Takeaways: Braves Drop Series Finale to Rangers on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball

The Atlanta Braves dropped the series finale to the Texas Rangers 6-4 in Truist Park to win the series, but not complete the sweep. They’re now 5-1 against teams from Texas this season, having swept the Houston Astros last week - with a win tonight, Atlanta would have completed their first-ever single season sweep of a state that has multiple MLB teams.

Here’s what you need to know about from the contest.

Darius Vines tried some different things in this one

After a great outing last week against the Houston Astros, Vines obviously wanted to change his sequencing up against the Rangers. 

The righty opened by throwing almost entirely changeups and fastballs, throwing just two breaking balls through the first two innings. But he gave up two home runs in this one, and both came off of changeups - Evan Carter took a middle-away change for a solo shot, and then catcher Andrew Knizner ambushed a first-pitch changeup at the very top of the zone for a three-run homer in the third inning to stake Texas to a 4-3 lead. 

For the game, Vines finished with four runs allowed on seven hits, striking out two and not walking any in his five innings. He threw 74 pitches (59 for strikes), getting only six whiffs on 38 swings and putting up a below-average 23% CSW. 

What’s going on with Matt Olson? 

First baseman Matt Olson, who led all of baseball with 54 homers last season (setting a new Braves single-season record), is on the struggle bus right now. 

Striking out four times tonight, Olson’s currently 1-20 in his last six games and is 8-45 with 17 strikeouts (and no homers) in his last twelve games. 

We saw this come up early last season, as well - across the first 68 games of the season, all in the #2 hole, Olson batted only .228 with 92 strikeouts. His production really took off when he moved to the cleanup spot last season (.328/.425/.691 w/ 32 HRs and 86 RBIs in 85 games), but he’s already batting cleanup this season. Just something to watch. 

Atlanta’s offense as a whole struggled 

The Braves picked up three runs in the first inning after an Acuña single, a Harris walk, and a Marcell Ozuna homer. The Big Bear bomb was his 9th of the year, putting him into sole possession of the MLB homer lead, up by one over Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout. 

But from that point on, it was quiet for the Braves offense. Atlanta got a single in the 2nd (Chadwick Tromp), Jarred Kelenic walked in the 4th, and Ozuna walked in the 6th, but those were the only baserunners that Lorenzen allowed for the rest of his outing. He finished with only the three runs on three hits across six innings, striking out seven. 

The Braves looked to have a rally going in the 8th inning, getting two runners on and a run in on an Acuña single, a fielding error on a ball from Harris, and an Austin Riley groundball through the shifted infield. But a strikeout (Olson), pop out (Ozuna), and strikeout (Arcia) ended the threat and left Atlanta still in a hole late, one they couldn’t dig out of.

For the game, Atlanta logged only five hits (as opposed to nine strikeouts), went just two-for-seven with runners in scoring position, and stranded five runners on base.   

What’s next for the Atlanta Braves?

Atlanta’s opening a new series tomorrow, welcoming the NL East-rival Miami Marlins to Truist Park after going 2-1 against them last weekend in loanDepot Park. Reynaldo López gets the start for the series opener, facing off against lefty Ryan Weathers at 7:20 PM ET.