Three Cuts: Foltynewicz pitches well, but late mistakes cost Braves
For the second night in a row in Cincinnati, the Braves and Reds played to a one-run game where the team on top scored the winning run in the ninth inning.
With the score tied at three in the ninth and one out, Devin Mesoraco doubled to left field off Jason Grilli. Pinch runner Michael Lorenzen scored all the way from first base as Andrelton Simmons couldn't handle the relay from Jonny Gomes.
The teams have now split one-run games and will play the rubber match on Wednesday to decide the series.
Here are three observations from Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Reds:
1. FOLTYNEWICZ PITCHED WELL, LEARNED MUCH FROM HIS THIRD START OF THE SEASON
Tuesday's start for Mike Foltynewicz was both the best of his young career, and a learning experience filled with hard lessons to learn.
After two starts where he didn't make it out of the sixth inning, Foltynewicz threw 5 2/3 innings against the Reds. He struck out seven, walked four and allowed two earned runs (three total) on six hits. His fastball -- he hit 99 MPH in the game and averaged 95.7 -- was solid, but his best pitch was the curveball, that seemed to drop off a table to Reds hitters.
"Folty was outstanding, he really was," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "I think every chance we get to get him in those situations it's going to be good for him."
The situations Gonzalez was eluding to were the speed bumps Foltynewicz faced as the game progressed. The first inning was filled with them.
After a strike-'em-out-throw-'em-out play to record the first two outs of the game, Foltynewicz came to the first true obstacle of the night. With a two-strike count to Joey Votto, the Braves' starter tried to do too much.
"I had Votto 0-2 there," Foltynewicz said. "I think I tried to overthrow a couple of things to get him to swing and miss, and then Frazier came up and just hit that home run."
Foltynewicz walked Votto and then couldn't get control of his fastball to the next batter, Todd Frazier, who blasted a 2-0 fastball over the left-field wall.
Outside of those pitching errors to Votto and Frazier, and a wayward throw into center field (more on that momentarily), Foltynewicz pitched well enough to be able to take many more positives into his next start than negatives.
2. MISTAKES WERE EXTREMELY COSTLY FOR THE BRAVES
In addition to two mistakes in pitch sequencing from Foltynewicz, the Braves made two errors in the field that really hurt the team.
The first was a moment in the seventh inning when Foltynewicz picked up a sacrifice bunt attempt and felt he had time to get the lead runner at second base. He stepped a little toward right-center field and said after the game that he didn't have a good grip on the baseball. As a result he threw the ball into the outfield and Brayan Pena scooted over the third.
Pena later scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly from Marlon Byrd.
After the game Foltynewicz said is was that throwing error that cost the Braves the win. While it was deadly, it was simply one of two freak plays that shifted the win toward Cincinnati.
In the bottom of the ninth with the score tied at three, Pena (he killed the Braves on Wednesday with a 3-for-4 night) was replaced on first base with pinch runner Michael Lorenzen. Devin Mesoraco stepped in to pinch hit and laced a ball to left field.
Mesoraco's ball bounced off the outfield wall -- and took an awkward bounce off the bottom of the padding -- where Jonny Gomes picked it up and hurled it toward Simmons, the cutoff man. Simmons attempted to move the ball from glove to throwing hand, but dropped it in the exchange.
"Nine times out of 10 Simba makes that exchange and he's [Lorenzen] out by 20 feet at the plate. We didn't make that exchange," said Gonzalez.
There's a good chance Lorenzen would have been gunned down at the plate. At the least the play would have been close. Simmons has an incredible arm, and Lorenzen was only three to four steps past third base when Simmons got the ball.
Lorenzen scored and the Reds walked off with the win.
3. ATLANTA STRUGGLED TO SCORE EVEN WITH MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES
Over their last two games the Braves have scored five runs. Luckily, Atlanta has one win and a loss even though the team has stranded runners at an alarming rate.
The Braves went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday and left 12 runners on base. They left runners on base in every inning.
"You've still gotta drive them in," said Gonzalez about leaving runners on base. "You get them on base and all that good stuff, but you've gotta drive 'em in. And we didn't do that tonight."
In Monday's win Atlanta left 11 on base and was 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position. That means the Braves have stranded 23 runners on base in two games, and with runner on second or third they're hitting .160 (4 for 25).
