The Atlanta Braves had a couple debuts on Friday while a certain top prospect hit a 2-run homer
The Atlanta Braves took on the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday for their first night game of spring and featured the highly anticipated debut of Josh Donaldson (finally) and also Kevin Gausman.
The starting lineup that we saw could very well be the lineup the Atlanta Braves go with on Opening Day, with Ender Inciarte at leadoff, followed by Donaldson batting second and Ronald Acuña Jr. at fourth.
Donaldson got two plate appearances while playing three innings of defense. He got a infield pop up during his first at-bat as a Braves and later drew a well-earned walk after starting 0-2 in the third inning. Austin Riley ran for him and took over at third base.
It wasn’t the hottest debut for Donaldson but he seemed healthy and it’s a start.
In his first #Braves plate appearance, Donaldson took two mammoth cuts (fouled second back) to fall behind 0-2, then worked count full before skying an infield pop up.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) March 8, 2019
Gausman’s first outing was not as delightful as Donaldson. Starting off the game, he allowed back-to-back hits, a single and a double. He eventually gave up two runs in the first.
He allowed another lead-off single during the following inning. He got the next batter out before being taken out the game. A third run would be charged to Gausman later that inning. But again: his first Spring outing.
Relief Corps Keeping The Game At Bay
Andres Santiago took over for Gausman and eventually got out that inning, although he allowed that third run.
Max Fried did most of the work in the game as the long reliever, going 3.2 innings. He allowed a run over two hits but did strike out four batters. He’s currently one of the better options to be added to the rotation on Opening Day.
After Fried was Sam Freeman, Chad Sobotka and Grant Dayton, each striking out a batter and combining for 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Braves Comeback Tour
The Braves offense started fighting back mid-game and kick-started it with a bang.
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Cristian Pache, taking over for Inciarte at center, launched one to left field for a 2-run homer in the fourth, his first this spring. That cut the deficit to 4-2.
The Braves added another run in the bottom sixth from a Raffy Lopez double to deep right which scored Ryan LaMarre. 4-3.
The next inning, as the new DH, Ray-Patrick Didder hit a lead-off homer to tie the game.
It came down to the bottom ninth and it was a wild one. Pedro Florimon, who’s currently still hot this spring hit a lead-off single center.
Florimon was thrown out on a fielder’s choice via a Didder grounder, who made it up by stealing a base.
After Pache struck out, Riley hit a grounder that was booted by former Braves Phil Gosselin allowing Didder to score the winning run.
Braves win via walk-off 5-4. It’s a spring game but it was an exciting comeback win with strong efforts from both the veterans and youngsters.
Some rust from the debuting duo but the Braves came out on top. Both guys will get another chance soon. Another point to make, of the starting lineup, only Nick Markakis got a hit against Phillies starter Zach Efflin.
The Braves will hit the road tomorrow to take on the Detroit Tigers.