Bullpen collapse gives away 7-6 loss to Boston

The Braves lost a game that they really should have won, as a sub-optimally deployed bullpen was unable to hold a 4 run lead over 3 innings.

Looking for a series win behind Grant Holmes and a chance for a sweep on Sunday, the Braves’ bats were hoping to jump on Lucas Giolito in Boston.

The bats did just that in the first, with three batted balls over 100 MPH: an Alex Verdugo groundout, a Matt Olson two run homer (after Austin Riley walked), and a Marcell Ozuna solo homer, taking a quick 3-0 lead before Holmes stepped foot on the mound.

Grant Holmes immediately settled in, striking out three of his first six batters for two perfect innings. Marcell Ozuna drew a one out walk in the third and Drake Baldwin absolutely cranked a pull-side homer over the foul pole at 112.3 MPH that was potentially truly a foul ball, but it was impossible to tell from any camera angles so stood as called, giving Atlanta a 5-0 lead.

The Red Sox finally got to Holmes in the third, as a one out walk turned into a two out, two run homer by Jarren Duran. A Devers double and a Bregman walk followed the Duran homer, but a deep flyout on a (probably unnecessary, but cool looking) jumping grab by Michael Harris ended the inning with a 5-2 Atlanta lead.

Eli White led off the fourth with a single, stealing second and scoring on an extremely fortunate bloop single by Austin Riley. Matt Olson ripped a 110 MPH single to put men on the corners with two outs for Ozuna, but a chopper ended the inning with a score of 6-2, Atlanta. Giolito departed after 4.0 innings, as he had thrown 87 pitches already and Holmes worked around a few baserunners to hold Boston at 2 runs through five. The Braves offense went White single, Allen double-play, Verdugo single, Austin Riley walk in the sixth, before Matt Olson ripped a 108 MPH line drive to left and Verdugo inexplicable was sent home, with Duran throwing the ball as he was rounding third and was out by a good two seconds at home.

Holmes struck out two, as he worked around a one out single to finish his night with a scoreless sixth. Grant worked in his cutter 18 times tonight, as he put up a solid 6.0 inning outing, allowing 2 runs on 5 strikeouts and 4 walks. Aaron Bummer got the seventh and in traditional Aaron Bummer fashion, allowed a bit of an unlucky leadoff double and a one out single on a pitch out of the zone brought the run home to make it a 6-3 game, at which point Snitker pulled him for Enyel De Los Santos. Alex Bregman brought home another run with a double off the Green Monster. Enyel was able to escape the inning with no further damage with a flyout and a groundout.

After another quiet offensive inning, Snitker went to Rafael Montero in the eighth, which is not who I would ideally opt for in a two run game. Montero allowed a deep flyout, a double, and a single before recording a strikeout and being yanked for Pierce Johnson. After a stolen base, Johnson allowed a single to Devers that scored two runs and tied the game. Baldwin cut down Devers trying to steal second to end the inning there, but now the offense had to step up and score at least another run for the Braves to win.

With Aroldis Chapman pitching the ninth for Boston, Marcell Ozuna drew a one out walk, with Fairchild pinch-running and Sean Murphy pinch-hitting for Baldwin with the lefty on the mound. Murphy struck out as Fairchild stayed put at first, but right-handed Ozzie hit a line drive single to put two on with two out for Michael Harris in a lefty-lefty matchup. Harris predictably struck out, giving Boston a big walk-off opportunity in the bottom of the ninth. The first batter was Rafael Devers, who cranked a walk-off homer against Pierce Johnson in a game that never should have gotten to that point. That’s a really frustrating loss from a bullpen management and execution standpoint.

Join us again tomorrow, as the Braves go for a series win tomorrow at 1:35 PM ET.