Walks costly as Braves swept to open season

PHILADELPHIA -- They were just three games played within the first series of the season. But even if the Braves had swept the Phillies while pitching as poorly as they did while being swept during this opening weekend, there would still be plenty of reason for concern.

Manager Brian Snitker attempted to keep an optimistic perspective as he praised the potential Kyle Wright displayed during Sunday night’s 5-1 loss to the Phillies and professed the belief that there will be plenty of better days ahead for his team. But he acknowledged the obvious need for improvement after his pitching staff issued 20 walks and surrendered eight homers while totaling 24 innings en route to being swept.

“We’ve got to rectify it somehow, because we can’t keep living like that,” Snitker said.

Andrew McCutchen and Bryce Harper both homered twice during this three-game series, and J.T. Realmuto extended the success of the Phillies’ top newcomers by notching three hits, including a homer of his own. But the long balls would not have been as destructive without the command issues experienced by Atlanta’s pitchers, who issued nine walks and hit two batters during the series finale.

Wright accounted for five of those walks as he gave up three runs on two hits while completing 4 1/3 innings in his first career start. The line wasn’t pretty, but it was influenced by the ugly, cold and windy conditions that also affected Phillies starter Jake Arrieta, who managed to allow just one run despite issuing six walks over six innings.

“I thought [Wright] threw the ball extremely well,” catcher Brian McCann said. “You saw the conditions tonight. To throw a strike tonight was tough for both sides. He’s got poise, and he knows what he’s doing. The game almost seems slow for him, which is great to see.”

• McCann eager for Atlanta homecoming

The Braves seem to have something special in Wright, who is beginning just his second professional season, and they were encouraged by what Julio Teheran showed during his Opening Day start.

Offensively, the performances of Freddie Freeman, Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies have been encouraging, and the injury-depleted pitching staff will be fortified when Kevin Gausman and A.J. Minter return from the injured list later this week. But there’s certainly a need to tinker with the construction of the bullpen, which has issued nine walks and allowed 10 hits, including five homers, over just 11 1/3 innings.

“As good as this club is that we just got done playing, I look at things that went on in this series and I think I feel really good about our club,” Snitker said. “I feel really good. We’re going to have to tweak a few things and make some adjustments. We’re going to be fine. I have no doubt in my mind we have a good club, and this is no indication of who we’re going to be.”

Tipping point

Wright issued three consecutive two-out walks in the first inning, but managed to escape his 30-pitch frame unscathed by striking out Odubel Herrera. The 23-year-old right-hander threw 34 pitches over the next three innings, but after he endured an 11-pitch battle against Arrieta to begin the decisive fifth, he ended his night by walking McCutchen and hitting Jean Segura with a pitch. This prompted the entry of Max Fried, who promptly issued consecutive walks, including the bases-loaded one Rhys Hoskins drew ahead of Realmuto's sacrifice fly.

The Phillies scored two runs in the fifth without recording a hit against Wright or Fried, who combined to throw 15 strikes over the inning’s final 35 pitches.

“I felt like I was fighting my grips a lot,” Wright said. “Pretty much the start of every inning I felt good, but as the innings went on, the cold and the wind picked up. I’m not going to make excuses. Their guy had to deal with the same thing. He did a better job than I did.”

Carle tossed

Shane Carle did not stick around to talk to reporters about being ejected by plate umpire Rob Drake after hitting Hoskins with an 0-1 pitch immediately after Harper had homered off him. The pitch struck the left shoulder of Hoskins, whose controlled but angry reaction was influenced by the fact his left jaw was fractured by a pitch last year.

“He’s not trying to hit the guy,” Snitker said. “It’s just not a situation he would do that. Unfortunately, it hit him. I hate that. The umpire had to do what he felt he had to do. But there’s no way he's trying to send a message or anything like that. The ball just got away.”

McCann expressed his frustration as he tried to remind Drake how difficult it is for pitchers to control pitches in these conditions.

“It was hard to throw strikes,” McCann said. “When the conditions are like that, the ball is slick. I was set up away off the plate and the ball got away from him. We had a difference of opinion. I respect Rob a lot, but there was absolutely no intent there.”

Big day for Donaldson

Hours after celebrating Auburn earning a trip to the Final Four, Josh Donaldson recorded his first hit for the Braves, a single in the third inning that eventually put him in position to score on a passed ball. The former American League MVP is 1-for-11 with four strikeouts, but both of the balls he put in play on Sunday night had exit velocity of more than 100 mph. Just one of the four balls he put in play during the previous two games exceeded this mark.