Braves Lose Game 1 In Wild Card Series, Offense Falls Flat

The Atlanta Braves faced off against the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, and, well, it was a night the Braves will want to forget. The Braves found themselves in a tough spot after sneaking into the postseason by clinching in the last game of the season.

Braves pitching depth had already been stretched thin heading into the postseason. Chris Sale got scratched for the Wild Card series with back spasms. He was supposed to be the key to their rotation against the Padres. With limited options, the Braves had to hand the ball to AJ Smith-Shawver. Despite his talent, he had only pitched 4.1 innings at the major league level this season. Let’s just say it was a gamble that didn’t pay off.

The Braves got off to a decent start offensively in the top of the first inning. Continuing his recent hot streak, Michael Harris slapped a single to get on base. Although Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna couldn’t capitalize, Matt Olson came through with a single to put runners on the corners. But with two outs, Jorge Soler couldn’t deliver, striking out to end the inning.

However, Smith-Shawver’s first inning on the mound was a different story. Padres’ leadoff man Luis Arraez singled, and then Fernando Tatis Jr. launched a two-run homer to put San Diego up 2-0. Smith-Shawver managed to settle down after that, but the damage was done. The Braves were in an early hole.

In the second inning, the Braves bats were silent. Michael King, the Padres’ starting pitcher, made quick work of Laureano, Travis d’Arnaud, and Gio Urshela, retiring the side in 12 pitches. Smith-Shawver came back out for the bottom of the second but struggled again, hitting Jake Cronenworth (a questionable call, to say the least) and allowing a single to Donovan Solano. With runners on the corners, a sac fly from Kyle Higashioka brought Cronenworth home, making it 3-0 Padres. That was the end of the night for Smith-Shawver, as he was replaced by Aaron Bummer, who got the Braves out of the inning with a double play.

The Braves tried to muster some offense in the third inning but once again fell short. Harris singled for the second time in the game, but Albies and Olson both struck out, stranding runners once again. This would become a theme for the Braves throughout the night, as they continually put runners on base but failed to deliver in key moments. Over the first four innings, they struck out seven times, six of those coming with runners on.

Aaron Bummer gave the Braves some stability on the mound, pitching two solid innings and keeping the Padres in check. But the Braves’ offense couldn’t capitalize. The middle of their lineup—Ozuna, Olson, and Soler—went down quietly in the sixth, and despite a double from d’Arnaud in the fourth, they just couldn’t find the timely hit they so desperately needed.

The Padres’ pitching was on point, and Michael King was in command the whole way. He actually became only the second pitcher in postseason history to throw eight innings with 12 strikeouts, no walks, and zero earned runs. The Braves simply couldn’t figure him out in this Wild Card game.

As the game continued, the Braves’ chances diminished. Luke Jackson gave up a solo shot to Higashioka in the eighth, pushing the score to 4-0, and the Braves had no answer. In the ninth, they made a final push, with Soler singling and being replaced by Eli White, but it was too little, too late. Travis d’Arnaud grounded out to end the game, and the Braves were shut out. Brian Snitker discusses the 4-0 loss after the game here.

Now, with their season on the line, the Braves turn to Max Fried for Game 2 of Wild Card Series in a win-or-go-home situation. They’ll need a much better performance if they want to stay alive in the playoffs. Game time is set for 8:38 PM ET at Petco Park, let’s see if the Braves can turn things around.