Charlie Morton was stellar, but the Atlanta Braves offense failed again in loss to Reds

The Braves’ offense once again squandered a stellar performance from the rotation who is pitching better than most of us have seen in our lifetime over the past twenty-eight games.

The Atlanta Braves took on the Cincinnati Reds in a one game set that was a makeup game from early August where there were two different games rained out. The Braves lost the two games that they were able to play, so it would make it that much sweeter if they won tonight.

The Braves starting pitchers had a streak of twenty-seven straight games where they allowed three or fewer runs coming into the game tonight. The Braves were 17-10 in that stretch.

Charlie Morton took the mound, hoping to keep that streak alive. In the first inning Morton started strong. He was able to induce two popups and a strikeout to face the minimum hitters. The Braves looked like they may be able to get something going. Ozuna and Olson both have history of doing well against Nick Martinez and it looked like this was going to continue. After Harris and Soler were retired, Ozuna walked, followed by a single from Olson. Unfortunately, the momentum was ended when Sean Murphy grounded out to third base.

The second inning did not goes as well for Morton. He hit TJ Friedl for his eighteenth HBP of the year. Ty France then hit a weak double to RF. Soler came up throwing on a poor throw to home, which allowed Friedl to score, making the score 0-1.

Morton was able to settle down and retire the next to hitters, but then Amed Rosario singled and then stole second to put runners on second and third. Morton was able to focus in and strikeout Noelvi Marte to prevent any further damage.

When the Braves came to the plate in their half of the second, it is when the problems for the offense began. Three up, three down, on eleven pitches.

Morton settled down in the third and was able to also sit down the minimum hitters in a row racking up two more strikeouts. One strikeout De La Cruz, and one to Stephenson. The Braves looked anemic again, having the minimum come to the plate with Williams flying out, Harris popping up, and Soler striking out. Morton stayed locked in during the fourth. He was able to sit down all three hitters gaining another strikeout and making it seven hitters retired in a row.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ozuna and Olson were due up, so there was some hope. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Ozuna flew out to CF. Olson hit a grounder that looked like it might make it through the gap, but France made a nice diving stop and throw to get Olson out. Murphy then struck out to end the inning.

Morton had a bit of a scare in the fifth. He gave up a leadoff single to Fraley. He was able to get Rosario to fly out and Marte to lineout, but that is when he got into trouble. Fraley stole second and then Morton walked Spencer Steer. He then walked Elly De La Cruz to load the bases with two outs. After a mound visit he was able to settle down and have a clutch strikeout of Stephenson to end the first half of the inning with no damage done. Reds still lead one to zero.

When the Braves came up to hit it was more of the same. All three hitters were sat down. Kelenic flied out, Urshela struck out, and Arcia lined out. That made it thirteen straight Braves sat down.

Morton stayed in for the sixth inning. He able to get Friedl out when he tried to bunt for a base hit. France then singled. Morton was then able to get a double play on a grounder from Espinal.

The Braves yet again had a three up, three down inning capped by a groundout from Jorge Soler, who was not happy.

Brian Snitker had faith enough in Morton to leave him in again for the seventh inning. His faith paid off at first. Morton induced two groundouts, but then he gave up back-to-back singles and was pulled from the game and replaced with Aaron Bummer. Sean Murphy came in clutch and threw out Marte trying to steal third to end this half of the inning.

Morton ended his night with 6.2 IP, six hits, one ER, two walks, and seven strikeouts. He was able to keep the streak of the rotation allowing three runs or fewer alive, and extended it to twenty-eight.

There was finally some life from the Braves’ offense when Olson had a single in the eighth, but that was all that could be mustered as the Braves entered the eighth inning having only two hits. Both hits were singles from Matt Olson.

In the top of the eighth inning Bummer stayed in the game. He was able to strike out De La Cruz, but then Stephenson reached first on a bad throw from Orlando Arcia. After striking out Friedl, Snitker decided to replace him with Grant Holmes. Holmes then was able to get Ty France to strikeout.

This may sound like a broken record at this point, but the Braves yet again when three up, three down. They now entered the ninth inning with only two singles and a walk offensively.

Grant Holmes was left in to pitch the ninth. This at first looked like it would end up being the wrong choice. He got Espinal to strikeout, but then he gave up back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. He had a clutch strikeout of Marte, but then he gave up a ground ball single to third to score a run as Olson had to lay out for the ball. But, the play was challenged and then reversed. The first half of the ninth ended with the score still being one to zero for the Reds.

The Braves had the top of the order coming up so it looked like there was a shimmer of hope. That hope was not realized. Harris flied out to left, Soler grounded out to third, and Ozuna hit a line drive to RF to end the game.

The Braves’ offense once again squandered a stellar performance from the rotation who is pitching better than most of us have seen in our lifetime over the past twenty-eight games.

Morton extended the streak of the rotation allowing three of fewer runs to twenty-eight, and the offense allowed the Braves to be 17-11 in that stretch. Let’s be clear, this poor record is not due to the bullpen either. The bullpen has had the second best xFIP in MLB during that stretch.

The Braves travel to DC tomorrow to take on the Nationals in a two-game series.