Atlanta Braves Recap: Braves do enough to win their eighth straight behind a shaky Drew Smyly – Talking Chop

Joc Pederson and Austin Riley both homered to help the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night.

The top of the first looked promising for Atlanta, as they loaded the bases on singles from Soler, Freeman, and Riley, but ultimately ended in disappointment, with no runs. As is the tradition for frames following the other team failing to capitalize on a bases loaded opportunity, The Orioles scored in the bottom of the first on a Mountcastle homer.

After some scattered traffic on the bases for both teams in the second, Soler walked and Freddie was hit by a pitch with one out in the third. Dansby brought them both home with a two out double, giving the Braves a 2-1 lead. Smyly worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third and Joc Pederson led off the fourth with a majestic 38 degree launch angle solo homer, extending the Atlanta lead to 3-1.

Unfortunately, this lead was fleeting, as Smyly gave up back to back solo home runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Fortunately for Smyly and the Braves, Austin took the lead right back in the fifth with a two out solo homer. Smyly had a strong bounce-back inning in the bottom of the frame with two strikeouts. Both bullpens got to work in the sixth and worked around one baserunner each to match scoreless innings. Each bullpen again kept scoreless seventh innings…of the 1-2-3 variety no less. Both bullpens allowed some traffic in the eighth, including a full Luke Jackson Experience, but no runs were scored.

Finally, there was some action in the top of the ninth, as a Vogt single and an Ozzie double with one out set up runners on second and third. Soler cashed one in with a sacrifice fly before Freddie struck out to end the inning. Will Smith came in for the save and made it interesting by giving up a leadoff homer. Fortunately, that was the only run he gave up as the Braves won their eighth (8th) straight baseball game.