If someone had predicted that the Braves would open the season with four consecutive losses, the person probably would not have suggested that Huascar Ynoa and Pablo Sandoval would be the guys who would create the team’s first winning streak.
The most productive day of a frustrated season so far was concluded with Ynoa achieving the best start of the year and Sean Newcomb looking for a potential closer. In between, Sandoval scored a two-run, two-run game that gave the Braves a 2-0 win over the Nationals in the second game of a double-header Wednesday afternoon at Nationals Park.
All doubles matches will be scheduled for seven overs again this year.
“It’s been a kind of painful week,” said Brian Snitker, manager of Braves. ‘We’ve only played four games so far, but it felt like we had two weeks behind us. This is really a great way to end the journey. ”
After wasting the four home games, losing to Max Scherzer with Tuesday’s loss, the Braves scored a 7-6 victory in Wednesday’s first game, even though they only got two innings from Max Fried. The early exit from the bait burdened a bull cage that was willing to be stressed in the sleeping cap.
But Ynoa eliminated all concern as he struck five shots and allowed just two hits over a five-point innings in the career. The 22-year-old right-hander started five last year, but he has never conceded more than four innings. This start was only the second time he had completed more than three innings.
Ynoa’s four – ball fast ball reached 99 km / h and averaged 96 km / h in the outing. His slider made up 50 percent of his 68 stands, and he got a whiff on 12 of the 23 swings that caused the pitch.
“I do not know that he turned 98 in everything he did during the spring practice,” Snitker said. “The slider was really very good. That [pitch] was a big reason he got the start. But yeah, it was pretty good there. ‘
Ynoa’s effort was rewarded when Dansby Swanson’s two-out single extended the seventh. Snitker responded by replacing Alex Jackson with Sandoval, who had a two-stroke, a pinch hit during the 10-over opening day for the Phillies game.
Sandoval worked the score full and then laid down Tanner Rainey’s fast ball over the midfield fence. The two-run shot makes the 34-year-old veteran the first player in Braves’ history to offset all of his team’s runs twice in one season via a pinch-homer.
Less than two weeks ago, there was doubt as to whether Sandoval would deserve an opening day spot as a non-roster guest. But so far, the 2012 World Series MVP proves that he can still be very valuable.
“It was one of those moments when you get goosebumps when you hit the ball,” Sandoval said. “You just have to keep working to do everything in your power to get those opportunities.”