Braves now drop to 27-35 on the season.
Braves Show Fight but Fall in Extras to San Francisco
Atlanta opened up a three-game set out in San Francisco, looking to snap a four-game skid. Spencer Schwellenbach (4-4, 3.13 ERA) got the call for the Braves, while the Giants countered with Hayden Birdsong (3-1, 2.37 ERA).
Schwellenbach has looked sharp most of the season, but this start got tricky fast. Heliot Ramos reached on a throwing error by Nick Allen, and things unraveled from there. Jung Hoo Lee singled, and the Giants were immediately threatening.
Wilmer Flores knocked in Ramos with an RBI single, Dominic Smith added a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch allowed Flores to score. Just like that, the Braves were down 3-0 before they had recorded a hit.
Birdsong kept the Braves quiet through the early innings, as Atlanta’s offense couldn’t carry over any momentum from the previous night. Schwellenbach bounced back with a strong second, striking out two and working around a hit and walk, but Atlanta’s bats were still silent through three.
Ronald Acuña Jr. drew a walk, but the rest of the third inning was all strikeouts and frustration. Home plate umpire Andy Fletcher’s strike zone was unpredictable, making life at the plate even more difficult.
Things finally shifted in the fourth. After Birdsong hit Olson and walked both Ozuna and Albies, Atlanta loaded the bases with no outs. Alex Verdugo nearly changed the game with a deep drive down the right field line that was called foul, and upheld after review. Birdsong then struck him out with a filthy changeup. Sean Murphy followed with a sac fly, and Michael Harris II came through with an RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2.
Schwellenbach cruised through the bottom half of the inning, aided by a smooth defensive effort from Matt Olson at first.
In the fifth, Acuña Jr. singled, and Olson walked, prompting the Giants to go to the bullpen for Tristan Beck. Ozuna grounded into a force out, but Albies couldn’t capitalize and flew out, stranding two.
Flores came around to score again in the bottom half on another sac fly, this time from Smith, extending the Giants’ lead to 4-2. Schwellenbach’s night ended after the sixth, finishing with 6.0 innings, 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. His ERA now sits at 3.24.
The Braves rallied in the seventh. Riley singled, and Olson launched a two-run homer to tie the game at four. It was a huge moment that gave Atlanta a jolt of life and reminded everyone they were still in it.
Craig Kimbrel made his return to the mound and made it count. After giving up a single to Ramos, Sean Murphy threw him out trying to steal. Murphy and Drake Baldwin have now combined to throw out 14 base stealers since May, per Mark Bowman. Kimbrel also walked Lee, but caught him napping with a pickoff at first, then struck out Flores to end the inning.
Dylan Lee pitched a clean eighth after Tyler Rogers worked around a Braves threat in the top half. Lee closed the inning with a strikeout of Willy Adames.
The game remained tied entering the ninth. Lee got two outs, and Snitker turned to Pierce Johnson, who gave up a single to Ramos but then picked him off at first to send it to extras. Atlanta had now picked off two Giants runners — Kimbrel and Johnson each with one.
Atlanta began the 10th with José Azocar on second. Albies moved him to third with a fly ball, and Eli White pinch-hit for Verdugo but grounded to third. Azocar stayed put, narrowly avoiding a double play. Murphy was intentionally walked, and Harris II was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Spencer Bivens came in and got Luke Williams to ground out on a full count pitch.
San Francisco capitalized in the bottom of the 10th. Fitzgerald began on second and moved over on a groundout. With two outs, Johnson threw a pitch that got away from Murphy and allowed Fitzgerald to score and win it for the Giants, 5-4.
Tough way to lose, especially after battling back, but the loss drops Atlanta to 27-35 on the season and extends their losing streak to five.
Spencer Bivens picked up the win for San Francisco (2-2, 3.07 ERA), and Pierce Johnson was tagged with the loss (1-2, 3.18 ERA).
Next Up:
The Braves will try to even the series later today at 4:05 PM EDT. Bryce Elder takes the mound for Atlanta, while San Francisco sends out Logan Webb (5-5, 2.55 ERA, 91 strikeouts in 81.1 innings, 1.17 WHIP).
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