Braves Playoff Hopes Dwindling By The Day

The Atlanta Braves are running out of time. They lost 5-3 to the Cincinnati Reds, and they ended up splitting the series after winning the first two games. Meanwhile the Nationals overcame a large 5-0 deficit to absolutely clobber the San Francisco Giants 14-6. The Braves stand 8 games behind the red hot Nationals for first place in the NL East. In the National League chase for the wild card, the Cardinals are in first place, and the Giants are in second. If the playoffs started today, the Braves would be on the outside looking in. However the playoffs don't start today and the Braves do have hope. They have been playing better baseball of late. This has to be credited to the catalytic forces of Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton. Yes, the Braves lost the last two games against the Reds. But all in all it hasn't been a bad road trip.

The offense came alive in the first two games against the Pirates scoring a total of 18 runs in two games, beating the Pirates 7-3, and 11-3. They ended up losing the third game in Pittsburgh 3-2, even with Alex Wood's stellar performance.

Then they were off to what I call, The Great American Smallpark. The Braves certainly did make it look like a small park, exploding for 8 runs in the game, downing the Reds 8-0. Game 2 of the series was not so easy. The Braves struck first with a Tommy La Stella bases loaded ground out, that Zack Cozart made a great diving stop for, and fired to second for an out. But that was all the Reds would get as one run came into score. But that was not the story of the game. The story was Mike Minor. He was through 7 2/3 innings without allowing a hit (albeit with 4 walks.) In the 8th inning with a runner on second (a batter he had walked), Hamilton blooped a single into center field passed the outstretched arms of Andrelton Simmons, and Minor lost the no-no, but more importantly the Reds had tied the game. In the 12th inning Justin Upton saved the Braves when hit a two run moonshot off Manny Parra. The Braves ended up winning, as Kimbrel got the save.

The Braves ended up losing the next two games of the series and losing 1 game in the NL East standings. The Braves end their road trip in Citi Field against the Mets. If you think it is realistic that the Braves are gonna win the NL East, you're kidding yourself. However they do have a shot if they play the Nats really well in September, and gain a few games before or after that. They have 6 games left with the Nationals. Now there is a cautious cause for optimism. The Nationals are just 10-22 over the past 2 seasons against Atlanta. If the Braves could gain some ground before they play the Nationals they just might have a chance. All we can do is wait and see.