Atlanta Braves stun Cardinals with 9th inning comeback, take series lead

Here’s the pitch

There were a couple of hitters on each side who didn’t look either over-matched or otherwise befuddled by the pitcher they were facing.  But that was rare today.

• Ronald Acuna is in this group despite not getting a hit.  He walked twice and drove a ball to center field at one point… but one this day, the outfield was being quite unkind to any fly balls.
• Ozzie Albies:  2 for 4 with a walk.
• Dansby Swanson:  3 for 4 with a pair of doubles.
• Marcel Ozuna:  a 2 for 4 day… even if one of those was a cheapie.
• Paul Goldschmidt:  simply because he’s a heckuva hitter.

Swanson also was a defensive hero… and indeed the overall defense has been crisp since the first Game jitters are now gone.

Beside these hitters – scattered among their team’s lineups, here’s how the innings went – intense, but quick:

WAINWRIGHT:

• 1-2-3 inning
• 1-2-3 inning
• 3 outs around Swanson double
• 3 outs after Albies single
• 1-2-3 inning
• 3 outs with an Albies 2-out infield single
• 1-2-3 inning
• In the 8th inning, Wainwright was replaced after 2 outs around a single and 2 walks.  120 pitches.

SOROKA:

• 1-2-3 inning
• excuse-me double; run
• 1-2-3 inning
• 1-2-3 inning
• 1-2-3 inning
• 1-2-3 inning
• 3 outs around a 2 out single.  90 pitches… very well done.

The broadcasters continued to gush about the pitching on both sides… and for a change, they were right to stay on that theme.

Both sides were helped at times by some interesting strike calls from Sam Holbrook’s right arm.  Fred gave us the umpiring scouting report before this series began, and he’s actually one of the league’s better ball/strike callers, but he did not have a good game today.

Still, that left the Braves down by a run as Andrew Miller came in to put out that 8th inning fire by inducing a flyout to center off Freddie Freeman‘s bat.

3 outs to go for St. Louis with that 1-run lead intact.