Series loss snaps Atlanta’s 11 series win streak
The Atlanta Braves fell behind early and were unable to make up any ground in an 8-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox jumped out to an early lead against Kolby Allard in the second. Andrew Vaughn singled and then scored on a rocket two-run home run by Jake Burger. Tim Anderson and Luis Robert Jr. brought home two more runs with a pair of singles to put Atlanta in an early 4-0 hole.
Allard then left the game with what the Braves called left shoulder tightness. He was replaced by Collin McHugh who got Gavin Sheets to line out sharply to end the inning.
The Braves got on the board in the third as Matt Olson drove home Ozzie Albies to cut the deficit to 4-1. The RBI gave Olson his 77th of the season.
McHugh worked a scoreless third, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Elvis Andrus led off the inning with a double and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Seby Zavala. Andrew Benintendi brought him home with a single back through the box to make it 5-1. McHugh then walked Anderson and Robert before Sheets brought home another run with an infield single to make it 6-1. McHugh would be replaced by Ben Heller who struck out Andrew Vaughn and then got Burger to fly out to end the frame.
Michael Soroka made a surprise appearance out of the bullpen in the fifth. He worked around a leadoff single by Grandal as Zavala ended the inning by bouncing into a double play. Soroka returned for the sixth and was greeted by a Benintendi single. Robert followed with a two-run shot to center to push the lead to 8-1. He worked a scoreless seventh and then gave way to Kirby Yates.
Yates and Raisel Iglesias held the White Sox scoreless over the final two innings, but Atlanta’s offense was unable to solve Chicago’s bullpen. Charlie Culberson made his first appearance of the season for the Braves in the ninth as a pinch-hitter and reached on an infield single.
Charlie Culberson’s first at-bat in a @Braves uniform with fans in attendance since 2019.
Hit. pic.twitter.com/orSyuzzXv9
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) July 16, 2023
Unfortunately for Culberson and the Braves, nothing would follow up the infield hit and the game ended.
Atlanta drops to 61-31 for the season and sees a couple of streaks end. The Braves had won 11-straight series coming into Sunday. They also were held without a homer for the first time in 28 games. They will enjoy an off day Monday before opening up a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.