Braves' rout a good step to get back in race

PITTSBURGH -- Thanks to Drew Smyly’s turnaround and the re-emergence of a slumbering offense, the Braves avoided what would have been a demoralizing three-game sweep by claiming a 14-3 win over the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park.

Smyly surrendered Jacob Stallings’ three-run homer and faced every member of the Pirates lineup before ending the first inning. But those three runs would prove to be the only ones surrendered by the veteran lefty, whose effort was supported by Atlanta’s five-run sixth inning.

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“The longer he was out there, the better he threw,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It was a long first inning for him, but he regrouped. I told him, 'We’re going to score some runs for you and get you that win.'”

After tallying just one run in both of the first two games of the series, the Braves offense awoke just in time to make sure not all was lost in Pittsburgh. This three-game set will be viewed as a missed opportunity. But by securing the one win, Atlanta kept itself in position to possibly take a winning record into the All-Star break.

If the Braves sweep a three-game series in Miami, they would carry a 45-44 record into the break. This would be their first winning record of the season. But more important, ending the first half on a high note would keep hope alive as Atlanta enters the second half seeking a fourth consecutive National League East title.

“I think everyone knows this season has been a grind for us, a lot of ups and downs and inconsistencies,” Smyly said. “But at the same time, we’ve been able to stay around that .500 mark all season. We’ve been fighting and clawing to get above it. With the way this first half has gone, I think you can see it as a positive that we’re only a game or two back from that .500 mark, and we haven’t played anything close to our best baseball.”

Here are three takeaways from this Braves victory:

All-Star production

As Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies prepare to enjoy next week’s All-Star Game together, they sparked the offense with some early pop. Albies doubled and scored on Austin Riley’s first-inning double.

Acuña made his presence known when he belted a ball deep into the left-field seats to begin the third inning against Pirates starter Wil Crowe. The 444-foot solo shot was the 23-year-old outfielder’s 24th homer of the season. He is the first Braves player to reach this total through the team’s first 85 games since Andruw Jones hit 27 homers through this span in 2005.

Albies’ double gave him 45 extra-base hits, which, entering Wednesday, would have ranked second among NL players. The second baseman was removed as a precaution after his neck began to get stiff in the fifth.

“He’ll be fine,” Snitker said. “I think he just kind of slept on it wrong and it got worse as the game went along. I had to talk him out of [continuing to play]. That’s for sure. He’s tough as nails.”

Encouraging rebound

Smyly’s effort in this series finale was a microcosm of what has become a potentially good season for him. The lefty allowed hits to five of the first six batters he faced during the 27-pitch first and then blanked the Pirates over the remainder of his five-inning outing.

That’s similar to how Smyly has produced a 1.98 ERA over the five starts that followed since he began the year with a 5.82 ERA through his first 10 starts. His recent success has taken the focus away from the one-year, $11 million contract he was given in November.

With the help of Smyly’s turnaround, the Braves’ rotation has posted a 3.49 ERA over the team’s past 21 games. The starting staff has become the team’s primary strength, despite the fact potential ace Mike Soroka won’t end up throwing a pitch this year.

“The second half is going to be really big for the Atlanta Braves,” Smyly said. “So, hopefully, I can stay where I’m at and keep progressing and moving forward.”

Bench production

Along with searching for another bat before the July 30 Trade Deadline, the Braves must determine how to best align their bench. Pablo Sandoval is an extremely valuable teammate. But unless he begins producing like he did during the season’s early weeks, there’s reason to question how much his lack of versatility beyond being a pinch hitter hurts an already-short bench.

With Sandoval currently addressing a personal issue, the Braves received some valuable bench production from Abraham Almonte, who drove in four runs after entering in the sixth. He fueled the five-run sixth with a two-run single and added a two-run homer in the eighth.

Almonte proved he wasn’t an everyday player over the past month. But the switch-hitter could provide some value as a bench piece capable of playing each outfield spot.

“He’s a good fit for [the bench] because of his patience,” Snitker said. “He’s not afraid to get into a count and hit. He stays ready. He’s an outstanding teammate.”

When it became apparent they couldn’t rely on Almonte as their everyday left fielder, the Braves brought Orlando Arcia up from Triple-A Gwinnett to get acquainted with the position. Arcia is 5-for-15 since joining Atlanta’s roster on Sunday. He capped the sixth-inning uprising with a two-run single against Chasen Shreve.