ATLANTA — To this point, the Braves’ bullpen has been tremendous. But this is baseball, and perfection is unattainable.
On Friday, Atlanta’s bullpen suffered a rare letdown in the team’s 6-4 loss to the Astros at Truist Park.
Five observations on Atlanta’s loss:
— 1. This was the Braves’ 20th game of the season. They have played all of them without Raisel Iglesias, and most of them without Collin McHugh.
It makes you think this: Wait, it took this long for the Braves’ bullpen to fall victim to an off night? Until now, they hadn’t blown a lead?
“We’ve been three weeks without anything like that happening — that’s pretty good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “These guys are all throwing great. You’re against a really good team. It’s baseball. It wasn’t gonna not happen.”
Entering Friday, the Braves’ bullpen ranked third in baseball with a 2.71 ERA. When fully healthy, it might be the best bullpen in baseball because of the talent and depth.
A.J. Minter, who allowed a go-ahead homer to Yordan Alvarez in the top of the ninth, had allowed two earned runs over nine innings this season. Jesse Chavez, who surrendered the three runs that tied the game in the seventh, hadn’t given up a run before that.
The Braves led by three runs entering the seventh, and ended up blowing a lead for the first time this year.
“You really got to give credit to Houston,” Minter said. “They did everything they could to battle back. They absolutely earned it. They got on base, they got important, key hits when they needed them. They didn’t give up when they had every right to give up. That’s a good team over there, we knew that.
“The bullpen’s been doing great. It’s one of those games where you look up and you’ll sleep better at night just knowing that we came in, threw strikes. You just got to give props to them and tip your hat.”
— 2. With two outs and two strikes in the top of the ninth, Minter threw a full-count cutter away to Alvarez, who’s one of the best power hitters in baseball.
Alvarez sent it 405 feet to right-center field for a two-run shot.
“Technically, we had a base open, so I knew I was either going to throw it on the black or for a ball,” Minter said. “Unfortunately, I made a good pitch, but he’s a really big dude, super strong, long arms, and he got the good part of the bat on the ball. But I can’t be too mad about it. If they’re gonna score off of me, they’re gonna have to earn it. I’m gonna throw strikes, I’m gonna come at ‘em and I’m not gonna be scared of whoever’s in the box.”
Minter has four saves this season. He has only issued two walks. He’s filled up the zone.
Sometimes, this happens.
— 3. “Jesse’s gonna give up a run before the year’s over,” Snitker said, laughing about Chavez’s first rough outing of the year.
The sentiment is accurate. Fans can live in the moment — and understandably so. But it feels unfair to criticize Chavez or Minter. Those two, and the bullpen, have been so good.
Protecting a three-run lead, Chavez saw three runs cross the plate only four batters and 11 pitches into his outing. It was not good.
Over the course of 162 games, things like this are inevitable.
— 4. Bryce Elder’s outing started with an Austin Riley error, a run-scoring double and a hit batsmen.
It ended with him retiring nine of the final 11 batters he faced. He walked off the field having allowed an unearned run over six innings.
“It feels good,” Elder said of finding his rhythm. “To be honest with you, though, I wish I could get in a groove starting in the first. I’m tired of the first inning being eventful. I’d like that first one to be boring just like the other ones.”
He said that with a smile. He has given up three earned runs in 23 2/3 innings, so he’s doing a pretty good job. (A massive understatement.)
— 5. The Braves began their homestand with a 13-1 record when scoring at least four runs, the most such wins in the National League.
It took them seven batters — yes, seven — to reach four runs in Friday’s series opener. But they never scored again against Houston right-hander Hunter Brown and his bullpen.
“I mean, that happens,” Snitker said. “You want to add on there. But this team’s good. They’re world champions because they can pitch.”
Stat to know
8 — Dating to last season, Elder has allowed only eight earned runs over 56 1/3 innings pitched across his last nine starts.
Quotable
“That’s everything you could ask for in a game. Unfortunately, we came off on the wrong side of a game, and that will happen over the course of 162 games. You just got to chalk this one up and be ready to go tomorrow. For me personally, I feel like I threw the ball great, just gave up a home run. That’s all it takes in this game.” — Minter
Up next
In Saturday’s game, which begins at 7:20 p.m., Braves right-hander Kyle Wright will go up against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez.
