The Atlanta Braves finally scored some runs but it wasn’t enough in an 8-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
On the last road trip, the Brewers plated two first inning runs against Chris Sale. They had no such luck Wednesday. Sale allowed a pair of singles to Rhys Hoskins and William Contreras but struck out the side to leave both runners stranded.
The Braves came into Wednesday’s game having gone 24-straight innings without a run. It took them exactly two batters to break that streak. Jorge Soler got things started with a double to right and then came around to score on another double by Austin Riley. Riley moved to third on a ground out by Marcell Ozuna and then scored to make it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly by Matt Olson.
The Brewers threatened to answer back in the second. Blake Perkins singled with one out and stole second base. Andruw Monasterio walked to put runners at first and second. Sale struck out Garrett Mitchell for the second out before Jackson Chourio sent a grounder down the third base line that Riley was able to knock down to prevent a run from scoring. With the bases loaded, Hoskins flew out to Adam Duvall in left to end the inning.
Milwaukee did scratch across a run in the third. Sale walked Gary Sanchez to start the inning but then struck out Contreras and got Willy Adames to fly out. Joey Ortiz then lined a double to the right field corner that Soler fumbled long enough for Sanchez to come around and score from first to make it 2-1.
Sale added two more strikeouts in a scoreless fourth. Hoskins led off the fifth with a single and then moved all the way to third on another hit by Sanchez. Sale came right back though and struck out Contreras and Adames. He jumped ahead of Ortiz 0-2 who then went down and got a slider that was inches off the dirt and guided it into left for an RBI single that tied the game. The Brewers took the lead on Sale’s next pitch as Perkins singled to right on a ball that was just out of reach of Whit Merrifield.
That would end Sale’s night as Brian Snitker would turn to Pierce Johnson out of the bullpen. Johnson walked Monasterio to load the bases but Mitchell bounced out to first to keep the deficit at 3-2.
Sale dealt with plenty of traffic throughout the evening. He exited having allowed nine hits, two walks and three runs, although only two were earned. He struck out 10 while throwing 96 pithes.
The Braves answered back right away. Merrifield singled with one out to get things started. Soler then quickly found himself in an 0-2 count on a pair of pitches that appeared to be below the zone. Snitker voiced is displeasure from the dugout and was ejected by home plate umpire Brian Walsh.
Soler struck out for the second out, but Riley picked everyone up with a long two-run home run to left that put the Braves back in front at 4-3.
Johnson stayed in to start the sixth and struggled to find the strike zone, walking Chourio and Hoskins to start the inning. He jumped ahead of Sanchez 1-2 but left a curveball in the middle of the zone that Sanchez lined to left. Chourio scored on the play to tie the game at 4-4. That would be it for Johnson who was replaced by A.J. Minter.
Minter got Contreras to bounce into a force out for the first out. Adames then grounded to Riley, who threw home in time to get Hoskins. Minter ran the count full to Ortiz but lost him to load the bases. That would prove costly as Perkins singled to center to score two more and put Milwaukee back in front 6-4. Another walk to Monasterio reloaded the bases but Minter struck out pinch-hitter Eric Haase to finally bring the inning to an end.
The Brewers extended the lead to 8-4 with two more runs in the eighth off of Dylan Dodd. Jarred Kelenic homered off of Devin Williams in the ninth to round out the scoring.
Riley finished the game with two hits and drove in three runs. The pitching staff recorded 16 strikeouts in the game but also allowed 16 hits and issued eight walks.
The loss drops the Braves to 60-53 for the season and extends their losing streak to four-straight games. They will try to avoid a sweep Wednesday with Charlie Morton matching up against Frankie Montas.
