Spencer Schwellenbach tames Tigers in 2-1 Atlanta Braves win

Two points were finally enough for the Atlanta Braves to win once again. While it may not have been as dramatic as last night’s contest, the outcome was just as enjoyable as Spencer Schwellenbach and the rest of the Atlanta pitching staff held the Detroit Tigers to distance en route to a 2-1 series victory.

For a moment, there were strong 2023 vibes in this one as the Braves wasted no time getting going in this one. After a scoreless first inning pitched by Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta immediately got off to a hot start at the plate as Jarred Kelenic led off the game with a leadoff single, then Ozzie Albies electrified the crowd at Truist Park by taking the sixth pitch that he saw from Casey. Mize and hits it down the right field line for an RBI triple. Marcell Ozuna continued his run as the best hitter in Atlanta’s lineup this season by cashing in Ozzie from third base with a single to left field to make it 2-0.

It would have been understandable to believe that the happy days of 2023 were on the way after Atlanta scored two runs in the first inning without getting an out in the process. Instead, the Braves fell down order from that point on and the two runs were all Atlanta could muster at that point.

From that point on, all eyes were on rookie Spencer Schwellenbach as it became clear with every takedown in the middle of this contest that the offense was likely done for the night. It fell squarely on Schwellenbach to keep Detroit quiet and the lead held and fortunately for the Braves, Schwellenbach was indeed up to the challenge. Aside from a 1-2-3 in the third inning, Schwellenbach had to face at least one baserunner in every inning he worked. It wasn’t smooth sailing for the night, but once again, Schwellenbach was up for the challenge of preventing the Tigers from causing any serious damage.

Detroit’s best chance came in the sixth inning, which marked the end of the road for Spencer Schwellenbach. Riley Greene led off the sixth with a triple that was honestly a chance for Schwellenbach to stay inside the park. It ended up being a run for Detroit anyway, as Gio Urshela finally got it going for Detroit with one out on the board by pushing one through the hole between the third baseman and shortstop for a single RBI that put the Tigers on the board. That’s all Detroit was able to get past the plate, as Schwellenbach clamped down and got a groundout and a strikeout to end the threat for the Tigers while ending his night on a strong note. note.

Ultimately, Schwellenbach finished the night with six innings pitched, two walks and three hits allowed with just one run allowed and seven strikeouts. It was exactly what the Braves needed and it was really encouraging to see Schwellenbach pick up where he left off against Baltimore and deliver another solid performance on the mound.

As for the Atlanta lineup, it was another quiet night at the plate for the Braves as they collected four of the five hits they would get that night in the first two innings of this game . Fortunately for the Braves, the pitching staff was once again able to prop up their meager run support. Pierce Johnson was the first reliever to enter this game for Atlanta and he allowed just one hit in a scoreless seventh to keep the Braves’ lead. Joe Jiménez followed that in the eighth inning and also allowed just one hit in the process of keeping the Tigers off the board.

That meant it was up to Raisel Iglesias to finish off the Tigers in this one. While it might have been understandable for a few fans to get a little nervous after Iglesias’ last outing didn’t exactly go well, there was nothing to worry about tonight. Iglesias faced the bottom of Detroit’s order and acted like he was facing the bottom of the order as he quickly sat Justyn-Henry Malloy, Zach McKinstry and Carson Kelly in 1-2 mode -3 to end the match. It was the Braves’ second straight 2-1 win over the Tigers, giving them the series win and also putting them in the 40-win club for 2024, to boot.

While Atlanta’s offense may not be anything to write home about, it was another great night on the mound for the pitchers. Spencer Schwellenbach more than held his own in this one and the bullpen continued to be strong as the entire pitching staff did well to keep the two runs going in the win. The Braves will now leave town tomorrow night after a successful home game which saw them win both series. They will now go for the sweep in tomorrow’s Getaway Day match, which is scheduled to begin at 12:20 p.m. PMET.