Despite Sunday's late-game fail, the Braves' pitching was incredible
It has been 13 games and 16 days since the Braves offense has scored more than five runs. Just a few weeks ago, they were tops in the MLB in runs per game and now, they have fallen to fifth.
For comparison, last year's record-breaking Braves offense only went five consecutive games scoring six runs or less. All season, this offense has just felt different. It's been good, but not great as Braves fans know it can be.
That fact has reared its ugly head over the last two weeks but even with the drastic drop in offensive production, the Braves still went 6-7 over that span, including winning four of their last five games.
It's been much better than I think most fans expected it to be after Spencer Strider went down with a season-ending injury and it was fantastic again in this series.
💎 Max Fried Gem in NYC 💎 pic.twitter.com/FejdzBVxm1
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) May 11, 2024
It of course starts with the starting pitching. In the 4-2 game one win, Charlie Morton threw seven innings of three three-hit ball, giving up just one run, a solo shot off the bat of Francisco Lindor in the seventh inning.
In the 4-1 game two win, Max Fried had his no-hitter broken up by his pitch count as he had to leave the game at 109 pitches after seven innings of no-hit ball thrown. J.D Martinez of course broke up the combined no-hitter in heartbreaking fashion with an opposite-field solo shot off of Raisel Iglesias with two outs in the ninth.
In game three, Bryce Elder bounced back after his disastrous start in Los Angeles, throwing 5.1 innings and giving up two earned and seven hits with a season-high six strikeouts. For those keeping count, 19.1 innings, 10 hits, and three earned runs for Braves starting pitching in the series.
And when you hand it off to a bullpen that's been good, sitting at a 3.45 ERA, good for 10th-best in the MLB, you've got a winning formula. A.J. Minter, Iglesias, Joe Jimenez, Aaron Bummer, Jesse Chavez, and Dylan Lee combined to throw 7.2 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs. All three earned runs on the bullpen.
The pitching for the Braves has carried them this season for sure, but it can only do so for so long. The Braves need to find a way to get out of their offensive slump back in Atlanta in a series with the Cubs starting Monday.