The Braves played their 100th game of the season Tuesday night at Truist Park, but the Giants did all of the celebrating.
The club suffered its eighth shutout of the season in a 9-0 loss that worsened its already bleak playoff chances.
“The (arm) angles and things like that,” manager Brian Snitker said of Giants starter Landen Roupp. “He had a good mix going, just enough to keep us off stride.”
The Braves’ nine-run defeat dropped them to 44-56 on the year, 12 games below the .500 mark. In baseball’s modern era (since 1900), only one club made the postseason with at least that many losses through its first 100 games — the New York Mets, who won the NL East with a 38-23 final stretch in 1973.
But the Braves, who were members of the NL West during that season, do not appear headed for the same trajectory.
And no matter what the club says, it knows it.
Look no further than the Braves’ lineup Tuesday night. The team sat third baseman Austin Riley to give him a few additional days to heal from a strained right abdomen, an understandable move since its playoff chances are quickly diminishing.
“If we were opening round 1 of the playoffs today, he’d be in the lineup,” manager Brian Snitker said before the game.
The Giants (53-49) entered the night riding a six-game losing streak but quickly jumped on Braves starter Davis Daniel. Their bats caught fire in the second inning with a four-run frame that saw nine batters come to the plate.
“You’re not always going to have your stuff when you pitch, especially as a starter (when) you’re going out every five (to) six days,” Daniel said. “I’ve been pitching in professional baseball long enough to make adjustments a little quicker than I did tonight.”
Daniel recovered after the four-run frame by allowing only one more score through five innings to save the Braves’ bullpen from taxing itself.
But the early deficit was too big for the team’s offense to overcome. The club, which averaged 6.3 runs per game since July 9, recorded eight hits but scuffled in scoring opportunities.
The Braves finished 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base.
The Giants added to their lead with four runs off of Braves reliever Wander Suero, who now possesses a 10.80 ERA across three outings this season, creating a deficit large enough to warrant position player Luke Williams taking the mound for the ninth inning (and throwing a perfect frame).
The Braves will try to take the series during Wednesday’s rubber match. The club is 4-10 in series-deciding games this season but believes it has the right answer to flipping the script:
“Pitch Spencer Strider,” Snitker said.
Strider will take the mound Wednesday for a 12:15 p.m. first pitch.
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