Atlanta Braves Fight Back Early and Late To Capture Victory On Tuesday Night

Braves Don’t Give Up – Early and Late

It took extra innings, but the Atlanta Braves took the win on Tuesday night with an exciting game.  Lots of ups and downs tonight, but the Braves kept fighting and they walk away with the victory.

Cincinnati Reds won game one of this series on Monday, but the Braves would not be swept.  It took 11 innings for this game to complete, but we’re so glad it ended the way it did.

After the victory on Tuesday, the Braves improved to 32-61 and the Reds fell to 35-58.

Solid Night For Jenks

Braves starter, Tyrell Jenkins pitched great in his second career start in the MLB.  It’s been 13 days since his first career start.  He went six innings strong, gave up four hits, two runs, four walks and had two strikeouts.  The 23-year-old kept a semi-good Reds offense at bay.

“That young man just keeps pitching,” Brian Snitker said of Jenkins.  “He competes and never lets off the throttle.  That’s what I’ve seen for the year and a half I’ve been around him.  Good bad or ugly, the kid never gives up.”

In the 1st inning of Tuesday nights game, Jenkins walked Joey Votto with two outs.  Nothing hurt…until Jay Bruce came up.  On a 3-1 pitch, Bruce blasted an oppo home run to left-center field.  This gave the Reds the early lead 2-0.

After the homer, Jenkins walked Adam Duvall, but was able to get Brandon Phillips to ground out.

Possibly still a little shaken from giving up the digger to Bruce, Eugenio Suarez led off the 2nd inning with a double.  What happened next was the turning point in Jenkins start.

Brotha Jenkins – as you can find him on Twitter – was able to get a soft grounder to first base and then a quick strikeout of the pitcher.  With two outs, Jenkins was able to get Zack Cozart to ground out to Erick Aybar at short.

Jenkins ran into a little trouble again in the 3rd inning – walked Votto again and hit Duvall with a pitch – but was able to get out of the jam.

“I can’t say enough about Tyrell,” Jeff Francouer said after the game.  “I think he learned real quick today if you get behind guys, they are going to make you pay.  He started pounding the zone with that sinker and did a great job.

Braves Answer With Their Own Runs

In the top of the 2nd inning, Nick Markakis led off the inning with a single to center field.  Ender Inciarte later reached first base on a fielding error by Suarez at third.  Braves catcher then walked.  With the bases loaded, Erick Aybar hit a single to right field to score Markakis and Inciarte.  Braves tie the game 2-2.

I could go on about the innings in between the 2nd and 7th, but it was mostly three-and-outs or the occasional single.

Let’s jump to the 7th inning.  Aybar, yes that name keeps popping up in our recap, led off the inning with a four-pitch walk.  After Jace Peterson struck out, Gordon Beckham hammered a first-pitch (it looked like) a hanging slider to left-center field.  Braves lead 4-2!

Braves Crusin’ to a W…Right??

The Braves brought in Jim Johnson for the 9th inning to close the game.  Atlanta is trying to add any value to his name they can for a trade deadline deal.  This didn’t happen on this night.

Suarez singled to start the inning, Cabrera then doubled.  Tucker Barnhart grounded out to Aybar, but a run scored.  Braves lead 4-3.

The next batter, Cozart singled in Cabrera.  Game is now tied 4-4 and we head to extra innings.

This is the 16th game that the Braves had gone to extras to decide a ball game in 2016.

Extra, Extra Read All About It

Markakis leadoff the 11th inning with a single to left field.  Jeff Francoueur followed that single with a single for himself.  This base hit put Markakis at third base.  Next up, Ender Inciarte.  He hits a ball deep to center field and that scored Markakis.  Braves lead 5-4.

Mauricio Cabrera – yeah, you’ve heard the name or the fastball hit the mitt – came into the game in the 10th inning and pitched the 11th as well.  In 1.2 innings on Tuesday, he gave up only one hit, no runs and two strikeouts.

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He also hit 104 mph on the radar gun and picked up his first victory of his career.

“Cabrera, what can you say,” Francouer said after the game.  “I love when you see 102, 103, 104, man, it makes you feel real good behind him that you don’t have to face it.”

One last thing…Happy Birthday to Tyrell Jenkins…July 20, 1992.