The Atlanta Braves had their ace on the mound for Sunday’s rubber game against the Cleveland Guardians. Chris Sale was back in front of the home fans and did not disappoint in a 13-1 victory in front of 29,000 fans.
For the moment, the Atlanta Braves are the only team in Major League Baseball to not lose a series this season.
Sunday, Sale’s fourth start of the season, comes after his worst start of the season in Los Angeles against the Angels on April 6. Sale gave up a season-high six earned runs in four innings, while striking out seven and giving up five hits.
During the game, Sale (six innings, one earned run, six strikeouts) was in trouble a couple of times but found a way out. In the first inning, he gave up two hits but didn’t allow a run. In the third inning, he put two Guardians on base again, but got Rhys Hoskins to ground out to end the inning.
On Sale’s performance, Braves manager Walt Weiss said he expected nothing less. “He comes to the rescue like he always does.”
Sale, as is his nature, was less hyperbolic, but sounded satisfied with his effort. “It was big to get back on track. Just a fun game to be a part of. It felt like a Friday night out there tonight.”
Cleveland’s starter on Sunday, Tanner Bibee, had a rough go. He left the game with two outs in the fifth inning and was responsible for the two runners on base. His replacement, Kolby Allard, promptly gave up run-scoring hits to Ozzie Albies and pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer. All told, Bibee gave up eight runs.
Atlanta went ahead 1-0 in the second inning following an RBI double from Mauricio Dubon. Backup shortstop Jorge Mateo was up next and found a way to single up the middle to drive Dubon in and make the score 2-0. Mateo’s at-bat felt like it lasted a half-hour as he continued to foul off pitches from Bibee before getting that hit. Up next was Ronald Acuna, Jr., with Mateo on base, and he also came through with a hit. This time, it was a double down the third-base line that gave the Braves a 3-0 lead. After two innings, the Braves had scored three times as many runs as they did on Saturday night.
The Braves got another big at-bat from Dom Smith in the designated hitter spot. Smith hit his third home run of the season on the first pitch he saw from Bibee in the fourth inning. Atlanta was up 5-0, and Sale was cruising. In the fifth inning, Sale got Guardians All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez to pop up with a runner on second and then struck out Guardians catcher David Fry to end the inning. Through five innings, Sale’s line was impressive: no earned runs and five strikeouts.
Sale finally gave up a run when Guardians first-baseman Rhys Hoskins went deep to center with a solo home run. That made the score 9-1.
Some good signs tonight: The Braves saw Dylan Dodd come in for Sale and get a 1-2-3 seventh and eighth innings. Mike Yastrzemski (who made an amazing leaping catch in left field tonight) saw a single go past Guardians second baseman Juan Brito for his first hit in a week. Farmer, an Atlanta native, doesn’t get many at-bats, and for him to get a hit and an RBI is always a good sign. Even Luke Williams got a pinch-hit at-bat, which led to a walk in this game.
