Sunday's Braves Report: Brewers power past Newcomb; preview, Acuna sitting, All-Star game Qs
Newcomb struggles again as Brewers power their way to win
A sudden trend of subpar starts from Braves pitchers resumed with Sean Newcomb lasting less than five innings in Atlanta’s 10-3 loss to Milwaukee.
The Braves finish the road trip 5-5, but with no momentum from a 1-3 trip to Milwaukee.
The Brewers scored five in the third, but Newcomb wasn’t having the otherwise sharp game that Mike Foltynewicz had a few days ago when he gave up five in the third in a 5-4 loss. Hernan Perez had a three-run homer in the third Sunday as Milwaukee outhomered Atlanta 7-0 in the weekend.
Newcomb threw 82 pitches in 3.2 innings in falling to 8-4 while giving up one of the Brewer's four homers. Evan Phillips, the last of four relievers, surrendered two.
Atlanta matched the hosts with 10 hits, but couldn’t do much with three Milwaukee errors.
Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 and Charlie Culberson 2-for-4. Endar Inciarate was pulled after not running out a pop-up that was dropped, ostensibly costing Atlanta at least one run in that fifth inning.
Answering your All-Star game questions
Next 5
Tuesday, 7:35 p.m., vs. Toronto, FSSE
Wednesday, 7:35 p.m., vs. Toronto, FSSE
Friday, 7:35 p.m., vs. Arizona, FSS
Saturday, 4:10 p.m., vs. Arizona, FSS
July 15, 1:35 p.m., vs. Arizona, FSS
From beat writers David O'Brien and Gabe Burns/Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Mark Bowman/MLB.com on Twitter (and others when notable)
Braves (50-38) got to 50 wins in their fewest games since 2013, when they also started 50-38./DOB
Albies was 2-for-5 Saturday and has hit .410 (32-for-78) with 12 extra-base hits and a .628 slugging percentage over his past 17 games inc. 10 multi-hit games./DOB
Braves haven't hit a homer in the first three games of the four-game series at Milwaukee that concludes today. They've never had an entirely homerless series in Milwaukee, and last season the Braves hit six homers in a three-game series at Miller Park./DOB
If Gohara is not needed out of the pen today, he may start Wednesday's game. Folty on regular rest is another option. Yeah, he might draw an inning in the ASG. But if he starts Wed., he'd make his first post-AS break start with at least eight days' rest./MB
If Freeman, Markakis and Albies all are voted to start in All-Star Game (teams to be announced tonight), it'll be 1st time #Braves had 3 starting position players in ASG since team moved to ATL. Last time was Milwaukee Braves in 1960 (4 players: Aaron, Mathews, Crandall, Adcock)/DOB
Updated
Newcomb has a 7.20 ERA in the six starts he's issued at least four walks. He has a 2.18 ERA over his other 12 starts. Perez' three-run shot was the second HR and fifth extra-base hit recorded against Newcomb's changeup this season./MB
Wheels are off the wagon for #Braves' Newcomb in this 3rd inning as Hernan Perez just crushed a 3-run homer to center to push the lead to 5-0. A five-run third inning. Sound familiar?/DOB
CF Inciarte was replaced after getting thrown out trying to advance on Albies' fly-out in 3rd ining and not hustling out of the batter's box on a ball dropped by Saladino in 5th inning.
Newcomb with his 2nd poor start in a row: 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 3 K. Threw 44 strikes in 82 pitches./DOB