Finding ways to win is a trademark of a good team. No club has done it better this season than the Atlanta Braves
The Braves made their two hits count on Friday in a 2-1 series-opening victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Atlanta will look to secure a series victory on Saturday night in St. Petersburg, Fla
All-Star catcher Sean Murphy played the role of the hero on Friday by belting a two-run homer. The catcher also threw out two runners on the bases.
“It’s about winning the game,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I don’t care how you do it. Who gets it.
Murphy’s homer in the fourth inning off Tyler Glasnow proved the difference. Atlanta has now homered in 24 straight games.
“It’s just a good game to win,” Snitker said. “You’re going to have to win games against a club like this. You’re going to have to win them like that.”
Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. had his 16-game hitting streak snapped on Friday, and Marcell Ozuna’s 15-game string also came to an end.
While Atlanta has won nine of the past 10 games, the Rays have dropped a season-high six straight games
“Things are just not coming easy right now,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “It’s part of the season, but I want our guys to feel good heading into the break.”
Saturday’s pitching matchup features a couple of hard throwers with tremendous upside.
Atlanta is going with All-Star Spencer Strider (10-2, 3.66 ERA), who leads the majors with 155 strikeouts.
Tampa Bay is turning to rookie Taj Bradley (5-4, 5.27), who has 76 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings.
Neither starter has yet to face the opposition.
Strider is one of a franchise-high eight players to be selected to the All-Star Game. The 24-year-old has won each of his past four starts, fanning 34 in 24 2/3 innings in that span.
He gave up three runs (two earned) with nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings against the Miami Marlins on Sunday.
With a commanding lead in the National League East, the Braves are looking to head into the All-Star break on a high
“We show up every day and try to be as level-headed as we can,” Strider said after his most recent start. “We kind of think of the first half as practice for the second half. So we like where we are.”
For the Rays, Bradley has been going through some growing pains
He surrendered one run on three hits in six innings of a 7-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on June 21.
But in his past two starts, the 22-year-old rookie has struggled. Bradley allowed seven earned runs in four innings in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 27, and five runs in 3 1/3 innings in a no-decision at the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
“He just couldn’t put guys away,” Cash said after Bradley’s last start. “I thought he had pretty good stuff. He came out of the gate and just pumping strikes with some nasty stuff and I don’t think it went away. Just the finish to get those in two-strike counts didn’t come like they normally do.”
–Field Level Media
