Braves racking up spectacular collection wins in opposition to contenders

ATLANTA — To really perceive the importance of the Braves’ sizzling streak, it’s essential to concentrate on what number of collection they’ve gained in opposition to legit postseason contenders over the previous 4 weeks.

The Braves nonetheless have loads of work to do earlier than clinching a sixth straight National League East title. But they additional strengthened their maintain atop the division as they accomplished a three-game sweep of the Marlins with a 6-3 win on Sunday. Atlanta has gained eight straight video games for the third time this season.

“We show up every day and try to be as level headed as we can,” Braves starter Spencer Strider stated. “We sort of consider the primary half as follow for the second half. So we like the place we’re.’

Unlike the primary two video games of this collection, the Braves didn’t achieve an early lead with a first-inning eruption. In reality, they erased an early deficit with a three-run fifth highlighted by Ozzie Albies’ two-run homer off Sandy Alcantara. Albies’ twentieth homer of the season supplied a lead for Strider, who allowed three runs (two earned) and struck out 9 over 6 2/3 innings.

The second-place Marlins entered this collection hoping to legitimize their division title hopes. But they exited Atlanta 9 video games behind the Braves, who’ve gained MLB’s finest report whereas successful 23 of their previous 26 video games. 

Half of these video games had been performed in opposition to groups that presently have a shedding report. However, the previous 12 video games have come in opposition to groups that entered Sunday inside at the least two video games of a postseason berth.

The profitable 26-game stretch started with the primary of consecutive wins in Arizona. After shedding the collection opener in opposition to the D-backs, the Braves claimed the primary of what stands as 9 straight collection wins.  

“We went into a lot of series to play a lot of good teams who were playing well and we ended up winning the series,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “That’s the goal every time you go into a series. These guys don’t get caught up in what we’ve done or any of that. They’re just about today’s game.”

The Braves entered the primary of those 9 collection with only a 3 1/2-game lead over the second-place Mets, who might want to win on Sunday evening to stay inside 18 1/2 video games of Atlanta. 

This surge started with the Braves taking two of three in opposition to the D-backs, the NL West leaders who stand because the NL’s solely different workforce to have already got at the least 50 wins.  

The Braves then returned to Atlanta and swept the then-second place Mets. This marked the beginning of a horrific June for New York, which entered Sunday simply 3 1/2 video games in entrance of the last-place Nationals.

Series wins over the Nationals, Tigers and Rockies adopted the sweep of the Mets.  The previous two weeks has been probably the most spectacular a part of this stretch. This span has included collection wins over the Phillies, NL Central-leading Reds, AL-Central main Twins and Marlins.  

The Phillies had gained 13 of 15 earlier than the Braves swept a two-game collection in Philadelphia.  

The Reds prolonged their successful streak to 12 earlier than shedding the ultimate two video games of their three-game set in opposition to the Braves in Cincinnati.  

Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli had a workforce assembly after his workforce was swept in Atlanta earlier this week.

As for Marlins supervisor Skip Schumaker, he was complimentary after being swept this weekend in Atlanta.  Maybe for good cause. His workforce is 1-9 in opposition to the Braves and 47-28 in opposition to all different groups this 12 months.   

“That’s a really good team that we faced and they’re really hot right now, and they beat up on us,” Schumaker stated. “That’s just kind of what happens when certain teams are really hot at certain times of the year.”