Braves look lifeless again in 3-1 loss to Dodgers

The Braves lost on Tuesday night, 3-1, the same way they’ve lost every other game this season.

I don’t know what else to say at this point. In 54 innings, the Atlanta Braves have scored nine runs. They have scored two runs in their last 40 innings, one of which was unearned. They are 1-for-34 with runners in scoring position. There are morgues with more life than this baseball team.

The only offense early came by way of a bizarre Mookie Betts gift. With runners on the corners, it seemed like the Braves were destined for another bad luck double play as Bryan De La Cruz smoked a ball at second baseman Tommy Edman. Edman flipped the ball to Betts, and as the former MVP went to throw the ball to first, he bobbled it and sent it to right field as the Braves were gifted a run.

And that was it.

In the sixth, the Dodgers finally got to Sale, who was otherwise masterful. Shohei singled and Mookie Betts homered to give LA the 2-1 advantage. Pierce Johnson came in relief of Sale and gave up a run after Drake Baldwin sailed a throw 20 feet over Ozzie Albies’ head on a stolen base attempt, and Will Smith made the Braves pay with an RBI single.

Sale tossed 5+ innings and was nearly perfect until the sixth. He gave up three runs (one of which was allowed by Johnson) on four hits. He didn’t strike anyone out and struck out five. After winning the Cy Young a year ago, his ERA sits at 5.40.

The series concludes tomorrow night with Bryce Elder against Blake Snell. God help us all. First pitch is 90 minutes earlier at 8:40 p.m. ET.