Atlanta Braves Face Elimination After Dreadful Night at the Plate

The Atlanta Braves were completely shut down offensively in Game 1 of the Wild Card series against the Padres

The Atlanta Braves were dominated by Padres pitching to start postseason play. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves quickly find themselves facing elimination in the Wild Card round after a 4-0 loss in Game 1 against the San Diego Padres. 

Offense was impossible to come by. Despite outhitting the Padres seven hits to five, nothing could be done with their scoring opportunities. They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and struck out 15 times. 

Those woes at the plate came and bit them in the very first game of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Padres put up four runs despite not officially having an at-bat with runners in scoring position. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s two-run shot in the first inning came with a runner on first base. The runner on third base that scored in the second inning came on Kyle Higashioka’s sac fly. That doesn’t count as an at-bat - just a plate appearance. Then, Higashioka capped off scoring with a solo shot in the eighth inning. 

Losing when your opponent goes 0-for-0 with runners in scoring position is quite the infamous feat. 

Credit where it’s due though for Padres starter Michael King. He delivered seven shutout innings, walked no batters and picked up 12 of the 15 strikeouts on the night. 

“We didn’t score because he did a great job,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He did a great job. We had some opportunities and he made pitches when he had to. A lot of it had to do with him instead of us.”

Their choice of starting pitcher cannot say the same. A.J. Smith-Shawver, the Braves No. 2 prospect, was out after 1 1/3 innings. He gave up three runs on four hits, including the two-run shot by Tatis Jr. The bullpen came in and had a nice performance. Three relievers combined for 6 2/3 innings and allowed just one run, one hit and one walk.  

Smith-Shawver was given the ball after Chris Sale was left off the postseason roster due to injury. 

All they can do now is fight to make it to Thursday.

“We know what’s at stake,” Braves center fielder Michael Harris II said. “We’ve got to come out, be ourselves and try not to do too much. Even today, it didn’t feel as one-sided as it looked.”

We’ll if the Braves can make it look more even in Game 2 if that’s the case. It's an uphill battle once again with the odds stacked against them. Since the Wild Card series started in 2022, no team has won the series after losing the first game. Seven of the eight series that have been played ended in a sweep.

This Braves team has overcome a lot. They've already made the playoffs when they shouldn't have. Maybe they can advance when they shouldn't either.

The Braves and Padres return to action for a crucial Game 2 on Wednesday night. First pitch is set for 8:38 p.m. EDT.