The Braves didn’t achieve their first no-hitter since 1994 today in New York… but they almost did. Despite a bevy of walks, Max Fried and Joe Jimenez combined for eight no-hit innings. Even though the Braves had a 4-0 lead in the final frame, they asked Raisel Iglesias to come on and keep the Mets’ hit column at a goose egg. Iglesias got two outs, but surrendered a first-pitch homer to J.D. Martinez (the latter’s first of the year). So, mark this down as nothing historic, but another solid 4-1 win, driven by more great pitching and defense.
As far as the starting pitching goes, this game was a study in contrasts. Christian Scott, making his second career start, ended up going six innings with an 8/2 K/BB ratio, but surrendered a homer and another run. Max Fried, making definitely nothing close to his second career start, fired seven no-hit innings despite a pretty weak 5/3 K/BB ratio. Fried allowed two deep barrels to center that were both flagged down by Michael Harris II and were critical in letting the no-hit bid go as far as it did. The Braves ended up winning despite getting out-barreled, a small consolation for earlier losses when it’s happened to them.
Both starters faced the minimum through two, but Harris snapped a long o-fer (that was driven by poor ball-in-play luck moreso than anything else) with a solid opposite-field liner single to start the third. Orlando Arcia then followed with a monster two-run homer that was way, way past the wall in left:
Fried’s first blemishes came in the bottom of the third, as he yielded back-to-back two-out walks… but then struck out Starling Marte on three pitches, none anywhere near the zone, to escape the jam.
Harris helped cash in a leadoff walk in the fourth, scoring Austin Riley after Travis d’Arnaud’s single put two on with two out. After that, there were 16 consecutive outs until d’Arnaud walked to start the seventh. A third Harris single chased Scott, and then a series of bizarre plays happened. With runners on second and third and one out, Jarred Kelenic hit a bouncer past the mound that was bobbled by the usually sure-handed Francisco Lindor at short. Kelenic ended up reaching, but since d’Arnaud didn’t run on contact, Lindor’s error just ended up loading the bases. Ronald Acuña Jr. followed with a smashed liner to Jeff McNeil at second that was hit so hard it actually knocked McNeil’s glove off. Unfortunately, that turned it into an easy double play. It was the second liner hit right at an infielder by Acuña in the game; both went for outs.
Fried’s pitch count was pretty high in the seventh, but he stayed in after walking Pete Alonso with one out. Alonso had one of the barreled outs to center off Fried earlier in the game; with him on first, it was Martinez’ turn to make Harris run long and hard to flag down a barrel. Fried stayed in for one more batter and carved up McNeil with a perfectly-placed, outside corner 2-2 sinker to end his day.
In the bottom of the eighth, Jimenez walked two of the first batters he faced, but then bounced back with back-to-back strikeouts, both on well-buried sliders. The Braves added their fourth and final run off Jorge Lopez in the ninth thanks to a leadoff double, a hit by pitch, and two walks. Ozzie Albies nearly broke the game open with a deep fly to right, but it wasn’t hit hard enough to get down.
And then we came to the bottom of the ninth, where the Braves were denied the no-hitter. Iglesias fell behind Lindor 3-0 but came back to strike him out; he got Alonso to ground out to short after an eight-pitch battle. But it only took Martinez one pitch to deny the Braves. Still, after a walk and a single brought the tying run to the plate, Brett Baty flew out harmlessly to Harris in center to end the game.
With the win, the Braves improve to 24-12, keeping pace with the also-victorious Phillies, whom they still trail by two games. They’ve now won four straight, and will go for the sweep behind Bryce Elder on Sunday night.
