Atlanta Braves Get Great Start by Jenkins, Beat Philly

Matching his longest outing, Jenkins works around trouble and gives Atlanta six strong frame while the offense does just enough against Velasquez and the visiting Phillies.

Wins by pitcher’s may be overrated, but it’s certainly nice when you get ’em – Tyrell Jenkins got his first major league victory tonight, as he held the Phillies at bay during multiple key moments.

When you look at his pitching line, Jenkins lasted 91 pitches  and 6 full innings.  The 4’s were wild in his hand as he struck out 4, gave up up just 4 hits, but also yielded 4 walks.

One of those free passes was intentional – and useful as a force play was cashed in to end an inning.  But Jenkins got batters out when necessary, giving up just a single unearned run in the third inning.  After the Peterson error and that run, Jenkins had a good chance to give up a big inning… but after a goundout, line out, and another groundout, the threat was extinguished.

Also in that third frame, the Braves managed to get the hit parade sequenced properly with the top of the lineup pushing across a pair of runs to take the lead, 2-1 thanks to singles by Gordon Beckham and Nick Markakis. off starter Vince Velasquez, who might not be a Philly much longer:

Once the 7th inning began, Jenkins was lifted and Ian Krol, Mauricio Cabrera, and Jim Johnson took turns of an inning apiece.  The only hit allowed was a moderately scary two-out double from old nemesis Ryan Howard.  Figures – he’s benched most of the time, yet comes in and bangs one off the right-center field wall…. because ‘the Braves’.

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After that, Johnson got himself further into the soup with a walk to leadoff hitter Cesar Hernandez… collecting his third such pass of the evening.

Odubel Herrera then skipped a sharp grounder in the SS hole to Erick Aybar‘s right.  Had that been Andrelton Simmons out there, I wouldn’t have been terribly concerned.  But as Joe Simpson correctly pointed out on the broadcast, a lesson from a few weeks ago came home to save the night.

Adonis Garcia was thinking, and he held his position as the ball was out of his reach.  Then he retreated immediately to third base  – which is exactly what Aybar told him to do on a similar play that was ruled an error on Aybar in that prior game.

With Garcia at third, Aybar had an option – and he fired the ball to third base, securing the force play and ending the game.

We’ve been all over Aybar for sometimes sloppy and lackluster-looking play.  This was a case in which he deserves full credit – a teaching moment that helped the Braves and Tyrell Jenkins to a win.

Next: Who Do the Braves 'Catch' for 2017?

Whew.

Braves take the second game of this 4-game set.