The Atlanta Braves lose big to the Philadelphia Phillies

The Atlanta Braves returned home to a full capacity crowd for the first time in 2021. However, it was not a memorable game as the Braves fall 11-2.

Well, that was not fun to watch. The Atlanta Braves just did not have it going for them on Friday night.

Usually, it is not a good sign when the starting pitcher cannot get through the first inning, which was the case tonight. Charlie Morton had a night to forget, and the Braves need to just throw this game out and look forward to the next one.

With that being said, I do not think we should dwell on this one too long, we should just get to the review.

Scoring Review

The first inning was a tough one. It started when William Contreras dropped a third strike that allowed Rhys Hoskins to reach first. Bryce Harper followed up with a walk during an AB where he appeared to get multiple favorable calls.

JT Realmuto reached to load the bases for a fan favorite in Atlanta — Alec Bohm — who promptly hit an RBI single to score the game’s first run. Jean Segura later singled home both Harper and Realmuto.

Odúbel Herrera then hit a three-run home run that would score both Bohm and Segura as well. To the delight of many on social media, Alec Bohm finally touched home plate in Truist park.

After walking the pitcher and allowing Andrew McCutchen to reach, Morton was replaced by Josh Tomlin in the first inning. Tomlin threw well in long relief, getting through the fifth inning.

The Braves got on the board thanks to an opposite-field home run from Dansby Swanson. Maybe he found some leftover sage to burn because he looked better at the plate tonight.

The Phillies did get that run back after they loaded the bases again in the third inning.  McCutchen would bring home another run thanks to a fielder’s choice.

The Braves kept fighting back, scoring again in the fifth inning. Swanson found himself scoring off of a Ronald Acuña Jr. single. Unfortunately, that would be the end of the scoring for the Braves.

The Phillies were not done though, adding a run in the fifth inning thanks to an RBI single from Bohm, scoring Hoskins.

McCutchen brought home Segura in the 7th inning to make it 9-2. The Phillies made it 11-2 thanks to a two-run home run from Realmuto off of new Braves pitcher, Carl Edwards Jr.

The final blow came from a fielder’s choice from Herrera, bringing home Didi Gregorius.

The Phillies “held on” to beat the Braves 12-2.

Pitching

Morton struggled tonight. However, I wonder what his night would have been like had Contreras held onto the third strike to Hoskins and if the Harper at-bat had gone differently.

Either way, he went 0.2 IP, with six runs (though oddly, none were earned runs). That is a tough night. I do wonder if Morton might find himself with a 10-day IL stint to maybe give him a mental break.

Tomlin was a savior tonight. Pitching 4.2 IP and only allowing one run. The main thing is he really saved the bullpen from being overworked tonight. His performance could be huge for the remainder of the series.

Jesse Biddle and Carl Edwards Jr. were not so great. Biddle allowed two runs over two innings, and Edwards allowed three runs in only a third of an inning. Thankfully, these guys are not major players in the bullpen and were really just getting the Braves through the game.

Jacob Webb looked solid to finish the night for Braves pitching, throwing 1.2 IP allowing no runs and striking out three men.

For the Phillies, Zack Eflin was solid. Allowing only two runs over 6.2 IP. He struck out eight Braves and only allowed six men to reach.

The Phillies bullpen helped close out the final 2.2 IP while holding the Braves scoreless to end the night.

Notes

I still believe in Morton and wonder how his night would have gone if that first inning progressed a little differently. I do not want to place a ton of blame on Contreras because Morton still should have performed better that inning, but Contreras allowing that passed ball really hurt.

If the Braves can find a way to win the next two games and win the series against the Phillies, Tomlin deserves a lot of credit for his performance in game one. Someone in the clubhouse, — Morton probably — would probably owe him dinner.

It is early, but the Atlanta Braves are now 2-5 against the Phillies early in 2021. Hopefully, they can turn it around because they need to beat their division rivals in what figures to be a tight NL East race.

Moving on, while it is a tough loss, thankfully it is only one loss. The Braves can win the next two games, win the series, and this game can be easily forgotten.

The Braves have Ian Anderson and Huascar Ynoa going this weekend, and with the way they have pitched, one has to like the Braves chances. Ian Anderson lines up against Vince Velasquez Saturday night in Truist Park.

Hopefully, the offense shows up tomorrow to even up the series at a game apiece.