3 Takeaways: Atlanta Braves edge Phillies, trim magic number to 8

While it was a night that didn’t see much offense, the Atlanta Braves churned out playoff-worthy pitching as they outlasted the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Wednesday, trimming the team’s magic number to clinch the NL East to eight.

The win – the Atlanta Braves 91st of the season – guarantees at least a series split with the Phillies, with the fourth and final game of the series being played on Thursday.

The 91 victories also surpasses the Braves’ win total from a season ago, when they won the NL East for the first time since 2013.

Braves starter Dallas Keuchel pitched as if he was primed for October baseball, hurling 6 innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts.

The Atlanta reliever trifecta (Chris Martin, Shane Greene, and Mark Melancon) added at the trade deadline in late July did exactly what Alex Anthopoulos envisioned they would do when he secured the deals for those players: they shortened the game and slammed the door shut late.

Finally, on a night where the offense was hard to come by, the Atlanta Braves did what they so often have done this year: they relied on one of the “ordinary” guys to deliver an extraordinary clutch hit.

Tyler Flowers, admittedly in the middle of a much-maligned season, came through with the most devastating blow of the night in the game’s 4th inning when he cranked a three-run homer.

The long ball from the Braves’ catcher proved to be the difference in yet another statement-making victory.

Atlanta will seek to win the series outright – and clip the all-important magic number down further – with the series finale on Thursday night.

Here are three of our biggest takeaways from the Atlanta Braves 3-1 win.

1. Dallas Keuchel is October-ready

Here’s the simple fact — you don’t win in October without a steady presence at the top of your rotation.

Let’s not get hung up on the word “ace.”

Despite the fact that Dallas Keuchel has won a Cy Young, he probably doesn’t fit the “ace” bill according to the criteria that many critics have.

But make no mistake about it – Dallas Keuchel has what it takes to be the man to lead the charge on a deep postseason run.

The bearded lefty pitches with an unwavering coolness about him – no game, nor situation, can shake him of his confidence.

The numbers tell the tale.

As the Atlanta Braves have sought to solidify their second consecutive division title, Dallas Keuchel consistently goes out and gives the team a great chance to win.

Here’s a summation of his last six starts:

Thirty-seven innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 35 strikeouts to just 12 walks, and 68 groundball outs to 33 flyball outs.

That dominance was especially evident on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, with the eight strikeouts accounting for his second-best single-game total of the season.

Keuchel, along with rotation-mate Mike Soroka, is giving Atlanta fans every reason to believe that they do, indeed, have what it takes at the top of the rotation to play deep into October.

2. The once-rebuilt Atlanta bullpen appears to be playing to its potential

We all remember that time not so much earlier in the season in which there were serious concerns about Atlanta’s obvious Achilles heel: the bullpen.

Too many opposing batters walked, too many saves blown, too much skepticism that this unit could survive the pressure-cooker of playoff baseball.

A flurry of moves at the trade deadline to bolster the Braves’ relief corps did not provide immediate improvement.

But boy, did it impress on Wednesday night.

In a game where there wasn’t much offensive support to speak of and Dallas Keuchel exiting after 6 innings, the task was given to the Braves ‘pen to record the final nine outs.

Brian Snitker called upon the three guys that the team added in late July: Chris Martin, Shane Greene, and Mark Melancon.

And they delivered.

Chris Martin did a baseball rarity of an immaculate inning: 1 inning pitched, nine strikes, 3 strikeouts.

Shane Greene didn’t surrender a hit, either, in his scoreless frame.

Closer Mark Melancon battled through a bit of adversity with a couple of hits allowed — and some terrible calls by the home plate umpire on pitches that should have been strikes — but prevailed with his sixth save of the season for the Atlanta Braves.

Ultimately, it’s these kind of performances from the Atlanta bullpen that would carry the team far into the postseason.

Clean innings from the relievers in tight ballgames is a welcome sight for Braves fans.