Atlanta Braves: Bryse Wilson makes most of big league debut

After getting swept at home by the Rockies, Atlanta started a road trip in search of a win to get back on track and stay in control of the N.L. East.

The Atlanta Braves (69-55) took a four-game losing streak on the road to Pittsburgh Monday in the first game of three with the Pirates and sent prospect Bryse Wilson to the mount for his major league debut.

Even leaving a ton of runners aboard throughout the game, Atlanta slid by with a slim – but much needed – 1-0 win.

Atlanta got things off offensively in the top of the first when Nick Markakis singled in Freddie Freeman to put the Braves up 1-0 early.

Besides the early run from Atlanta, both Wilson and Archer turned the game into a pitchers duel early… at least for 4 innings.

Archer exited the game early, going to the clubhouse with discomfort in his left leg having gone four innings. He gave up a run on five hits over his 4 innings, striking out three and walking a batter.

Wilson went five strong for the Braves, leaving the Pirates scoreless with only three hits. He fanned five and walked three. He started his time in the majors striking out the first two batters he faced.

The Braves brought Sam Freeman into the game in relief and gave up a walk and a hit, but got out of the jam to finish the sixth with his Braves still leading 1-0.  I can’t really publish the twitter reactions from #Braves Country when Freeman came into the game,… but you can guess.

Well, okay… I found one:

It was a bit uneasy – 1 inning successfully completed without harm despite a hit and walk allowed.

Adam Duvall just missed a two-run homer while pinch-hitting in the top of the seventh inning, but the ball hooked a few feet wide (if that far!) of the left field foul pole. Duvall did, however, collect a hit, moving Dansby Swanson to second. Swanson then moved up to third when Ronald Acuna grounded into a double play.  A pop-out to short ended that promising threat.

Atlanta sent Brad Brach to the bump in the seventh. He got into a little trouble, giving up a hit, but managed two outs – including a strikeout to get his second out. Snitker pulled Brach in favor of Jesse Biddle who gave up a line drive, but a strong throw from Ender Inciarte gunned down Adeiny Hechavarria at the plate in a play that went to review and was confirmed in favor of the Braves.

Johan Comargo stayed perfect on the night in the eighth with his third hit with two outs. It was Atlanta’s ninth hit of the game. Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second for the Braves, but Kurt Suzuki was robbed of a base hit to center when he lined a ball off the pitcher’s back – only to get thrown out at first.

Jonny Venters came to the mound for Atlanta in the bottom half of the eighth, still nursing a 1-0 lead. He got out of the inning unscathed.

Swanson led off the ninth inning with a hit, but a double play cleared the bases for Acuna, but again … it was nothing doing for the Braves.

In to close it out for Atlanta was Dan Winkler. He gave up a jam-job single to start the bottom of the ninth, but followed up with a strikeout and got a second out with a tapper back to the mound.

With Musgrove in scoring position at second, Hechavarria came to the plate and ran up a 3-2 count.

In the end, Winkler won out and earned a save via a game-ending strikeout.

The Braves and Pirates get back to action Tuesday night in a game scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m.