Dylan Dodd Shines in Major League Debut, Leads Braves to Victory
The Atlanta Braves defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium behind a strong pitching performance from rookie Dylan Dodd and a two-run homer from Austin Riley. Dodd made his major league debut, pitching five innings and allowing only one run and six hits. He struck out three batters and walked none, throwing 52 of his 73 pitches for strikes. Braves manager Brian Snitker praised Dodd’s poise, good feel for his pitches, and offspeed stuff.
Powerful Lineup Helps Braves Secure Victory
In addition to Dodd’s impressive pitching performance, the Braves’ powerful lineup played a significant role in their victory against the Cardinals. Austin Riley hit a two-run homer in the first inning, which was followed by a solo homer by Orlando Arcia in the second inning. Sean Murphy added an RBI single later in the game to provide insurance runs for the Braves.
Cardinals Struggled Against Strong Braves Bullpen
Jesse Chavez, Joe Jiménez, Dylan Lee, and Kirby Yates combined for three scoreless innings after Dodd’s pitching performance. A.J. Minter worked a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season. The Cardinals had only one run scored when Willson Contreras hit an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Braves’ Powerful Lineup Continues to Dominate
The Braves’ lineup continues to impress baseball fans with their power-based approach to hitting. Even their ninth-place hitter has legitimate power that can change games. Jake Woodford, a St. Louis righthander faced the Braves’ lineup and gave up multiple home runs during the game. The team had the third-most home runs in the majors in 2021.
Braves’ Pitching and Bullpen Remain Strong
In addition to the strong bullpen performance, Braves starter Charlie Morton had a good debut, allowing only one run and three hits in four innings. Braves prospect Jared Shuster was also optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after struggling in his MLB debut. However, Braves’ pitcher Max Fried and closer Raisel Iglesias have not resumed throwing due to injuries.
Braves Plan to Retire Andruw Jones’ Number 25
The Braves announced that they will retire Andruw Jones’ number 25 in a pregame ceremony on September 9th. Jones was a five-time All-Star, ten-time Gold Glove Award winner, and helped the Braves win five National League East titles from 1998-2005.
Cardinals Look to Avoid Sweep in Upcoming Game
The Cardinals will try to avoid being swept by the Braves in their upcoming game. Miles Mikolas will start for the Cardinals while the Bryce Elder will start for the Braves. The Cardinals have struggled against Atlanta’s powerful lineup and will need a strong pitching performance to secure a victory. In other news, the Cardinals placed outfielder Lars Nootbaar on the 10-day injured list on Monday, while outfielder Juan Yepez was recalled from Triple-A Memphis.
Overall, the Atlanta Braves’ combination of strong pitching and power hitting has given them an advantage over opponents this season. As they continue their quest for a playoff spot, they will rely on their dynamic lineup and strong bullpen to secure victories.
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