Atlanta Braves Bullpen Faces Late Game Meltdown in Loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers

The most dominant closer in the game and one of the most clutch bullpens had an off night in the worst way at the worst time.

Sep 13, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias only needed one more out. But it never came. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-2. Taking a key series will have to wait and hopes of a sweep have been dashed. 

While the offense didn’t have the stellar showing it had in the first two games, the bullpen’s meltdown in the final frame made any missed opportunities at the plate a moot point. 

“We’ve had a really good series other than one inning,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

He’s absolutely right. The Braves arguable have had 26 good innings so far in this series. However, that one inning was so atrocious that it overshadows a good chunk of those good innings. 

Closer Raisel Iglesias saw his insane no-earned-runs streak come to an end as part of the meltdown. He allowed a run for the first time in nearly three months. His no-earned-runs streak lasted 30 games and 36 innings, including the first two outs of the ninth. He only needed one out to keep the game tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. He needed just one more out to keep the streak alive. But he couldn’t get that final out. 

Iglesias had the worst night of his career to end the streak. He allowed a career-high five earned runs before his night was over at two-thirds of an inning pitched. His ERA shot up from 1.16 to 1.87. 

“They put good swings together, good at-bats together and were able to get a handful of runs off of someone who hasn't given up an [earned] run in a couple months,” Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud said.

John Brebbia got the final out, but only after giving up two earned runs of his own. 

Between the two of them, seven earned runs were surrendered in the ninth, including three home runs. 

It’s already bad enough that they led 2-0 and let the lead slip. Going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position wasn’t great either. But when a disastrous frame like that one occurs, the rest just no longer matters because there’s no more shot at redemption. 

Sure, it can be argued having a lead heading into the frame changes the situation and therefore the game could have gone differently. But that's not how it went down.

Starting pitcher Charlie Morton was stellar yet again. He pitched six innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out six. 

He was in line for his ninth win of the season when he left the game. Maybe next time.

Dylan Lee added insult to injury in how he gave up the tying run back in the seventh. He had a costly pitch clock violation that put Dodgers catcher Will Smith on base. This gave Shoei Ohtani another batter to drive in. 

Look, at some point, a rough night from a clutch bullpen was going to happen. But when there is a chance to be in sole possession of the third Wild Card spot in the National League, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. 

So instead of a 2-1 win, it’s a 9-2 loss. That’s baseball for you. 

The Atlanta Braves still have a chance to win the series against the Dodgers on Monday night. Max Fried will take the mound. First pitch is set for 7:20 p.m.