Braves Today

Takeaways: Braves rally late to win the game and even the series against the O's

A clutch two-run, pinch-hit home run from Kevin Pillar helped the Braves get a big win at home

Dan Strickland

The Braves won the game tonight 5-4 to even the series with the Baltimore Orioles. Game three is an early start on Sunday at 11:35a on NBC/Peacock.

The Braves Needed Tonight’s Win

The Braves are a good baseball team, but for some reason have not played well at home this season. With tonight’s win, the Braves overall record is now 23-11. They are 15-3 on the road and 8-8 at home.

The exciting wins at home that Braves fans have grown accustomed to in recent years have not happened so far this season. Up until tonight, the only clutch win for the Braves was the first game of the Padres series.

Needless to say, tonight was a good win.

Kevin Pillar had a clutch pinch-hit, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Braves the lead and, ultimately, the win. It was career home run one hundred for Pillar. 

Raisel Iglesias made his season debut for the Braves tonight after beginning the season on the IL. He was lights out and exactly what the Braves needed in the ninth inning. He has nasty stuff and will hopefully be the same shutdown closer he was for Atlanta last season after he was acquired at the trade deadline.

Tonight he struck out the first two batters in the ninth and then got a ground out to end the game.

Strider Continues to Roll

Strider pitched well again tonight. He was not quite as dominant as in some previous starts, but he held the Orioles to two runs over five innings. He struck out ten and walked two.

The Orioles had four hits against Strider. One of those hits was an opposite-field single by Adam Frazier that scored two runs to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning.

He was seen lobbying Brian Snitker to pitch the sixth inning, but his pitch count was too high to send him back out. Strider threw ninety-five pitches through five innings. High pitch counts have been his only major issue this season. His overpowering fastball strikes out many batters, but it is often on a deep count, thus driving up his total pitch count.

Strider leads MLB in strikeouts so far this season with sixty-seven.

Grissom is a Defensive Liability

The defense of Vaughn Grissom has not been good since being called up to be the everyday shortstop for the Braves due to the Orlando Arcia injury.

Tonight, Grissom made a fielding error that cost the Braves a run in the top of the sixth inning. He has now made six errors in nineteen games this season at shortstop. For context, Dansby Swanson made eight errors in 161 games for the Braves last season.

Yesterday the Braves called up Braden Shewmake, and he made his Major League debut in game one of the series. He is expected to get regular playing time until Arcia returns from the IL. Shewmake is considered the better defender of the two shortstops currently on the roster. Grissom’s continued defensive miscues will give Shewmake more playing time. The Braves subbed Shewmake in for Grissom in the top of the ninth inning tonight. 

What's next?

Atlanta's got a brunch date with the Orioles to decide the series. The finale is a Peacock exclusive, and first pitch is at 11:35AM. The radio call, with Ben Ingram, is available locally on WIFN 1340 AM/103.7FM or outside the Atlanta market on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network or MLB.com.

Stories from the Orioles series

WATCH: Kevin Pillar blasts a two-run, pinch-hit home run to give the Braves the lead in the eighth inning

WATCH: Marcell Ozuna hits a home run to give the Braves the early lead

Takeaways: Atlanta Braves Drop Opener to Orioles in Ugly Loss

Atlanta Braves call up SS prospect Braden Shewmake; activate Raisel Iglesias

Atlanta Braves Bullpen Roles Once Raisel Iglesias Returns

Podcast: Does May belong to Marcell Ozuna?

Braves Briefing: Best Rivalry in the NL East?

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Published
Dan Strickland
DAN STRICKLAND

Dr. Dan Strickland is a husband, father, and pastor from Auburn, AL. He covers the Braves at bravestoday.com. Follow him on Twitter at Dan_Strickland

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