The Atlanta Braves failed to make the tough plays on Monday night and it cost them as they ended up losing 5-3 to the Dodgers.
On Monday night the Atlanta Braves had a chance to make a statement in the NL, but the defense proved to be the difference in this one.
Kevin Gausman certainly was not sharp on Monday as he gave up 5 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts, but his defense didn’t do him any favors.
It was Gausman who made the only recorded error of the game as he tried to hurry a throw to first after a bunt single by Cody Bellinger to beat the shift and Gausman threw it into right field allowing Bellinger to reach second base.
If he puts that one in his back pocket, he likely gets out of the inning without allowing a run. But instead, Bellinger came around to score to give the Dodgers an early lead.
In the second inning with the runners on the corners, one out, and the pitcher at the plate trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt, Brian McCann let a fastball go right past him and the runner scored from third.
Two innings, two unearned runs, and that ended up being the difference in the game.
But that wasn’t the end of the Atlanta Braves miscues.
In the third inning with the bases loaded, Ronald Acuna let a ball drop two feet in front of him — a ball I thought he could have/should have caught.
And then after that, they had an easy opportunity to get the runner at third. But Dansby Swanson and Josh Donaldson were both standing at third base. Donaldson’s foot was on the bag, but Dansby caught the ball, and his foot wasn’t close to the bag.
That cost the Braves another out and another run.
If they execute those three plays, the Atlanta Braves have a real chance at winning that game.
But as it is, the Dodgers are the ones who made all the tough plays on Monday night, and that’s why they won the first game of this series.
The defense for the Atlanta Braves has not been nearly as great as it was in 2018. Monday night furthered that issue and it cost the Braves a win.