Today's Three Things: Braves offense can't score in Milwaukee, allowing Brewers to tie series

The Atlanta Braves got just one run despite out-hitting the Milwaukee Brewers

The Atlanta Braves dropped the middle game of their series against the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-1, in American Family Field on Tuesday.

Here’s Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

It’s the top of the third inning for me.

For the second time in the game, Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the frame by getting on base via single. When it happened in the first inning, Atlanta stranded him thanks to a strikeout, a lineout, and a force out.

Guess what happened this time?

It wasn’t the exact same configuration of outs, this time being two strikeouts and a fly out, but the same idea - three consecutive outs and Ronald never advancing from first base.

What’s frustrating is we saw what a leadoff base hit should do for the offense - in the fifth inning, Nick Allen doubled and was immediately driven in by Acuña for Atlanta’s only run of the game. But when the heart of the order has a chance to drive Ronald in, they failed every time. More on this later.

Today’s Player of the Game

It’s going to be Ronald Acuña Jr.

We already mentioned his two leadoff hits, three total hits, and Atlanta’s only RBI in this one. He also made a fantastic throw to hold a runner at first on what looked to be a double off the bat.

Zooming out a bit, Ronald’s start to the season has been nothing short of fantastic. While he’s not running at all, having not attempted a single stolen base to this point of the season, he’s doing everything else he can to will the Braves to victory.

After just seventeen games, Ronald is hitting .333/.425/.603 with five homers, twelve runs, and nine RBI. While he’s struck out 22 times already, a rate just under 35%, it’s one of the few quibbles with his performance since returning from the injured list.

What You’ll Be Talking About

The offense.

I said in last night’s TTT that the performance we got from the offense - 7-15 with two homers, five runs scored, five RBI, and four walks to only three strikeouts - was the exact type of thing that powered the magical 2023 season to the heights it reached.

Against a worse pitcher in Quinn Priester and a worked Milwaukee pen, one that pitches to contact with a sinker and will let you put the ball into play, that same top of the order (Riley through Albies, the #2 through #5 hitters) went 1-20 with nine strikeouts.

As an offense, Atlanta didn’t have a single walk in the game, struck out ten times, and had only one baserunner after Ronald’s fifth-inning single.

I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.

What’s Next for the Braves?

The Braves still have a chance to take the series tomorrow afternoon with Spencer Schwellenbach (4-4, 3.24) taking on righthander Chad Patrick (3-5, 2.84). First pitch is scheduled for 2.10 PM ET.