PHOENIX – Thursday might’ve been the Braves’ biggest missed opportunity of the season.
Sporting a 4-1 lead in the seventh, the Braves were on the cusp of completing their first four-game sweep in Arizona and further protecting their lead atop the National League East. But the team cratered in the seventh, allowing five runs in what became a painful 6-4 loss to the 104-loss Diamondbacks.
Braves starter Charlie Morton, who cruised through most of the game, began the seventh at 91 pitches. He surrendered consecutive singles that led manager Brian Snitker to make a change. In came Jacob Webb, who had a 14-game scoreless streak going.
It ended swiftly: Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly punished Webb’s second pitch, an 82.5 mph change-up down the middle, into the seats to reset the score at 4-4. Kole Calhoun and Daulton Varsho followed with doubles to put the Diamondbacks ahead for the first time since the first game of the series. Lefty Tyler Matzek replaced Webb, but Arizona added an insurance run on Josh Rojas’ sacrifice fly.
Webb routinely has drawn praise from Snitker since returning Sept. 1. He had worked his way into more high-leverage opportunities and usually delivered. Opponents were hitting .109 against Webb during his 14-game scoreless run.
Eventually, the streak was going to end. It did in emphatic fashion Thursday. The Braves didn’t rally after the Diamondbacks’ five-run frame, and instead of finishing a sweep, they left Arizona with a sour taste in their mouths as to what could’ve been.
The game started promisingly. Second baseman Ozzie Albies, who achieved his first 30-homer season with Wednesday’s blast, opened the scoring with a double to left off Diamondbacks starter Madison Bumgarner that scored first baseman Freddie Freeman. Third baseman Austin Riley followed with another monstrous home run to make the score 3-0. It was Riley’s sixth extra-base hit of the series.
Morton struck out eight, bringing his season total to 203. It’s his third career 200-strikeout campaign. It’s also the second time a Braves starter has reached 200 strikeouts since 2012 (joining Mike Foltynewicz, 2018).
The magic number to clinch the National League East stayed at nine following the loss. The Phillies can pull within two games of first place with a victory over the Pirates on Thursday night. If the Phillies lose, the Braves’ magic number drops to eight.
The Braves’ 11-game western trip ends in San Diego, where they’ll begin a four-game series Friday. It starts with the resumption of a suspended July 21 seven-inning contest. The Braves will be batting in the bottom of the fifth, trailing the Padres 5-4.
