The Atlanta Braves went to extra innings with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night, once again coming away with a one-run victory (this one 4-3) in Oracle Park.
Here’s what you need to know about from the contest.
Charlie Morton, make history
Charlie Morton entered his age 33 season, his first with the Houston Astros, with only 630 career strikeouts. A 3rd-round pick by the Braves in 2002, Morton was joining his fourth different franchise and had a career ERA of 4.54.
Oh how things can change.
Starting in 2017 with Houston, Morton discovered his swing-and-miss stuff. After averaging just 70 strikeouts per season so far in his career, Morton's ascended to another level since then, averaging 170 strikeouts per season.
That career resurgence allowed Morton to reach a milestone tonight, with the righthander striking out his 2,000th batter of his career in the bottom of the 6th inning.
And yes, he got Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on a curveball.
Morton's just the 89th pitcher in league history with 2,000 strikeouts and just the seventh active pitcher to achieve the feat. Teammate Chris Sale is another of that seven, sitting on 2,366 after striking out twelve Giants last night. The other active pitchers are a veritable who's who of eventual Hall of Famers, with Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, Gerrit Cole, and Lance Lynn rounding out the list.
For the game, Morton went six full innings, striking out eight with just one walk. He allowed just two runs on six hits, throwing 98 pitches (63 strikes). The righty had 14 whiffs (eight on the curveball) and a 30% CSW, showing that he's still got it as he approaches his 41st birthday.
d'Aranud d'elivers
Travis d'Arnaud got the start behind the plate tonight , continuing to occupy the slightly smaller side of a platoon with starter Sean Murphy. His fifth start of August and only his second of the road trip was a productive one, with d'Arnaud turning on an inside fastball for his 13th homer of the season.
It came an inning after Ramón Laureano and Jorge Soler got Atlanta on the board, with Laureano launching a solo homer and Soler doubling in Whit Merrifield from first.
d'Arnaud comes back up late in this one - we'll get to that.
Reconfigured bullpen stumbled late
With both Raisel Iglesias and Joe Jiménez presumably unavailable tonight - Iglesias pitched both the 9th and 10th last night, throwing 21 pitches, while Jiménez threw a combined 31 pitches in back-to-back-to-back outings the last three nights - Atlanta was forced to go outside of their comfort zone of Pierce Johnson/Jiménez/Iglesias for the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.
(Those three relievers have thrown those three innings nine times this season and the Braves are a perfect 9-0 in those games).
Going from one veteran to another, Jesse Chavez came in for Morton for the 7th and threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, while Pierce Johnson came in with his curveball to try and bridge Atlanta to the 9th.
It didn't work out.
After a leadoff double by Lamonte Wade Jr. and a fielding error, he advanced to third on a double play and then scored on a curveball in the dirt that got away from d'Arnaud. (It was officially scored a wild pitch, so on Johnson instead of being on d'Arnaud).
Two games, two extra innings
After San Francisco tied it up in the 8th, Dylan Lee pitched a scoreless ninth inning to send it to extra innings.
And guess what?
Travis d'Arnaud did it again.
Atlanta's "backup" catcher hit a go-ahead RBI in the 10th inning, shooting an elevated fastball past Casey Schmitt at second and into right field. Luke Williams, inserted as a pinch runner for designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (who started the inning on second base), easily scored to give Atlanta the lead.
Iglesias, surprising us all, came in for the 10th inning and mowed down San Francisco on only eight pitches for his 25th save of the season. That's now 17 consecutive save opportunities that Iglesias has successfully converted, with his last blown save coming on May 3rd in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
Entering tonight's game, no pitcher with 130 or more appearances since August of 2022 (the number of apperances Iglesias has made since he joined the team via trade from the Los Angeles Angels at that year's trade deadline) had a lower ERA that his 1.83. He has literally been the best high-usage reliever in baseball since joining Atlanta via trade.
What’s next for the Atlanta Braves?
Atlanta's looking to lock up an early series win in game three of the four game set. Grant Holmes (0-0, 3.79) gets the start opposite veteran lefty Robbie Ray (2-1, 3.98) at 9:45 PM ET on Bally Sports South.
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