The Atlanta Braves are finding increasingly painful ways to lose with each passing game.
It started Wednesday night, when Chris Sale delivered a stellar performance — six innings, one run, ten strikeouts — only to see the offense squander it. The Braves scored just once, left the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings, and dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker.
Thursday’s matinee might go down as one of the most crushing losses in recent memory. Desperate to avoid a home sweep against Arizona, the bats finally woke up. Homers from Drake Baldwin, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Austin Riley helped build a six-run cushion heading into the ninth. But then disaster struck, as Scott Blewett and Raisel Iglesias combined to give up seven runs, turning a seemingly safe win into another excruciating one-run defeat.
Friday night followed a familiar script — more agony. Defensive miscues and some bad luck spotted the Giants three early runs. But Spencer Schwellenbach settled down, and Matt Olson’s two-run blast tied things up in the seventh. The game dragged into extras.
In the 10th, the Braves had a chance. Ozzie Albies moved the runner to third with a flyout. Eli White grounded out. Sean Murphy was intentionally walked, and Michael Harris II was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That brought up Luke Williams, who — on a full count — chased a pitch well out of the zone, grounding out to end the inning.
Sure enough, failing to score in extras proved fatal. Pierce Johnson retired the first two batters in the bottom of the 10th, then had Wilmer Flores down 1-2. But a wild curveball bounced past Sean Murphy, allowing the winning run to score. Another meltdown. Another one-run loss.
This isn’t just a slump — it’s historic heartbreak. The Braves have now lost eight consecutive one-run games dating back to May 14, an almost unfathomable streak. And while the law of averages suggests their luck should turn, the standings paint a bleak picture: 12 games out in the NL East, eight behind in the Wild Card race, buried in a crowded field.
A deadline sell-off? That’s no longer a dramatic overreaction — it may be the harsh reality for a team that’s completely unraveled.