Atlanta Braves Take Series Behind Mike Foltynewicz
By Fred Owens
Atlanta Braves Take Series Behind Mike Foltynewicz
On the last Sunday before the All Star Break the Atlanta Braves took the series from the White Sox behind a masterful pitching performance from Mike Foltynewicz
Fabulous Foltynewicz
If you had watched only the first inning you’d have assumed Shields was in charge and it would be a long day for Folty. The White Sox starter slipped thorough the first on seven pitches while Folty gave up a leadoff single to Tim Anderson and got out of the inning after 18 pitches because Anderson suddenly forgot how to run the bases. You’d have been wrong.
The only Braves action in the top of the second came on a one out home run by Jeff Francoeur who deposited the second pitch he saw in the left field seats. The bottom half saw Folty get some defensive help from left field Chase d’Arnaud who went into the seats to catch a foul ball by Melky Cabrera in front of the open glove of a White Sox fan.
That catch seemed to lift the Braves righty as he quickly sent the Sox back into the afternoon sun by coaxing ground balls from Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie.
Shields appeared to be settling in as well when the third started, retiring Ender Inciarte and Erick Aybar quickly. Jace Peterson had other ideas however hitting his fourth home run of the year, a solo shot into the right field stand putting the Braves up 2-0.
Home runs aside neither team mounted a serious threat over the next XX innings. The Sox had two men on with back to back singles from J.B. Shuck and Anderson in the third and the Braves had two men on the fifth and again in the sixth but neither team scored
Foltynewicz continued to cruise through the Sox order striking out the side in the seventh giving him a career high 10 strikeouts in a game, the last on his 109th pitch, a 98 mph heater. The final line for Folty was 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K, and a wild pitch. He retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced; six of the last ten on strikeouts.
Next: 7 down 2 to go