Atlanta Braves 9th Inning Rally Comes Up Short in St. Louis, Fall 6-5

The Atlanta Braves tried to even up the series against the Cardinals on Saturday night in St. Louis.

The Atlanta Braves started the night off on the right foot. Brandon Phillips and Freddie Freeman scored on a single by Kurt Suzuki.

The early lead was short-lived, though. A run-scoring single by Dexter Fowler in the bottom of the 1st plated Matt Carpenter.

Then in the bottom of the second, a Randal Grichuk solo home run tied things at two. St. Louis took the lead in the bottom of the 4th. A ground out from Greg Garcia scored Kolten Wong, making it 3-2 Cards.

St. Louis didn’t stop there. Run-scoring singles from Carlos Martinez scored Grichuk. Tommy Pham singled and that scored Martinez. St. Louis now led 5-2.

In the 5th, Atlanta showed a little life when Brandon Phillips popped his 9th home run on the year. That got the Braves to within two.

The Cardinals got that run back on a Paul DeJong solo home run to center.

The Braves mounted a comeback of sorts in the 9th. After a pop fly from Ozzie Albies for out number one, Dansby Swanson singled to right and Danny Santana reached on an error.

That ROE almost was an out. On a grounder hit to second, Santana was running the play out until he wasn’t. He slowed down after the Cardinal second baseman fielded the ball.

There was a stumble but nothing to warrant any craziness. Matt Carpenter took the throw and then dropped a soft-toss that hit him in the worst place, the glove.

However, because Santana slowed down, Carpenter recovered to pick the ball up and almost got Santana. Santana was called safe, and the play was so close, the Cardinals reviewed it. The called stood.

The next hitter, Brandon Phillips, walked, and up stepped Freedie Freeman. He did Freddie Freeman things and ripped an 0-2, straight fastball, down the middle, to left. Swanson and Santana scored easily BP went 1st to 3rd, and the Braves cut the lead to one, 6-5 St. Louis.

The Braves hopes rested in the hands of Nick Markakis. After falling behind 0-2 (strike 2 never had the plate, by the way). The Cardinals gave Freeman second and Markakis battled back to even up the count 2-2.

Finally, Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal blew a 2-seamer by Markakis who couldn’t catch up to it. Atlanta will try to salvage game three tomorrow afternoon at 2:15 EDT.

Going for the Braves will be R.A. Dickey (7-7, 4.03 ERA). He will be facing off against St. Louis hurler Michael Wacha (9-4, 3.70 ERA).

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It was great rally in the 9th from this team who never packs it in when behind, it just wasn’t enough tonight.