Bullpen stumbles after Soroka’s resilient start

ATLANTA -- Before the Braves can begin worrying about whether they could match the Dodgers in the postseason, they need to focus on fixing a fractured bullpen that has managed to become more of a liability since three key relievers were added before the Trade Deadline.

Sean Newcomb extended the relief corps’ struggles when he squandered Mike Soroka’s strong start by allowing back-to-back homers in a four-run seventh that sank the Braves in an 8-3 loss to the Dodgers on Friday night at SunTrust Park.

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“It happens, especially against a lineup like that,” Soroka said. “You know you’re going to give up runs. You can’t expect perfection. I think [the relievers] have tried to work through this. I think they’re going out there with the belief they will shut it down every single time and so are we. We’ve seen them do it time and time again earlier in the season and there’s no doubt they’re going to be able to do it down the stretch for us.”

This result proved to be all too familiar for the Braves, who have lost 12 of 15 games (including last year’s postseason) against the Dodgers since the start of 2018. Los Angeles has tallied 31 homers in these games, besting the totals Atlanta has surrendered to two division rivals -- the Marlins (28 in 35 games) and the Mets (28 in 32 games) -- during this span.

“Sometimes, I think we might give [the Dodgers] a little too much credit,” Soroka said. “They’ve got some great hitters and they might have the MVP over there. You’ve got to be careful with that, but at the same time, they’re not invincible. They’re still getting out 70 percent of the time. It’s about making pitches.”

Soroka surrendered Cody Bellinger’s 41st homer to begin the second inning and allowed the National League MVP candidate to double to put two on with just one out in the sixth. The Braves' rookie escaped that threat with one of the three double plays he induced. But his strong 95-pitch effort went to waste when the Dodgers teed off against Newcomb, who has allowed three earned runs in three of his past eight appearances.

“It’s command of the pitches,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You’ve got to execute pitches. With the breaking ball, you’ve got to get it. You can’t leave it up or you won’t get it back.”

After Snitker opted to not allow Soroka to begin a fourth trip through the lineup with a runner on first and two outs in the seventh, Newcomb promptly walked Kyle Garlick. The Braves’ left-handed reliever then hung a 1-2 slider that Max Muncy deposited over the right-center-field wall for a three-run homer. Justin Turner then drilled a first-pitch fastball over the right-center-field wall and the Dodgers were on their way to becoming the first team in Major League history to hit 22 homers within a five-game span.

When Newcomb produced a 1.31 ERA over 34 1/3 innings (28 appearances) from May 6 to July 26, he allowed three homers and issued seven walks. As he has allowed 10 earned runs over his past 6 1/3 innings, he has surrendered four homers and issued five walks.

Newcomb’s four-seamer usage has slightly dipped and he has been more frequently using a slider that he’s been attempting to further develop. After allowing Turner’s homer, the lefty reliever used a mix of fastballs and curveballs to record a four-pitch strikeout of Bellinger.

“I’ve got to do a better job of sticking to my strengths and going with what works best for me,” Newcomb said.

The Braves’ bullpen has posted a 7.16 ERA since three veteran relievers -- Mark Melancon, Shane Greene and Chris Martin -- were acquired and added to the club at the start of this month. Each of these three additions have struggled while adjusting to their new environment, although Martin worked a perfect ninth on Friday, and Newcomb believes some of the holdovers have struggled to get acquainted with their new roles.

“There’s a bunch of talent out there,” Newcomb said. “I think it’s just a matter of guys getting more comfortable. We’ve got the new guys and people are in different roles. It’s definitely an adjustment for us. I think we’ll be just fine.”