Braves Hit Rock Bottom after Blowing Late 6-Run Lead

The Atlanta Braves bullpen had been its strength all season. That all came crashing down in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies.

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Luke Jackson gave up four runs on four hits in 2/3 of an inning in the collapse vs. Colorado. / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves dropped their road series to the Rockies with a crushing 9-8 loss. Given that the Braves led 8-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth, this is the worst loss of the Braves season bar none. 

Starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach had a strong outing. Jorge Soler hit two home runs. Everything was coming together in this game. They had just snapped a six-game losing streak and were in the driver’s seat to pick up a much-needed series win. Would’ve been a great way to start their road trip. 

But no. 

"We needed one more out in the eighth” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “That’s tough. Because, you know, you play a good ballgame and everything goes well, and in the span of about 30 minutes it just blew up."

Reliever Luke Jackson took his fair share of the blame after allowing four of the seven runs in two-thirds of an inning pitched in the eighth. 

“I let us down,” he said. “Made a couple bad pitches that I wish I could have back.”

He still holds out hope that a breakthrough is imminent. 

“I think the way they’re swinging it right now, they’re bound to go on an absolute tear. So, can’t hang your head...But these are the ones that fuel the fire.” 

Regardless, the Braves fall to 61-56 and eight games back of the Phillies in the National League East standings. They barely hang around the playoff line.

They now head to San Francisco with any ounce of wind left knocked out of their sails and the season continues its free fall since the All-Star Break. 

Snitker said the team just needs to keep persevering through this brutal stretch. 

“It’s the hard part of this game,” he said. “You gotta turn the page. We gotta go out. We gotta come out and figure out how to win the game tomorrow.”

They head to San Francisco to take on a Giants team that’s right on their heels. The Giants trail the Braves by a game and a half. While they dropped their Sunday game to the Detroit Tigers, they have won seven of their last 10 and won their previous four games before that. 

The easy part of the schedule went to waste, and now the Braves will have to try to get back on track against a hungry opponent.