2 Takeaways from the Atlanta Braves opening win at Miami

After several recent games with less-than-exemplary outcomes, the Atlanta Braves finally put everything together Friday night in Miami.

Sometimes you just need a night like this to get everybody’s mood back on track.  The Atlanta Braves hit, pitched, and fielded well in one of their most complete efforts of the year in a 7-1 shellacking of Miami.

Maybe it was just that the Marlins were on the schedule.  Maybe it was the notion that Dallas Keuchel would be soon joining the team.

Maybe it was knowing that this was yet another chance to get back at everybody’s Miami villain:  Jose Urena.  And sure:  that happened, too.

Whatever the reason, is was chance to relax with an early lead and see strong performances from virtually everybody that hit the field tonight.

Let’s check on the tonight’s Tomahawk Takeaways:

2. Mike Soroka back on Track

It’s hard to suggest that Mike Soroka (7-1) might have needed a good outing tonight, but confidence can be a fragile thing… and in fact, Soroka hasn’t really been challenged at all this season – until his last game.

In that start (against lowly Detroit on June 1st), Soroka yielded 3 earned runs of 4 total… though he ended up with the Win regardless.

No such concerns against Miami Friday night – in fact, it would have his best start of the year, save for a slight blemish in the 9th as Dan Winkler allowed his inherited runner to score.

The final line:  1 run (earned-ish), 8 innings plus 1 batter, 3 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts.

It was Mike’s 1st venture into the 9th inning his season and 2nd time recording 8 full official innings.

It’s also the 1st time that Soroka has accumulated enough innings to qualify for the major league ERA title.

Couple of funny things about that…

Until that run crossed in the 9th, he would have ranked #1.  But now his ERA sits at 1.38 for the season, 0.03 behind Hyun-Jin Ryu and almost 6/10ths of a run ahead of Jake Odorizzi (3rd place).

Stupidly enough, Soroka will come off of that leaderboard again in 3 more days.  The Braves have now played 63 games and Soroka has pitched 65.1 innings. Right now that’s enough.

Once Atlanta gets to 66 games played (after Monday vs. Pittsburgh), Soroka will no longer match the 1-inning-per-game-played standard… and Soroka will be off of the pitching stats leaderboards again… until his next start.

1.  Offensive Explosion

Every regular position player – save for Austin Riley – got at least 1 hit in this game.  14 of them total.

Josh Donaldson didn’t have a lot to show for his efforts – 1 for 5 officially – but he also just missed two homers in this relatively cavernous ballpark.

Instead, both Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna did go yard… Freeman with a moonshot (32 degree loft) and Acuna with a laser (25 degrees).

Acuna’s night deserves more attention as well:  he added 2 singles and 3 RBI as part of a 3 for 5 night.  Both the homer and one of the singles were steered to the opposite field and the single was roped to the left-centerfield wall… at 113 mph.

His homer?  A pedestrian 110 mph exit velocity.  Yeah – just kidding… it was scorched.

While it has seemed like Acuna has been struggling a bit at the plate, realize that he now has a 7 game hitting streak (and hits in 9 out of his last 10 games).  He’s now at .286 for the season.

ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, these teams get back together with Trevor Richards facing off against this resurgent Braves offense while Julio Teheran tries to continue his fine work against the Fish.