The Atlanta Braves snapped their three-game losing streak by narrowly defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 at Truist Park on Friday night. Outfielder Eli White preserved the victory in the ninth inning with a spectacular throw to get Jackson Chourio out at home plate.
The Full Story
The highly anticipated matchup on Friday, June 19, marked the first meeting of the season between two National League division leaders with remarkably similar records. The Milwaukee Brewers entered the game at 45-27, leading the NL Central, while the host Atlanta Braves stood at 46-27 atop the NL East. Milwaukee brought a hefty historical advantage into the night, riding a 12-game winning streak in series openers and a six-game winning streak at Truist Park.
Milwaukee struck first in the top of the third inning. Blake Perkins started things off with an infield single, and Joey Ortiz followed up with a base hit to center. After Christian Yelich grounded out, the Braves chose to intentionally walk Jackson Chourio to set up a lefty-lefty matchup with Brice Turang. The strategy backfired as Turang rolled an RBI single through the infield, giving the Brewers a 1-0 advantage. Milwaukee starter Jacob Misiorowski looked locked in early, getting out of a second-inning jam by throwing consecutive 104-mph fastballs to strike out Eli White and strand two runners.
The tide turned in the bottom of the sixth inning. An infield single by Jorge Mateo and a line-drive hit by Ozzie Albies put runners on for Atlanta. Matt Olson won a grueling nine-pitch battle against Misiorowski to walk and load the bases. Former Brewers prospect Mauricio Dubon then delivered the decisive blow, lining a 101.3-mph fastball into left field for a two-run single. This gave the Braves a 2-1 lead and doubled the total number of earned runs Misiorowski had allowed across his prior eight starts combined. Atlanta added an insurance run in the seventh when Mike Yastrzemski homered to right field off reliever Abner Uribe.
The final drama unfolded in the top of the ninth inning against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias. Yelich drew a walk, and Chourio doubled to put runners in scoring position. Turang singled to left to bring home Yelich and cut the deficit to 3-2. Third base coach Matt Erickson aggressively waved Chourio around third to tie the game, but leftfielder Eli White unleashed a perfect throw to the plate to catch Chourio out. A video challenge by Milwaukee upheld the call, and William Contreras struck out next to secure the victory for Atlanta.
Key Figures
- Jacob Misiorowski: The Brewers starter pitched 6 innings, giving up 5 hits and 2 runs while striking out 7. He took the loss, moving his season record to 8-3.
- Martín Pérez: The veteran starter for Atlanta allowed just 1 run over a resilient performance, helping keep the game close before the bullpen took over.
- Mauricio Dubon: The outfielder delivered the go-ahead two-run single against his former organization in the sixth inning.
- Eli White: The Braves leftfielder became the defensive hero of the game by executing a flawless throw to throw out Jackson Chourio at home plate for the second out of the ninth inning.
Facts & Figures
- 12: The number of consecutive series-opening wins the Brewers had compiled before Friday's defeat.
- 104 mph: The peak velocity registered by Jacob Misiorowski on successive pitches during his second-inning escape.
- 105.9 mph: The exit velocity of Andrew Vaughn's sixth-inning line drive, which resulted in a double play despite an expected batting average of .760.
- 41,149: The official seating capacity at an open-roof Truist Park for this holiday weekend opener.
What This Means
This win provides crucial psychological relief for an injury-depleted Atlanta roster. Slumping through a 1-6 stretch over their last seven games, the Braves find themselves a full game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the National League. For local fans in the US, this game demonstrates that despite long-term injuries to key rotation pieces like Spencer Strider and bullpen assets like Joe Jimenez, the team remains highly competitive against elite competition.
What to Expect
The series continues on Saturday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. EDT at Truist Park. The pitching matchup features left-hander Kyle Harrison (8-1, 2.47 ERA) taking the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers against Atlanta's veteran left-hander Chris Sale (8-5, 2.30 ERA). Sale will benefit from five extra days of rest, a strategic long-range planning decision implemented by Braves manager Walt Weiss to preserve the veteran's health down the stretch. Sunday's finale will match Milwaukee's Robert Gasser against Atlanta's Bryce Elder.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What was the final score of the Brewers vs Braves game on June 19?
- The Atlanta Braves defeated the Milwaukee Brewers by a final score of 3-2.
- Who was the starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers?
- Jacob Misiorowski started for the Brewers, pitching six innings and allowing two runs with seven strikeouts.
- How did the final play of the game unfold?
- With the score 3-2 in the ninth inning, Brice Turang singled into left field. Eli White threw out Jackson Chourio at home plate trying to score the tying run, and William Contreras struck out to end the game.
- Did Ronald Acuna Jr. play in this game?
- No, Ronald Acuna Jr. did not play as he continues to recover from a hamstring strain, though he remains eligible to return soon.
- Who are the scheduled starting pitchers for Saturday's game?
- Kyle Harrison is scheduled to start for the Milwaukee Brewers against Chris Sale for the Atlanta Braves.