TAKEAWAYS: Atlanta gets a late homerun from Ozzie Albies to win the series against the Milwaukee Brewers

Atlanta wins their first series since before the All-Star Break thanks to homeruns from Travis d'Arnaud and Ozzie Albies

The Atlanta Braves made yet another late game comeback to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2, in their rubber match and escape town with the series win. Here's what you need to know from the contest: 

Bryce Elder looks to be back

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

There was a non-zero amount of hand-wringing across Braves Country after Bryce Elder's last two starts - against the Tampa Bay Rays (before the All-Star Break) and the Chicago White Sox (after the All-Star Break), he combined for six innings with 13 hits, 14 runs (12 earned) with five walks, four strikeouts, and three homeruns. 

But there's a theory that sinkerballers need to be a little fatigued to pitch at their best (both of those starts were on extra rest), and Elder's bounceback performance lends some credence to that idea. 

Pitching on normal rest, Elder went six innings with four hits, two runs, and two walks to two strikeouts. He gave up one homerun, on a hanging fastball to Brice Turang, but other than that looked more like the Bryce Elder that not only led the National League in baseball for a while, but was voted to the All-Star Game. All the rest of Elder's hits given up were singles, and he stranded three runners in scoring position.

Daisbel Hernández made his MLB debut, combining with Brad Heller and Raisel Iglesias for three innings of three hit, one walk relief with seven strikeouts. Both Hernández and Iglesias got three strikeouts in their only innings of work, although Hernández also gave up one hit.  

The Braves have a luxury in two starting-caliber catchers

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Travis d'Arnaud got the scoring started for Atlanta with a 2nd inning solo shot, and later hit a double in the contest. Atlanta's in a fortunate place to have two catchers that could start for most of the league, and it's a sign of the type of depth and length that Atlanta has in this championship-caliber roster and lineup. 

Both players are All-Star caliber catchers (Murphy was a starter at this year's Midsummer Classic, Travis d'Arnaud was voted to the team last season) that work interchangeably in the lineup, with the fifth spot in the order typically being filled by whichever catcher is in the game that day. 

d'Arnaud typically starts the final game of a three-game series, but both have had stretches where they handled a majority of the load during an injury absence for the other. 

Austin Riley broke his bat (and his homerun streak)

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Austin Riley came into this game absolutely scorching hot, as the only player in Braves history to have a five game stretch with at least six homeruns and 16 RBIs. 

His streak of five consecutive games with a homer was the longest in MLB since Mike Trout homered in seven straight games last September, but Riley's streak will stay at five. The third baseman went 0-4 today with a strikeout, including a dramatic broken bat hit up the middle that was snared for an out while trying to avoid shards of wood. 

But the binge has raised Riley's slash line to .270/.330/.488, and he's sitting on 22 HRs and 66 RBIs heading into tomorrow's off day. 

What's next for the Atlanta Braves?

Tomorrow's a much needed off day - the bullpen's been worked heavily in the last week, and most Braves starters play every game so they'll have an entire day to themselves tomorrow in Boston. 

First pitch in Tuesday's series opener against the Red Sox is scheduled for 7:10 PM ET, with Charlie Morton taking the bump for Atlanta.  

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