Braves Drop Second Game of Mariners Series for First Consecutive Losses of Season

The Atlanta Braves have not had answers for the dominant Seattle Mariners pitching so far this series

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo pitches seven shoutout innings against the Atlanta Braves tonight, allowing only three hits. / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves have lost consecutive games for the first time this season, dropping game two to the Seattle Mariners, 3-2.    

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

Reynaldo López had his first stumble of the season

The free agent signee from last offseason has been one of Atlanta’s best starters so far in 2024, putting up a 2-0 record and 0.75 ERA in his first four starts of the season. 

The ERA’s a bit higher after this one. 

López allowed three runs on six hits in his five innings, walking two and striking out seven. He threw 88 pitches, 59 for strikes, and if anything was a little too in the zone with his pitches. Jorge Polanco’s 3rd-inning homer, which staked Seattle to a 2-0 lead, was a changeup right in the heart of the zone. Seattle tacked on one more in the 4th inning to push the lead to three. 

Of note: replacing López was veteran Jesse Chavez, who hadn’t pitched since April 17th. When you’re the designated long man out of the pen and Atlanta’s starters averaged almost seven innings per game in the last homestand, there’s just not a lot of innings left for you. 

(The layoff didn’t hurt Chavez - he pitched two scoreless innings with one walk and three strikeouts.) 

Atlanta’s offense started to stir late

Mariners starter Luis Castillo was absolutely rolling in this one, holding Atlanta to three hits across his seven scoreless innings. The Braves got three hits and two runs off of his replacement for the 8th inning, reliever Ryan Stanek, prompting Mariners manager Scott Servais to go to closer Andres Muñoz with one out in the 8th. Muñoz intentionally walked Matt Olson (loading the bases) to get a double play on for Marcell Ozuna, but it paid off with a strikeout of Ozuna and an Orlando Arcia groundout to strand three for Atlanta and preserve the Seattle lead.

The Braves finished with seven hits and two walks, although they struck out ten times. Atlanta went only three for eight with runners in scoring position and stranded seven men on base.    

What’s going on with Ronald Acuña Jr.?

This is probably worthy of its own deep dive, but last year’s NL Most Valuable Player is off to a rough start to his season. He went 0-4 with two strikeouts tonight - it’s his fourth consecutive multi-strikeout game and, more concerningly, his eleventh multi-strikeout game this season. 

(He had ten multi-strikeout games all of last season.)

Ronald’s down to a .245 batting average with a .684 OPS. I don’t know what’s going on, but the struggles of three of the top four hitters in the lineup (Acuña, Riley, and Olson) are going to put a damper on things until they start to work out of it. The trio went 1-10 tonight, with Riley getting the hit and Olson walking twice.    

What’s next for the Atlanta Braves?

The Braves are wrapping up the series tomorrow afternoon, sending veteran Chris Sale to the mound against Georgia native Emerson Hancock. First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 PM ET and can be seen on Bally Sports South.