Today's Three Things: Braves can't solve Crochet, drop finale to Boston Red Sox

The Braves are in danger of a double-digit deficit in the NL East standings

The Atlanta Braves dropped the series finale to the Boston Red Sox, 3-1, in Truist Park on Sunday afternoon to lose the series.

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

The Turning Point

Bottom of the 4th and 5th innings.

Down 3-1, the Braves started the 4th inning hot. Matt Olson doubled to open the frame, moving ot third on Ozzie’s line drive to right field. After Sean Murphy struck out, Ozzie stole second base to take the double play off the board and give Atlanta a chance to get some runs in.

But Eli White’s pop-up to second base and another ugly Michael Harris strikeout ended the scoring threat with no run production.

The 5th inning was similar - after Nick Allen walked to start the frame, Ronald Acuña Jr. hit into a groundout that erased Allen. Austin Riley then flew out, and after Ozuna moved Ronald to third with a single to right, Olson’s groundout ended the frame.

It’s two examples of a trend we’ve seen for a while with this team, not being able to string together enough at-bats to bring a run in if they don’t get that one big fly.

Today’s Player of the Game

Believe it or not, Bryce Elder.

I know that allowing three earned runs in 5.1 innings isn’t that impressive and normally wouldn’t be POTG material, but in the lexicon of the college baseball postseason, “you can’t lose a national seed if no one comes to take it from you”.

Elder stumbled early, allowing two hits and a walk to load the bases before Trevor Story’s two-out double emptied the bases for Boston. After that, though, just three hits and two walks across the next five-plus innings, with only two Red Sox runners even reaching second base.

Listen: He’s a #5 starter. This is what they’re supposed to do - go five and keep you in the game. Atlanta didn’t lose the game because he gave up three runs; they lost the game because the offense got dominated by Garrett Crochet.

What You’ll Be Talking About

Atlanta’s offensive futility, as always, but let’s also talk about the divisional standings.

The Braves are now a full game behind the Washington Nationals in the division, sitting at 27-31 and 9.5 games back of the NL East-leading Mets.

But what I didn’t realize until I was doing the Postcast for Locked On Sports Atlanta was that the Braves were also just 3.5 games ahead of the Marlins, who are in last place at 23-34.

The two teams are in different places - the Braves have allowed 88 fewer runs than the Marlins have - but the offenses are surprisingly similar: 236 scored for Atlanta and 232 for Miami. The Braves have 62 homers (T-12th) while the Marlins have 514 (26th), but the offensive lines are shockingly similar:

Miami: .248/.315/.382
Atlanta: .246/.319/.389

What’s Next for the Braves?

The Braves have an off day tomorrow before taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks for three in what is quickly becoming a must-win series. Here’s are the starters for the two teams:

Tue: Zac Gallen (3-7, 5.54) vs Spencer Strider (0-3, 4.50)
Wed: Merrill Kelly (5-2, 3.78) vs Chris Sale (3-3, 3.06)
Thu: Brandon Pfaadt (7-4, 5.05) vs Grant Holmes (3-4, 3.78)