Atlanta Braves Season of Sunday Surrenders Continues
By Fred Owens
Atlanta Braves Season of Sunday Surrenders Continues as Dodgers Sweep
The Atlanta Braves started Sunday’s game by scoring early but Matt Wisler gave the runs back in the bottom half and it was downhill from there.
Wisler’s Woes
The top of the first inning looked promising as Chase d’Arnaud doubled with one out and Jeff Francoeur drove him in with a two out double. Nick Markakis followed that with a single scoring Francoeur and as Wisler took the mound for the bottom half he had a two run lead.
Wisler got the first two hitter to hit lazy fly balls but with two outs Trayce Thompson singled, Adrian Gonzalez doubled, Howie Kendrick singled and the game was tied, Wisler stopped the bleeding at that point but was quickly back on the bump after the Braves went quickly and quietly in the second.
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Enrique Hernandez greeted Wisler with a long home run to center, the first of three he would surrender in four innings on the day. The Dodgers scored four runs in that inning including a homer by Yasmani Grandal and continued to punish Wisler in the fourth when Cory Seager led off with another home run.
Meanwhile the Braves lineup continued to be impotent when the opposing pitcher throws strikes; although they got men on base nothing ever came of it. Mallex Smith gave Braves fans a few seconds of hop when he drove Joc Pederson to the centerfield wall to lead off the fifth but Pederson made a very good catch for the first out. The next two Braves saw only three pitches to make the final two outs of the inning.
Wisler stayed in the game even through four innings giving up eight runs on nine hits. It was pretty obvious he couldn’t find his release point. his sinkers didn’t sink and when that happens they fly a long way as the Dodgers demonstrated.
In the fifth Brian Snitker gave the struggling Freddie Freeman the rest of the day off. Freddie made the last out in the top half so a double switch put Brandon Snyder in the game at first and John Gant on the mound.
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