Atlanta Braves blow lead, collapse to fall 14-10 during Cubs rally
By John Le
The Braves chased Jose Quintana out of the game after just 2 1/3 innings but collapsed in the second half of the game.
The Atlanta Braves took on the Chicago Cubs in game two of the series, playing in the upper 30s-lower 40s cold weather. The Braves gave Ender Inciarte the day off and placed Ozzie Albies in the lead-off spot followed by Dansby Swanson at #2. The game couldn’t have looked any better for the Braves in the first half but a shocking eighth inning completely changed everything.
Leading off the first, Albies homered to left for the fifth time this year. Albert Almora Jr. of the Cubs responded with a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the inning. Score 1-1.
In the second inning, Peter Bourjos -filling in for Inciarte- singled to center and moved to second on Sean Newcomb‘s sacrifice. Albies then laced a double to score Bourjos. Swanson followed up with another RBI double scoring Albies. After Freddie Freeman drew a walk on four straight balls (These walks will probably seem ironic later), Kurt Suzuki knocked a single to right center. Braves up 4-1.
The Braves took it to Jose Quintana again in the third, this time driving him out of the game. Lane Adams led off the inning with an infield single. Charlie Culberson turned a 0-2 count into a walk. After Bourjos struck out, Newcomb was walked as well which was the final strike – so to speak – for Quintana.
With Eddie Butler now on the mound and bases loaded, Albies was up. He grounded one to third but still got Adams in to score. Then, back-to-back singles by Swanson and Freeman added two more runs. Suzuki worked eight pitches to get a walk before Nick Markakis doubled to left center to put two more on the board. Braves up 9-1.
The Cubs got one run in via ground-out in the bottom of the inning but it didn’t stop the Braves offense. In the fourth, two errors got two Braves runners at the corners for Albies. This man is on fire because he slapped another run on the board with a single. BRAVES ARE UP 10-2!
The Cold Weather Cooling Down The Engines
For the next few innings, not much happened offensively from both teams. The Cubs cashed in on another run from a bases loaded walk but that was it. It’s fine right? Still a 7 run lead. No big deal right?
The Braves teased in the 7th when singles from Swanson and Freeman plus a walk from Suzuki loaded the bases. However, with one out already, Markakis grounded into a double-play to end the inning.
What In The World!?
For the bottom of the 7th, Dan Winkler walked Kris Bryant. He got Willson Contrera to fly out but then gave up a triple to Ben Zobrist. This would add one to the Cubs. Javier Baez then grounded one to score Zobrist as the Cubs cut the deficit to half: 10-5.
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The next inning, the Braves sent out Luke Jackson. The flamethrower has not had the best track record but maybe he could heat it up a bit in this extreme cold. But no – very bad.
Jackson hit Jason Heyward to start it off. He managed to strike out Kyle Schwarber but gave up a single to Tommy La Stella. Braves manager Snitker decided to swap Jackson out for another flamethrower, Jose Ramirez. It only made the “fire” worse.
Ramirez started out promising with a strikeout but, he too, hit a batter. This loaded the bases with two outs. Contreras knocked one for an infield single to score Heyward.
Ramirez then missed four straight (see?) to walk Zobrist. The score now was 10-7, the Braves could still escape the inning with the lead but…
Javier Baez pounded one to center to clean the bases for a 3-run double. Tie ball game. The Braves then brought out Sam Freeman, and he too was off his game. Following an intentional walk, Freeman walked three straight to give the Cubs the lead. Two of those walks were four-pitch walks as well.
Peter Moylan was brought in as the fourth pitcher of the inning, and only continued the nightmare. Moylan threw a wild pitch which scored Heyward. To make matters worse, Suzuki made a terrible throw to second for an error that scored Schwarber.
Everything Else
The Braves ended the inning by giving up 9 runs. They went quietly in the ninth to lose 14-10.
Out of this mess, there were a few positives in Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson and Sean Newcomb. Albies and Swanson continued their hot streaks, ending the day with three hits each. Though he didn’t get the win, Newcomb continued to pitch well. With a high pitch count in the 5th, he began to falter but still had 7 K’s in a very cold game.
Next: Report: McCarthy Is A Superhero
The Braves hope to get redemption tomorrow as they play a rubber match at 2:20 PM ET as Julio Teheran (0-1) takes on Tyler Chatwood (0-2).