Today’s Three Things: Atlanta’s Offense, Bullpen Struggle in Makeup Game Loss

The Atlanta Braves technically got swept in a one-game “series” to San Francisco

The Atlanta Braves dropped tonight’s matchup to the San Francisco Giants 7-3 in Truist Park.

Here is Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

Let’s talk about the bottom of the 5th. The Giants had just manufactured a two-out run, tying the game at two, and Atlanta needed to respond.

Sean Murphy singled with one out, punching an inside fastball the other way. Austin Riley then laced one back up the middle, and it was good process - he took the down-and-away slider on 0-1 for a ball, then when Anthony Molina tried the breaking ball again but hung it, he fired it back up the middle.

Mike Yastrzemski tried to bring both men in with a homer, but just missed the changeup and flew out to deep centerfield, allowing Murphy to advance to third. Drake Baldwin got one of the two in, punching an elevated fastball just shy of Drew Gilbert in left, but Matt Olson wasn’t able to complete the drill, with a flyout.

And it was a FRUSTRATING flyout.

Olson got up 3-0 on Molina before taking a fastball for strike one, fouling off the exact same fastball in the exact same spot for a second strike, and then letting Molina get away with throwing it a third time in the same attack zone, flying out to left on less than ideal contact.

It’s the continuation of an underwhelming stretch for Olson, who is hitting .193/.270/.333 in his last 15 games.

Today’s Player of the Game

Let’s go with Michael Harris II. Money Mike had multiple hits but most notably hit a home run in this one, a solo shot in the 2nd inning that was Atlanta’s first lead of the game. It was a great job of capitalizing on a mistake, with Molina’s leadoff curveball catching way too much of the zone, and Harris did not miss it.

While Harris hasn’t had the breakout 30/30 season we originally thought he was capable of, with this season’s quad injury minimizing his contributions in the running game, he’s currently leading all qualified MLB centerfielders in batting average (.297), and despite his aversion to walks (just 19), he’s holding the 2nd-highest OPS for a centerfielder behind likely National League MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong.

What You’ll Be Talking About

Atlanta’s pitching in the 6th inning, and the larger story here.

Bryce Elder immediately gave up the lead on a leadoff homer in the 6th, with the subsequent hitters singling and then advancing to 2nd and 3rd on a sacrifice bunt. So Atlanta pulled the plug on Elder’s start and went to lefty Dylan Lee.

It was a great opportunity for the struggling Lee to get right, if he took it.

He did not.

Lee gave up a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Turner Hill, coming off an elevated fastball and scoring two runs (charged to Elder, who was tagged for five), and after Rafael Devers flew out, Bryce Eldridge drove in Hill, the second hit off of Lee, and Atlanta called on Ray Kerr to clean up the mess.

Expanding on last night’s note, Lee now has a 11.57 ERA in his last seven appearances, allowing six runs on twelve hits in just 4.2 innings. Opponents have hit .480/.519/.680 off Lee in that stretch.

The Braves need to figure something out soon, so that they can get their ‘lefty killer’ back into prime form for October.

Looking for more discussion about this game?

Here’s tonight’s Postcast, with me and Locked On Braves host Jake Mastroianni, as we went live to break down the contest.

What’s Next for the Braves?

The Braves are heading to Washington tonight for a short, two-game series against the Nationals. AJ Smith-Shawver (0-0, 5.93) takes on Jake Irvin (2-8, 5.62) at 6:45 PM ET.