The Braves got themselves back on track on Friday evening with a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The offense was kickstarted by Austin Riley's solo home run, followed by a five-run third inning. Ozuna cleared the bases with a double, Olson singled to drive in Ozuna, and Adam Duvall capped off the inning with an RBI double.
Charlie Morton's scoreless outing was good to see but also placed him in a rare club for MLB pitchers. Let's look at that in more depth along with a couple more pieces of important Braves news.
Charlie Morton reaches rare MLB milestone in Braves win over Pirates
Morton has suffered through an up-and-down season where one start is great but the next is a clunker. It's likely due to age and a breakdown in mechanics but Ground Chuck continues to be one of baseball's most dependable arms.
With Atlanta's 6-1 win over Pittsburgh at Truist Park, Morton joined an elite club among MLB pitchers. The milestone reached by Morton was recording 30 wins against all 30 MLB teams. That has only been accomplished 22 times in Major League Baseball history.
30 For 30 ✔️
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) June 29, 2024
Charlie Morton has now recorded a win against all 30 MLB teams. pic.twitter.com/bTDugynLzB
It has been a roller-coaster season for Charlie but he has proved time and time again what a special player and person he is. He is 5-4 with a 3.49 ERA, 36 walks, and 87 strikeouts through 85.2 innings. He's providing the Braves with innings coverage but is a bit inconsistent. However, if this is his final season, we are grateful to see him conclude his career in a Braves uniform.
Marcell Ozuna's brilliance at the plate continues
Marcell Ozuna, aka the Big Bear, has continued to be one of the best offensive performers for the Braves. His incredible season has led him to join the ranks of Braves legends. Ozuna is the most recent Atlanta player to hit .300 or better with 55+ home runs, 160+ RBI, and .960 OPS over any 200-game stretch in franchise history.
You may have seen this in today's newsletter. Ozuna recently joined Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Fred McGriff and Andres Galarraga as the only Braves who have hit .300 or better, with 55+ HRs, 160+ RBIs and an OPS of .960 or better over any 200-game stretch in franchise history: pic.twitter.com/dBfwYDy2HV
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 29, 2024
The last Braves players to accomplish this include Hank Aaron, Eddie Matthews, Fred McGriff, and Andres Galarraga.
Something changed in May 2023 and Ozuna hasn't slowed down a bit. He's one of baseball's best bats and that doesn't seem likely to change soon. He is batting .304 with 17 doubles, 21 homers, and 67 RBI. He recently missed the second round of voting for the All-Star game but hopefully, a recent injury to Kyle Schwarber will open the door for Ozuna.
Orlando Cepeda passes away at age 86
Atlanta Brave and MLB legend Orlando Cepeda sadly passed away at the age of 86. Cepeda is the second MLB legend we've lost in the last couple of weeks as Willie Mays passed away as well. Orlando spent four seasons with the Braves from 1969 to 1972.
The #Braves join the entire baseball community in mourning the loss of Orlando Cepeda, who played in Atlanta from 1969-1972. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/TnnGJSYoH9
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 29, 2024
He batted .280 over those seasons with 414 hits including 74 doubes, three triples, 74 homers, and 252 RBI. We mourn the loss of this legend with the entire baseball community and hope his loved ones find solace during this tough time.