Looking to secure the series win in the first series after the All-Star break, the Braves had a favorable matchup between Spencer Schwellenbach and the Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas.
Spencer started well, with one hit and one strikeout in a scoreless first, while Mikolas had a very Mikolas first, with three contact outs. Schwellenbach continued to look alright, until the Cardinals’ seventh hitter (who happened to be one Paul Goldschmidt) yanked a homer down the left field line. After another Mikolas scoreless inning in the second, Schwellenbach allowed a two out solo homer just inside the right field foul pole to Alec Burleson, doubling the lead.
Jarred Kelenic pulled a run back with a solo homer of his own in the third, after Arcia hit into a barreled out.
Unfortunately, Schwellenbach gave the run back with another two out homer, this time to Lars Nootbar straight to dead center. It was not Schwellenbach’s best outing. Austin Riley was robbed of a leadoff hit in the fourth and Marcell Ozuna trickled through a single, but Matt Olson grounded into a double-play started by Nolan Arenado. Three St. Louis singles brough home a run on a tight play at the plate to set the score at 4-1 in favor of the Cardinals.
The bottom of the lineup came through in the fifth with a double from Laureano and a single from Arcia to make it a 4-2 game, but Jarred Kelenic grounded out to end the inning. Schwellenbach finished strong in the sixth inning, with two strikeouts. The good for Spencer is the 6.0 innings with 8 strikeouts and 0 walks, but giving up three home runs is never good. Still, the strikeouts and walks are encouraging for his long-term profile. Two Atlanta singles in the sixth came to nothing, with a double-play and a flyout. AJ Minter dominated the seventh with two strikeouts in a perfect inning.
After nothing going from the bottom of the Atlanta lineup, Jesse Chavez got the eighth and allowed a solo homer to Willson Contreras, extending the lead, but got out of the inning with it 5-2, not entirely out of reach. Arcia, Kelenic, and Albies didn’t do anything to lessen that lead in the eighth, however and Jesse came back out for the ninth. He allowed two walks and a single, and an errant throw to second from Travis with two outs brought home a run for the Cardinals, likely representing the nail in Atlanta’s coffin on the day. Making matters worse, Ozzie exited the game as he was injured on the play, trying to corral the throw at second.
Jesse issued an uncharacteristic third walk of the inning, but escaped the inning with no further damage. Matt Olson was robbed on a line drive in the ninth, but d’Arnaud walked and Eddie grounded through a single on Ryan Helsley to present at least a small threat. Ramon Unfortunately, Laureano struck out, ending the game.
It was a pretty unenjoyable game for the Braves, as they allowed four homers to the Cardinals, only managing the one themselves. They simply weren’t good enough to secure a win against the similarly middling Cardinals. Join us again tomorrow at 7:20 as the Braves face the Reds.
