The Braves need Strider to stop a four-game losing streak.
After another tough loss Wednesday, the Atlanta Braves will try to snap a four-game skid and avoid a sweep, when they wrap up a three-game series Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Braves dropped the opener in wild fashion losing 16-13. They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position Wednesday in a 5-3 loss. Thursday’s game will feature a marquee pitching matchup between Atlanta’s Spencer Strider and Arizona’s Zac Gallen.
Strider’s first start coming out of the All-Star break didn’t go well as he wallowed eight hits and five runs against the White Sox. He did go six innings and had 10 strikeouts, but missed with his fastball location and Chicago was able to take advantage. Strider leads the majors with 176 strikeouts and has 30 through three starts in July. Strider faced the Diamondbacks back on June 3 and allowed three hits and two runs over six innings in a Braves’ win.
Gallen comes into Thursday’s start as one of the leading candidates for the NL Cy Young Award. He has a tidy 3.14 ERA and a 2.90 FIP in over 123 innings entering Thursday’s start. Gallen allowed six hits and three runs over five innings against the Blue Jays in his first start coming out of the break. He faced the Braves back on June 4 in Arizona and allowed nine hits and two earned runs over six innings.
Atlanta’s four-game losing streak ties their longest skid of the season. They lost four-straight games from April 19-23 and May 10-14. The Braves haven’t lost five games in a row since September of 2017.
Austin Riley hit a solo home run in the seventh inning of Wednesday’s loss, giving him 19 for the season and three in the series.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, July 20, 12:20 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: Bally Sports South
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan