Braves' patience tested after second shutout loss in a week

BALTIMORE -- If things had to get worse before they got better, then the Braves are heading in the right direction.

Patience was once again tested as the Braves dropped a fourth straight game with a 4-0 loss to the Orioles on Tuesday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. This was another frustration-filled effort by a talented Atlanta lineup that has been shut out more times over the past six games than it had been over the previous calendar year.

“We can't can't fix what just happened today or what happened yesterday or the day before,” starting pitcher Max Fried said. “We’ve just got to make sure we take care of our business today. Now, it’s about getting ready for tomorrow.”

The Braves had gone 181 games without being held scoreless before being blanked last Wednesday at Fenway Park. That streak went all the way back to May 12, 2023. This latest shutout-less streak lasted less than a week.

“We’re not scoring enough runs. We’re not bunching anything together,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I don’t know what else to say. We’ve just got to keep working and hope at some point this thing turns around.”

Snitker tinkered with his lineup for the series opener to no avail. His club has now lost 22 of its past 38 games, including 16 of its past 25. The problems existed before Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered his season-ending left knee injury on May 26. But his absence has certainly weakened a team that has looked lost over the past six weeks.

“You’ve got to try to keep the spirits up,” first baseman Matt Olson said. “Obviously, there’s frustration. We know we’re a better team than we’ve been as of late. Baseball is a crazy game. Sometimes, it can flip on a dime. All we can do is show up every day and work.”

It didn’t take long to realize this likely wouldn’t be the night the Braves turned things around. They were given the benefit of not having to pitch to Gunnar Henderson, the Orioles shortstop who is among the American League’s top MVP candidates, along with Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Kyle Tucker.

With Henderson resting, the Orioles gave the shortstop position to Jorge Mateo, who hadn’t played since June 2. Mateo took advantage by hitting a three-run homer against Max Fried on a curveball in the second inning.

This stands as the only home run Fried has allowed in his career against an 0-2 curveball. The veteran left-hander said the ball just popped out of his grip at the release point. So instead of spiking the pitch in the dirt, he watched helplessly as the home run sailed over the portion of the left-center-field wall where it juts in and becomes 20 feet closer to the plate.

Per Statcast, Mateo’s homer would have been a home run in 20 of 30 big league ballparks.

It certainly didn’t help that Braves catcher Sean Murphy had seemingly hit a three-run homer in the top half of the same inning. Murphy’s 392-foot flyout would have been a home run in this same stadium before the left-field wall was moved back prior to the 2022 season. Now, per Statcast, it would have been a homer in just 29 of 30 ballparks -- just not at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

“[Mateo] hit his three-pointer in the right spot, and we hit our three-pointer in the wrong spot,” Snitker said. “When you are going like we are, that’s what happens.”

Marcell Ozuna has been one of the game’s most dangerous hitters for more than a calendar year, and he stands as the only Braves player who has provided any level of consistent production this year.

But in an attempt to get Austin Riley back in a spot where he was productive in previous seasons, Snitker opted to bat Riley third and move Ozuna to the lineup’s fifth spot. Riley has hit .170 with a .436 OPS over the 14 games he has played since missing two weeks with a left intercostal strain.

Ozuna ranks third in the Majors with a .993 OPS. Snitker’s decision became more questionable when the Braves weren’t able to take advantage of Michael Harris’ leadoff triple. Albies grounded out, Riley struck out and Ozuna was on deck when Olson popped out.

A couple of hours later, the Braves became the first team to be shut out after hitting a leadoff triple since the Angels in the second game of a doubleheader against the Blue Jays on Aug. 10, 2021.

“This is a really funny game,” Fried said. “When you are riding the highs, it will humble you. When you’re down on your luck, it picks you up. It always balances out.”

“Always” is seemingly becoming more debatable on a daily basis for the Braves.