Atlanta Braves are falling apart, have lost six straight games
By Hayden Kane
The Atlanta Braves scored three runs in their extra innings loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon. By their standard lately, that was an offensive outburst.
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Having been swept at the hands of the Padres this past weekend and the Los Angeles Dodgers before that, the Braves have now lost six straight games and are now just four games over .500. They are 3.5 games back of the Washington Nationals in the division and are still hanging around the playoff picture, but they better figure things out in a hurry.
When this Braves roster as currently constructed first entered the consciousness of baseball fans, it was discussed almost like it was some sort of science experiment. What happens when you put a bunch of guys with pop who are prone to striking out too much in the same lineup? Is there some sort of risk in that strategy?
While on this six game losing streak, the Braves have scored more than two runs twice: last Tuesday in an 8-4 loss and on Sunday. It is understandable to struggle at the hands of the Dodgers’ pitching staff, and lesser teams than these Braves have fallen victim to a West Coast road trip. But for a team with high aspirations this season, they still ought to be able to create enough opportunities to score runs to not fall into their current hole.
Furthermore, a series with a team like the Padres is supposed to be just the right remedy for a team that needs some wins. To not take advantage at all, to do quite the opposite in fact, is the kind of thing that might catch up with Atlanta and haunt them.
There is little relief on the horizon, as the Braves’ struggling lineup is set to face Felix Hernandez on Tuesday night in Seattle.