BRAVES POSTCAST: Atlanta TAKES DOWN Phillies in game 1 behind Acuña, Dubón, & pitching LIVE REACTION

0:00This is the Lockdown Podcast Network celebrating 10 years of your team every day. Braves take down the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 in game 1 and that lead in the East, it's now 5 games. Let's talk about it. This is the Braves postcast. Your instant game reaction for the Atlanta Braves. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. More teams every day. Yes, welcome on in to the Braves postcast. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now the number one sports podcast network. I'm your host Lindsay Crosby, author of the Braves Today newsletter, over at BravesToday.com. He's Jake Maschriani, host of Lockdown Braves. This episode is brought to you by our friends at Fandall.

1:01College football side of days are already here. They're packed with reasons to get excited. And this season, Fandall's giving fans even more ways to get in on the matchup. Join all the action at Fandall.com. Jake Braves win this 1-5-2 and I'm going to be honest. I did not think that you we would have a chance to take a breath and not be nervous about the ninth inning. But in the eighth inning, we got some clutch hitting from a clutch member of the roster. Time to reveal where the game was once or most. It's the turning point. Orion Kirkering has one of the most unique and like good sweepers in baseball. But I feel like once a series against Atlanta, he's prone to maybe leave it in a bad place. So he gets mad Olsen to line out in the seventh inning. And like Braves are up three to they haven't scored in five. And when this happens, Olsen lines out. Mike Extremes he comes in as a pitch. I don't know. And then Mauricio Dubon does the same thing that he did against L.A.

2:05He was talking to Beningram on the radio call about this. He does that thing where he steps out of the box and takes the call strike. And he's trying to bait the pitcher to throw the same pitch again. And so Mauricio Dubon gets the sweeper again. This one's middle of the plate. And he puts it 390 into the left field seats for a five to for a five to lead. Not bad for his first home run since like July, right? Yeah. I mean, be honest with you, he's not a big guy. And he did sit back on it. But I didn't think with a pitch that slow. He was going to be able to generate that much power to put it. I mean, he went a good five, six rows into into the bleachers out there. Huge at bat, right? I mean, that's why it's the turning point. This was a close game. Iggy looming. Went as did his job to the point where Iggy wasn't going to have to face the top of their order. But still, it's Iggy in Philadelphia. And that gives you a little bit of nerves.

3:05Yeah. I want to talk about Iggy for a second because I don't know that we'll get to him through that slider. Shoot to it as well. And if he gets confidence in that slider, I suddenly started to get a little bit more confidence in Iggy too. So I thought that was worth mentioning. But yeah, just a huge home run there in a curkering. I mean, he's that ball that Matt Olsen hit was one of two. We got lucky there. A good at bat by you stream. Yeah, after that little close on that check swing there, they said he didn't go. So he didn't. We'll see once they get the challenge system in or whatever they're doing with that. The automated system in with the check swings. I don't know. But either way, it was a walk and then a huge home run there by DuBon, which allows you to just relax a little bit as much as you can relax. And that ballpark huge swing there by DuBon. Yeah, it's. I'm never going to breathe until 27,000 is on the board and you have a lead. But there you go. Real quick note, those of you who are here with us live on the locked on Braves YouTube channel. The player of the game poll is live. Morty should do bond is one of the options. So is Ron LeCune Jr. So is Chris sale and so is D to your flintes.

4:06You want to save the pitching for after the break. You want to go ahead and get the pitching now. Because what's to it now? Because I think I'm going to have to do it. What's to it now? Because I think this wasn't the best stuff for Chris sale, right? He goes six innings, two runs on six hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. He does give up a home run. It's not on the slider. He still has not given up one all year. But when you look at the actual like, you know, 12 whiffs, average exit velocity of 91.7 miles an hour, 10 to the 16 battered balls are hard hit. Like it wasn't Chris sales best stuff, but he found a way to not only be good, but to be really, really good. And that's the difference I feel like in even a lot of number one pitchers and a guy like Chris sale is, you know, slider command wasn't necessarily there. He was in the zone like 40% with it. Even the four Seymour was like 50% just barely enough in the zone. And it still worked. It didn't matter.

5:06He got through six innings, two runs left in a place to win. Yeah, I mean, that's what ACEs do. They don't have their best stuff. This was not the cleanest outing for Chris sale, but it's six innings, two runs. And I think you could say that about both offenses. I thought both offenses did a good job against ACE pitchers. I mean, these two are going to finish top three in the side young. However, it shakes out. Yeah. And I thought both offenses did a pretty good job of making these guys work, battling them. But it also was just not the sharpest Chris sale that we've seen. And that's going to happen. And he still went six innings and only gave up two earn. If it wasn't for the DuBon home run, I was going to say that turning point was that second inning. Yeah. Braves put up a three spot. Chris sale comes out. And like I said, not sharp. He falls behind two on a rise to then slap one for a hit. And then he hangs a slider, gives up a double to boom. And then he hits Edmondo Sosa on the back foot. And you're thinking, oh no, Chris sale. Not having that shut down inning. Because I think you take that three nothing lead. And sale comes out and just one, two, three, bam. Like we're used to.

6:06I think this fed this game is probably to bet a lot earlier. I think that probably sets a tone for the next several innings. And the Phillies might just fold at that point. But you do let them scratch or run across. But to give him credit, he gets the big double play. And doesn't allow that inning to get away from them. Keeps the three to one lead there. So I thought that gave a little bit of momentum back to the braves. Because it felt like the Phillies, you know, with the way that inning started, that they were going to put a crooked number on the board themselves. So being able to limit that, I think you got to give a lot of kudos to Chris sale and him being able to to get through six innings like that. Like I said, just the ace of the staff. And that's what they do. Yeah, I mean, it was. They had was it. They had seven balls over a hundred miles an hour. Six of them were in the air. And all of them, but one were bass hits. At least three of them were doubles a home run. I mean, yeah, not as best stuff. Totally still worked out. Okay, I want to think a quick break. When we come back, let's talk about the rest of the pitching. Let's talk about Cedar Fwentes. What he did tonight. Let's talk about the rest of the offense. I want to get to Ronald, can you junior? I want to get to just just the bats.

7:06And in general, how they were able to work a little bit. We'll do all of that next right here on the Braves postcast. A big thank you to our friends at Amazon for this limited break. This back to school season spin less on your kids with Amazon. We all know how crazy the back to school shopping experience can be. Starts with a few items on the list. Then all of a sudden you're shopping for supplies, clothes, lunch gear technology, and like 10 other things you didn't see coming. And it adds up fast. The big thing for me is when the teacher's supply list arrives. And somehow every item feels completely reasonable on its own. Supplies, clothes, lunch gear, headphones. That's a big thing now. It just keeps going. And then you add everything together and realize just how much stuff one kid needs for one school year. And that's why finding low prices on all the things you need makes such a big difference this time of year. So remember with Amazon's low back to school prices, just spin less on your kids because every dollar you don't spend on them.

8:06Is a dollar you haven't spent on them. Shop back to school with Amazon and spend less on your kids. I think we all properly rate him and appreciate him now. But did your Fwentes in this one? Two scoreless innings, no hits, obviously no runs, no walks, strikes out one. But outside of an extended at bat to Bryce Harbour, which I think was eight pitches outside of that. He was just insanely efficient at getting the, you took like 21 pitches to go through two innings, including the top of the order. He gets real mudo to ground out on three. He gets Crawford to strike out on three. Shwerber lines out in two, Turner flies out into Harper's the one that battles before the lineup. Louisa rise. He gets up. Oh, two on Louisa rise and then gets the, the lineup there. And I'm, there's a small part of me and I'm pretty sure I saw you see the same thing on social media.

9:08It's a small part of me that was like, just send, just send, did he back out for the night? Just let him pitch the night that he as well. So you don't have to worry about it. But when the lead got bigger, you're like, fine, just give it to Bryce. I would place this. Yeah, I mean, with the way that he was mowing him down, it wasn't a lot of strikeouts either too. I think he struck out maybe the first or second battery faced. And then, but it was just these area of fish in which a lot of them to get those two innings and just seemed pretty, pretty easy. Obviously the Harper at bat Harper is really good against Friday. They talked about his score. I think it's under 700 against lefties. So he really dominates right handed pitching, showing a lot of confidence sending him back out there. Obviously you, it's the regular season one. And you've got three more games against these guys. You probably want to use winters again. So I understand it, but definitely that temptation with the way that he looked at it state of one run game. And this was a postseason. I think that's the question too. Who do you trust more? Like in a one run game like that. Who do you trust the most out of that bullpen? And I think it's a lot of confidence. I think it's a lot of confidence. I think it's a lot of confidence. I think it's a lot of confidence. I think it's a lot of confidence. I think it's a lot of confidence. I think it's a lot of confidence. Now there's a lot of confidence in going in front of him. And here's what I'm going to tell you about. As well. I think the previous game was a little part of it, but also we're going to have a look

10:08at it state of one run game and this was a postseason. And I think that's the question too. Who do you trust more? Like in a one run game like that. Who do you trust the most out of that bullpen? And I think it's wentes right now. Also thought I was very telling that you had the top of their order come in Got what you have all those lefties that has Schorfer, Harper, arise, and Ysad Dillon Dott up in the bullpen. I think that might be kind of telling where Dylan Leah is. the tipping pitches and that's something he's maybe looking into, but he had Dylan dot ready to come in face the top of the order there so something to watch going forward when you know the rest of this series when those big lefties come up in a crucial spot late you go to lead you go to dot in that spot. He's fantastic. I already talked about Iggy to and him throwing that slider. I thought that was huge for him. Just the fact that he shook to it after boom had bowed off a couple of pitches inside and he was able to shake to throw that slider and through a great one to get the strikeout could be big for Iggy going forward if he gets that slider back. Yeah, just having the confidence to add that into there and you heard Ceejna Kowski bring it up on the broadcast about how like he doesn't throw it that often and so it's it's hard to be ready for it. And if to your point if you can if you can live in that space between your confident in using it, but they're not yet preparing for it because they don't realize you've brought it back and you're making a direct or part of your arsenal again.

11:18That's a really nice place to live is kind of in that little delta between those two spaces. Okay, offensively, right on the Cooeneer junior goes three for five back in the lead off spot. I'm trying to figure out how I feel about this now obviously I think part of the lineup was you didn't have Michael Harris right they let him sit today he had bad career numbers off of Christopher Sanchez. But Ronald goes three could five from the lead off spot. He has a double he has a couple singles. I think I think I'm down with the idea of leaving him back at the very top, but is this something we're probably into the day it doesn't really matter where Ronald is or is it something where no we still need to have him leading off because he is a unique talent because his his bad at balls today 109103 100 he did have an 82 on our pop out and he did have a 66 mile an hour single so we getting some bad at ball look there too. Yeah, look a Ronald that is right is a catalyst at the top the order and that's always been my preference I understand why you are hesitant to do it right now because all of your lefties are so good and you want to split up the lefties I think that is the primary reason why Ronald hasn't been back at the top is because you want to try to split up those lefties I know we've talked about it Michael Harris has been your best hitter for over a month and some bad at ball luck maybe in there for for Michael but he's also been pretty good all year and he's a guy that's going to have a high bath it.

12:45I'm okay with putting him at the top and Ronald's second and having those two you know fast runners up there also just feel like Drake ball and a little off I know he's been getting the hits but some of the at bats here lately just don't seem great it was good in his last a bat you saw him staying of all the other way for a line drive hit but he just hasn't felt this the same to me lately so I'm okay with pushing him down in the order if you want to go Michael Ronald Olsen Drake something like that I think that would probably be my preference at the moment. Two things real quick one don't forget to vote and play the game poll it is within 3% of each other and I'd like to see if we can get an answer there in the next minute or two and also shout out to mighty sneed in the chat I tried to DFA him earlier but rice Harper's error. The thing that I feel like this Atlanta offense has struggled with at times and you saw it in that second inning is being able to take a one run inning and making it into a two or a three run inning a lot of these playoff caliber matchups right against. The Yankees against the Brewers at times against the Dodgers it felt like that was the missing piece and you know you sweat the Dodgers but none of them were comfortable leads and I felt like that was the thing that they struggled with was.

13:56Taken advantage of an opening and breaking it in an open and they get the three runs in the second inning I do think that's definitely something that they need to. Be able to do more consistently and I was happy to see them take advantage of you know some some characteristically fantastic fillies defense like we all know in love to to get a crooked number on the board and big public big things in that second inning to as a two oh pitch to Austin rally it's a really good change up down a way but he didn't try to pull it it wasn't hit very hard but he did just kind of shoot it the other way which. Hoping that's intentional yeah if it is then that's a very good job by him and then the air lane Thomas was going to score so I'm guessing the errors that it allowed you bond to go to third maybe do on wasn't going until the air I couldn't see but then even after that Hassan Kim putting the ball in play chopper able to bring a run in I mean that's doing some of the little things after you did in the first first inning you had Ronald at third less than two outs not able to get him in so it was great to see them come back in that second inning and do some of those little things to get those add on runs and.

15:02Big two out hit by Ronald as well to get that third run across so you're right the great job there in that second inning just being able to add on and not settle for the one but put a crooked number on the board great job I thought overall by the offense like I said I know I mean in the end it's five runs on eight hits but I thought they did a great job of making Christopher Sanchez word. Valley somebody who like I said it's going to finish top three in the style young. Yep. All right let's get the player of the game real quick and we'll talk about tomorrow. This is the locked on player of the game. With only a two percent spread two percent spread Chris sale beats Mauricio bond 37% to 35% for player of the game. Chris sale leads the team in player the game awards this year I think it's very kind of obvious when you're getting the quality start every single time out from your starting picture it's going to be hard for anybody to beat him especially when he does it against a lineup like this so I do think it was this was a lot of a team win stuff here do bond was at 35%

16:04run to the junior was at 17% give your quintess was out 11 so a lot of people got love here it wasn't like two dudes took 90% of the of the vote total or anything but Jake we're now looking at martin Perez versus Zach Wheeler. We've got just you know about 30 seconds left here do you buy that the braves have the pitching disadvantage here given the fact that Wheeler's last seven games as he already is over seven. You did pick it out in his last one but it was the angels but he hasn't really been himself i'm interested to see who's the number three starter in the post season going to be I think it's between Perez in homes right now so we'll see what he's able to do on the road against the Phillies and for more on that check out today's episode of locked on brave to Jake did a great job of breaking down the different options for post season number three and and what they have to take that job for Jake mastery on I'm Lindsay cross week this has been the braves postcast. I'm

17:05a big thank you to our friends had Amazon for this limited break this back to school season spin less on your kids with Amazon now we all know how crazy the back to school shopping experience can be. So you can see the back to school and your kids have a growth spurt two weeks later and you're right back where you started sometimes it generally feels like they're growing faster than your budget can keep up or when the teacher supply list arrives and somehow every item feels completely reasonable on its own then you add everything together and realize just how much stuff one kid needs for one kid. One kid needs for one school year and that's why finding low prices on all things you need make such a big difference this time of years so remember with Amazon's low back to school prices just spin less on your kids because every dollar you don't spend on them is a dollar you haven't spent on them shop back to school at Amazon and spin less on your kids.

18:12Thank you for making locked on your first listen every day for your second listen find the all night locked on MLB game night every game every night until a world series champion is crowned get local analysis on a national scale find MLB game night on locked on MLB on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.