  Inciarte went 3 for 4 and his ‘out AB’ lasted 10 pitches.  The defense kept runners held at bases and was wide awake when necessary.

The bullpen was … good enough:  A.J. Minter blew the save by allowing that homer, but it was the only run permitted among 5 relievers over 4.1 innings.

So it should be an era of good feelings tonight and tomorrow with the team getting the only day off coming for quite a while.

And today they earned that rest.