Tough Loss in St. Louis
Our Braves took a hard-fought L yesterday against the Cardinals, with the final score being 4-3. The game started off as a pitcher's duel but turned into a battle of the lineups. Although we didn’t pull through, there were some moments worth remembering. Let’s dive into the recap!Pitching Duel to Offensive Surge
The first two innings saw both teams struggling to get a hit. Jarred Kelenic and Ozzie Albies couldn’t quite find the rhythm, leading to a quiet start for the Braves. Our pitching was strong, matching the Cardinals’ resistance until the bottom of the 3rd inning.Schwellenbach faced a tough sequence where the Cardinals lit up the board. After Michael Siani smartly advanced on a wild pitch, Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras delivered RBI hits to put the Cardinals up 3-0. Another run from Brendan Donovan sealed a difficult inning for us, ending the 3rd inning 4-0 in favor of the Cardinals.
Riley’s Home Run Shows Fight
Despite the early deficit, Austin Riley gave Braves fans a spark of hope in the top of the 5th inning by smashing a 421-foot homer to center! His solo shot narrowed the Cardinals’ lead to 4-1, showcasing the strength and focus we needed.The innings following Riley’s homer saw our defense tightening up and giving us a chance to come back. Special shoutout to Bummer and Hernández for delivering clean innings without surrendering additional runs.
Almost a Comeback in the 9th
The Braves showed resilience and grit, particularly in the 9th inning, making it a nail-biter to the end! With Ryan Helsley on the mound, Marcell Ozuna walked, and Matt Olson followed with a single to set the stage. Sean Murphy’s walk loaded the bases, paving the way for Adam Duvall to come in as pinch runner.Ramon Laureano stepped up and knocked in a crucial run with a single to right, bringing the score to 4-2. Then Travis d'Arnaud, pinch-hitting for Forrest Wall, smacked a sac fly, scoring Olson and getting us within one run at 4-3!
With a chance to tie or even win the game, Zack Short came to the plate but unfortunately struck out swinging, ending our rally just short of victory.
Looking Ahead
Even though we came up short, the fight in the 9th inning embodies the spirit of Braves baseball—never giving up! Our boys showed grit and determination, and we’ll bounce back stronger in the next game. Let’s keep cheering them on!
Go Braves!
Scoreboard for Braves @ Cardinals (June 24th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0 |