Braves Dominating
After Sunday’s slate of baseball games, the Atlanta Braves have opened up a seven-game lead on the next closest National League East team.
Stone Cold Steve Austin used to have a phrase that started something like: “opened up a can of…”, seems appropriate here.
While the Braves aren’t cracking & bashing a double fists worth of Budweiser on the top rope, they are having fun along the way.
Atlanta’s won seven of their last nine contests. What makes that stretch even more of a run is that two of the three series’ in that swing were against divisional opponents; the second-place Mets & Marlins to be exact. In fact, the Braves are the only NL East team with a winning record. It just so happens to be the second-best record in baseball, also good enough for best in the National League.
Sunday’s game was the rubber match against the somewhat-surprising Baltimore Orioles. It also marked the return of Orlando Arcia, the Opening Day shortstop. It didn’t take long for Orlando to put a stamp on his return, making a heck of a running grab in shallow left field.
On the mound Bryce Elder continued his 2023 dominance, only surrendering one run over 5.1 innings pitched. Coming into the game, the Orioles & Braves were tied in runs scored this season, at 182. So Elder theoretically silenced an offense as potent as Atlanta’s, and I think we all feel like Atlanta is an elite offense. After the game though, the Braves have a one-run lead in the season total; ranking fifth overall with 185 runs scored (one run behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for fourth place).
Ronald Acuña Jr. gunning down Austin Hays at their base, with his heels near the right field warning track set the stage for Michael Harris’ 12th inning heroics. In the bottom of the inning, Mike sent a screamer opposite field for a double that sent Marcell Ozuna to third & Ozzie Albies home to walk it off & take the series at Truist against the Orioles. It was Michael Harris’ third double of the season, he also stole his third base of the season off of Bautista & Rutschman.
The Braves 7-game division lead is the largest in baseball, Tampa Bay’s 5.5-game lead over Baltimore is the 2nd-largest.