Seeking their first win in Arlington, Grant Holmes took the mound facing Kumar Rocker and the Rangers.
The game started quite well for Atlanta, as Rocker struggled with his command, walking Profar, allowing a single to Olson, and walking Baldwin to load the bases with one out. Austin Riley struck out on a full count but Ozzie singled on a sharp line drive to get something from the inning, bringing home Profar. Olson also tried to score on what was a pretty dubious send from Fredi Gonzales and was thrown out at home (though it took the umpires a Rangers’ challenge to realize that. That ended the top of the first at a 1-0 Braves lead that had to feel fairly merciful for the Rangers. Grant Holmes consolidated the lead on a three quick contact outs.
The Braves went down in order in the third and Holmes allowed a one out single to Seager before hitting Semien in the face with a 95 MPH fastball in a scary moment. Semien fortunately seemed largely fine and stayed in the game. Grant seemed a bit shaken up by hitting Semien and struggled with command for a few pitches, advancing the runners on a wild pitch. He then allowed a two RBI soft single to Garcia, giving the Rangers a 4-2 lead.
Ozzie and Michael combined to bring back a run in the fourth on an Ozzie walk and a Harris double, as those two have had an encouraging start after the All-Star break. Holmes danced through the raindrops in the home fourth, as he loaded the bases on two singles and an intentional walk of Seager. Semien was at the plate with bases loaded and two outs one plate appearance after being hit in the face by Holmes and in a piece of fortunately harmless irony, hit a ball back off of Holmes for what turned into an inning-ending groundout.
Then it was the Braves’ turn to load the bases, on an Olson walk, a Baldwin double, and a Riley walk with one out. The Braves reciprocated with an inning-ending double-play from Albies, as the teams traded wasted opportunities.
After a solid 1-2-3 inning from Dane Dunning with two strikeouts, Michael Harris tied the game up with a crushed homer, as he continues to show signs of life with the new batting stance. This put Mike a single short of the cycle in the sixth inning.
Ronald just missed a homer on a fly ball that would have been a homer in 16/30 ballparks per Savant, as the primary excitement in the seventh. The eighth was quiet, as Pierce Johnson recorded two strikeouts. Michael Harris did not complete the cycle with his plate appearance in the ninth, but he one-upped it with another triple (that was more realistically probably a single with a two base error, but scorers rarely properly assess outfield errors). A pinch-hitting Sean Murphy brought him home as the potential winning run with a deep sac fly. Raisel Iglesias got the save opportunity and allowed the game to be tied back up on a walk, a stolen base, and a double.
Acuna just missed another homer to lead off the tenth, but did move Olson over to third in the process. A groundout and a strikeout failed to bring Matt home. Enyel De Los Santos got the tenth for the Braves, issued an intentional walk to Seager, and then allowed a walk-off single to Semien, who you have to feel good for after being hit in the face.
The Braves sink even lower and will look to Bryce Elder to avoid the sweep tomorrow against Jack Leiter at 2:35 PM ET.
