Atlanta Braves’ offense comes alive, evens Tigers’ series with 10-5 win
The Atlanta Braves offense had singles, doubles, home runs and even a triple as Mike Soroka had another good outing.
Mike Soroka‘s amazing one-run-or-less outing streak came to an end on Saturday but he still pitched another strong game. He went 6.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned; another scored after his departure) and striking out five while walking none in the Atlanta Braves‘ win over the Detroit Tigers.
Soroka allowed the first run in the first inning, so immediately you knew it was going to be tough for him to try to keep that as the only run to continue the streak. After a one-out double to Christian Stewart, Brandon Dixon singled him in two at-bats later.
Nick Markakis hit a one-out triple in the second inning but the Braves weren’t able to capitalize on it. They wouldn’t score until the fourth inning when Freddie Freeman sent one nearly to the Chop House roof for a two run home run.
Relatively a game of swapping leads for a while, the Tigers got the lead back the next inning on a RBI single from Stewart that plated two runs for Detroit.
During the bottom of the fifth, Atlanta started with an Ozzie Albies lead off single. One out later, an error allowed Soroka to be safe at first on a sacrifice attempt while Albies moved to second. The Braves added a run via single from Ronald Acuña Jr. and then a grounder from Dansby Swanson plated another.
He did it again
In the sixth, after Markakis drew a walk, Austin Riley continued to do what he does best…launching one deep for a two-run homer.
Riley has become that part in video games when your character charges up and you can finally hit the power move or hit the speed button for your race car. He just adds that extra boost to your offense.
#Braves' Aston Riley is hitting .349 with an 1.150 OPS, eight homers and 22 RBIs in his first 16 MLB games.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) June 1, 2019
The Tigers weren’t making it easy either, threatening almost every inning as well.
Sean Newcomb replaced Soroka in the eight inning after Josh Donaldson committed an error. After a seven pitch battle, Newcomb allowed a RBI triple to Niko Goodrum; it would count as an unearned run for Soroka.
Swanson got the run right back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to left. However, the Tigers scored again through back-to-back doubles from Dixon and John Hicks in the eighth.
The Braves ran away with the lead in the bottom eighth starting with Markakis being safe at first through error. A Tyler Flowers‘ single was followed by a RBI double from Johan Camargo.
Acuña Jr. then got an infield hit to add two more runs for three RBIs on the day.
Luke Jackson entered with 1 out in the 8th. Ignoring a 9th-inning single, he struck out every other batter he faced to secure the win. Braves win 10-5.
For any other pitcher, Soroka’s day would be already impressive but he has set the bar so high for himself this season, it was actually a decline. Though Soroka’s awesome “one run allowed or less” streak ended, he continued to dominate and get closer to qualifying for the leader boards.
On the Tiger’s side, Daniel Norris was tagged for five runs, Austin Adams allowed a run while the other four runs were thanks to a couple errors from Detroit’s defense.
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The Braves will look to take the series on Sunday behind Julio Teheran against the Tigers and Matthew Boyd at 1:20 PM EST.