ATLANTA — After spending the past six months exceeding expectations, the Braves once again found a way to get the job done when given a chance to clinch a division title and guarantee the extension of a journey that has allowed their fans to fondly conjure memories of 1991.
Clinching might not have proven to be as easy as it appeared it might be before Mike Foltynewicz‘s strong start was marred during a stressful eighth inning. But the conclusion still tasted quite sweet for the Braves as they persevered and clinched the National League East with Saturday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Phillies at SunTrust Park.
ATLANTA — After spending the past six months exceeding expectations, the Braves once again found a way to get the job done when given a chance to clinch a division title and guarantee the extension of a journey that has allowed their fans to fondly conjure memories of 1991.
Clinching might not have proven to be as easy as it appeared it might be before Mike Foltynewicz‘s strong start was marred during a stressful eighth inning. But the conclusion still tasted quite sweet for the Braves as they persevered and clinched the National League East with Saturday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Phillies at SunTrust Park.
Kurt Suzuki‘s RBI single in the eighth provided some breathing room for Arodys Vizcaino, who worked the scoreless ninth that allowed him and his teammates to enjoy a much-deserved postgame celebration.
Coming off four consecutive losing seasons, three of which were amidst a massive rebuilding process, the Braves are division champs for the first time since 2013 and the second time since ’05. They sat at the top of the division standings for much of the season’s first half, stumbled in July and then regained sole possession of first place for good on Aug. 13.
When the Braves produced their worst-to-first 1991 season, they benefited from the emergence of John Smoltz, who was served as FOX’s analyst for Saturday’s broadcast. Smoltz has likened the young version of himself to Foltynewicz. So it might have been fitting for him to see the new Braves ace experience one of the most exhilarating starts of his career.
Foltynewicz held the Phillies hitless until Odubel Herrera singled to begin the seventh inning and did not allow a baserunner to advance to second base until Maikel Franco singled and Pedro Florimon walked with one out in the eighth. Jesse Biddle entered and promptly walked Jose Bautista before allowing Cesar Hernandez‘s two-run single.
After Rhys Hoskins greeted Brad Brach with an RBI single, Braves manager Brian Snitker called upon Jonny Venters, who was a part of the postseason teams the Braves produced in 2010, ’12 and ’13. Ronald Acuna Jr. chased down Aaron Altherr‘s liner to left, and Venters escaped unscathed when Carlos Santana followed with a grounder to Dansby Swanson.
It didn’t take the Braves long to produce some early comfort against Jake Arrieta, who walked three of the first four batters and then surrendered a two-run, first-inning single to Johan Camargo.
Acuna’s first-inning stolen base made him just the fourth player in Major League history to record at least 25 home runs and 15 stolen bases in his age-20 season or younger. Acuna added a two-out single in the second that positioned him to score on Freddie Freeman‘s two-run single off Arrieta, who completed just two innings.
Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.
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