Bryce Elder was no match for the Dodgers lineup as the offense continued to be MIA.
The Braves faced their biggest obstacle of the season on Saturday night as Bryce Elder went head-to-head with Tyler Glasnow, arguably the best starter in baseball through the first month of the season. The outcome went as most probably expected: Elder was rocked by the L.A. lineup, and the Braves’ bats were absent once again in an 11-2 loss.
Over the last week, the Braves have scored 18 runs in 7 games. Four of those 18 runs came in a single inning, and there was the benefit of two extra inning games mixed in. It is truly bizarre to watch after last season.
The game was over quickly. Bryce Elder lasted just 3 1⁄3 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits and four walks. Max Muncy homered in the second inning to make it 2-0, Shohei Ohtani crushed his eighth of the year to make it 3-0 in the third, and the flood gates opened in the fourth with an Andy Pages homer and three straight RBI singles from the heart of the Dodgers order to make it 7-1. Los Angeles would add on a few more runs in the later innings, aided by a dropped fly ball from Ozzie Albies that made it 10-2. Muncy homered for a third time in the eighth to make it 11-2.
The lone bright spot for the Braves was Ronald Acuña Jr., who recorded three hits with exit velocities of 104, 107 and 105. Perhaps the reigning MVP is finally breaking out of his early slump.
The Braves will turn to Max Fried to try and avoid the sweep. He will be opposed by James Paxton. First pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.