The brave of Atlanta on a visit will seek to continue a remarkable turnaround at the start of the season on Saturday evening when they continue a series of three weekend games against the Boston Red Sox.
After starting 0-7 in March and April, a 4-2 victory at the opening of the Friday series moved the Braves (23-22) over the brand of .500 for the first time this season. They won four of their last five games and nine from the 13.
The calendar is read in mid-May, but the manager of Atlanta, Brian Snitker, considers the performance of his team as an important step.
“I think it’s just a testimony of guys, man, how they never left,” said Snitker. “They have never stopped doing their job, and coming to work and preparing and playing the game in the right direction. It’s good. It’s not a big problem, but it’s sort of.”
Friday, the solo circuits by Matt Olson and Sean Murphy were retained by seven shots of a ball from the old left of Boston, Chris Sale, who withdrew eight.
The Red Sox became the first team to face the reigning winners of the American League and the National League in consecutive matches. They met on Wednesday Ace Tarik Skubal from Detroit Tigers, but lost 6-5.
The right-hander of Atlanta, Grant Holmes (2-3, 4.14 ERA) should make its first beginning of a career against the Red Sox on Saturday and enters a sequence of four outings without consecutive victory. His last victory was April 20 against the Minnesota Twins, 6-2.
During his last departure, Holmes did not take into account the decision on Monday against the Washington Nationals despite the 6 1/3 shots at one point. The Braves ended up publishing a 4-3 victory.
For Holmes the last time, it was his third quality start. The strong pitching has, of course, been crucial for the reversal of the team.
“It was not going to happen overnight,” said third goal player Austin Riley earlier this week, when the brave claimed a four -game victory against Washington. “We were going to take it day by day.”
Now two games below .500, the Red Sox enter on Saturday by trying to break their second sequence of four defeats of the season. Friday scored his 14th match of two points or less.
Boston was limited to six strokes on Friday, including two from Jarren Duran and Nick Sogard. The Red Sox also scored a single round – a solo stroke Rob Refsnyder – to the ninth round.
“Just slow down,” said Boston’s third goal, Alex Bregman. “We did not execute (Friday), but we will return to the drawing board, be ready to prepare and get there. … The best part of baseball is tomorrow.”
Manager Alex Cora accepted. Three runners erased on the bases did not help.
“When you spend weeks like this, no, you don’t have to push the limits. It’s the opposite,” said Cora. “I don’t think we (slow down on Friday).”
After being put aside with a tension at the left hamstrings which delayed its debut at the Red Sox until April 30, Lucas Giolito (1-1, 5.51 ERA) will seek to follow his first victory of the season when he takes the mound on Saturday evening.
Giolito rebounded by granting nine points on 15 strokes during his first two outings to win Sunday against Kansas City. The right-hander granted only one race in the Royals on two strokes and withdrew five, leading the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory.
“(This beginning) was a big step forward,” said Giolito. “Now, I feel like I am 100% healthy. Not to worry about the hamstrings or the elbow.”
Giolito suffered defeats during his only two career departures against Atlanta, granting 13 2/3 rounds for the Chicago White Sox (2019) and Los Angeles Angels (2023).
– field level media
