ATLANTA — On Aug. 3, the Braves had been 5 video games again of the Nationwide League East-leading Phillies and had been seemingly mounting one other late comeback within the divisional standings.
Oh, how shortly issues can change.
After Thursday’s 16-7 loss to the Brewers at Truist Park — which accomplished a three-game sweep for Milwaukee — Atlanta will enter a 10-day street journey behind the Mets for third place within the NL Wild Card standings. It is the primary time Atlanta has not been in possession of a postseason spot since June 10, 2022.
The Mets (61-54) stand alone for the third and last NL Wild Card spot and in second place within the NL East, forward of Atlanta (60-54) by a half recreation.
Atlanta has misplaced 5 in a row and it’s the Braves’ second shedding streak of 5 or extra video games for the reason that All-Star break.
After dropping a weekend set towards the Nationals, Milwaukee got here into Atlanta and outscored the Braves, 34-12. The Brewers scored 10 runs on Tuesday, eight on Wednesday and 16 on Thursday.
The Brewers accrued 52 hits in three video games towards Atlanta’s pitching employees. Milwaukee tallied 16 hits in Video games 1 and a pair of and 20 hits in Recreation 3. Atlanta tallied 26 hits within the collection total.
Milwaukee blasted a season-high six residence runs and tallied 20 hits within the season finale.
It was tied for probably the most runs the Braves have given up in a recreation this season. Atlanta gave up 16 runs to the Mets on April 11.
“It was a mix of each [the Braves struggling and the Brewers playing well],” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “We weren’t excellent. That is likely to be an understatement at this time.”
Atlanta is 8 1/2 video games again within the NL East standings after the Phillies beat the Diamondbacks on Thursday evening.
“That’s how fast it will possibly change,” Snitker mentioned. “That’s why you possibly can by no means take something without any consideration. I hold saying, ‘hopefully we’ll flip it round.’”
Charlie Morton as soon as once more struggled Thursday. He went simply 2 2/3 innings and allowed eight earned runs on 9 hits with three strikeouts and one stroll. 4 of the 9 hits had been lengthy balls.
Morton allowed three runs within the first, three within the second and two within the third.
The primary 5 runs had been all scored with two outs. William Contreras hit a two-run residence run within the high of the primary and Jackson Chorurio did the identical factor within the high of the second. Garrett Mitchell adopted Chourio with a solo homer and it was the third time the Brewers went back-to-back this season.
It was the second time in three begins that Morton lasted simply 2 2/3 innings. He was pulled within the third inning of a July 26 loss to the Mets wherein he allowed seven runs (5 earned) on six hits and he gave up three residence runs.
“I look again and the best way my ball is spinning, the best way the ball is transferring, I feel it’s no higher or worse than regular,” Morton mentioned. “I feel that [the Brewers] are a very good group. The home windows for me at this time weren’t massive in any respect. … They’re very affected person. There wasn’t a number of chase. There was a number of deep counts and fouling balls off.”
Morton gave technique to proper handed reliever Parker Dunshee who made his MLB debut.
Dunshee earned his first three Main League strikeouts within the high of the fourth however he was welcomed to the large membership within the high of the fifth as he allowed 5 runs together with two, two-run residence runs — considered one of which was Chourio’s second of the sport.
Brewers beginning pitcher Frankie Montas didn’t enable a success till the underside of the third inning. After strolling Whit Merrifield and Jarred Kelenic, Austin Riley hit a three-run residence run to make the rating 8-3. The Braves scored a run within the seventh and three runs within the eighth, but it surely was too little, too late.
“They did every thing proper and we couldn’t get something going,” Riley mentioned. “It was not an excellent collection. We’ll attempt to flush it and transfer on to [Friday].”
Strikeouts proceed to be a difficulty for a Braves offense that led in a number of offensive classes a yr in the past. Atlanta batters struck out 35 instances within the Brewers collection and 55 instances throughout the shedding streak.
“I believed we’d made some floor and people first two video games [against the Marlins] had been actually good, offensively,” Riley mentioned. “We had been swinging it and simply type of hit a wall. The Brewers had been doing a number of issues proper, and we simply couldn’t get something going. We get to play [Friday], so we’ll attempt to simply have brief reminiscence.”
