Late Padres Rally Stuns Atlanta for Comeback Victory in Game One of Doubleheader

The Atlanta Braves got the offense they needed, but a tough inning from the bullpen doomed them to another loss in the first game of today's doubleheader.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves couldn’t stop a late San Diego Padres rally and dropped the first game of today’s doubleheader 6-5 in Truist Park this afternoon.

Here’s what you need to know about from the contest.

Atlanta’s offense came to play early

The Braves tried, and failed, to trade for Dylan Cease this offseason before he was dealt from the Chicago White Sox to the Padres on the eve of the season opener.

Atlanta’s research to vet that potential trade obviously worked to their benefit, as the lineup was ready to face the Milton, GA native. 

Cease gave up five runs on nine hits in just four innings before exiting at 90 pitches. He was taken deep twice, by back-to-back homers from Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson in the 3rd, but it was the first inning where he struggled the most: Atlanta used four singles in the first six batters to hang two runs on him almost immediately. 

BACK2️⃣BACK!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/iafPyDLmsc

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 20, 2024

Every Braves hitter but one (Zack Short) got a hit in this one, with Atlanta putting up twelve hits, four for extra bases. 

But the Braves couldn’t hold San Diego off the board

The Padres came storming back, though, getting single runs in the 5th and 7th innings off of Reynaldo López before blowing it open in the 8th. 

Off of setup man Joe Jímenez, who has been spectacular this season, they scored four runs on three hits and two walks, just continuously keeping the line moving. It was a rare stumble for Jímenez, who entered this game as the team’s best reliever with a 1.59 ERA and only five walks (one intentional). He just didn’t have it today - he threw 26 pitches and got only two whiffs and two called strikes as the stuff just wasn’t there. Jímenez allowed more hard-hit balls (four) in his one inning than López did in his 6.1 (three). 

A gut punch

After the first two games of this series, where Atlanta struck out a combined twenty-nine times and had just two runs on eleven hits (only four for extra bases), losing this game in this manner had to hurt. The offense put up twelve hits, including four for extra bases with Atlanta’s first two homers of the series (although they did leave twelve on base) only for the team’s best reliever to be the one that couldn’t buy an out when it mattered most.  

What’s next for the Atlanta Braves?

The boys have to flush this one and get back out there - they take the field in about four hours for the nightcap. Chris Sale (6-1, 2.54) is taking the mound for Atlanta against Randy Vásquez (0-2, 6.32) at 6:20 PM.