Holmes flirts with no-no in bounceback outing to get Braves back on track
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CHICAGO -- Questions began percolating about Grant Holmes' status in the Braves’ rotation after a less-than-stellar outing against the Diamondbacks in his last appearance.
Holmes emphatically quelled them on Thursday and nearly etched himself in history in the process.
Holmes carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, losing his shot at history on an Andrew Benintendi single in the Braves’ 2-0 win over the White Sox at Rate Field in a makeup of a June 11 rainout. The Braves haven’t had a no-hitter since Kent Mercker kept the Dodgers out of the hit column on April 8, 1994.
“Absolutely, I looked at it every inning,” Holmes said of his no-hit bid. “How the day was going, I felt like I could throw it anywhere, and they were going to hit it to somebody. So I was just keeping that mindset, trying to fill up the zone as quick as possible, get the outs as quick as possible.”
The outing helped snap the Braves’ losing streak after they were swept in three games by the Twins in Minnesota. Atlanta had lost five of six, and its slump had come at a worrying time.
The win over the White Sox marked the start of the National League East-leading Braves facing three fellow first-place teams in a row.
They’ll make the 90-mile trek north to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers for two games before they wrap up the set at the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa. The Braves then play the Dodgers in a three-game series in Atlanta.
“You got to keep playing,” manager Walt Weiss said. “You got to turn the page and take on the next challenge, and I think our guys are really good at that.
“We got a good team, and we’re in first place. It’s a good group.”
The 30-year-old exited after Benintendi’s knock that came after Miguel Vargas had started the inning with a walk. That prompted Weiss to bring in right-hander Didier Fuentes, who escaped the jam by striking out the next three batters.
Weiss wanted Holmes to try and chase the no-hitter, but said, “the bottom line is we got to win the game, so you got to make the decisions to win the game, but I thought that Grant was still throwing the ball well.”
Benintendi’s hit made it a moot point, but Holmes still valued the opportunity to pitch into the seventh for just the third time in his 24 starts this season.
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“I probably would have been a little irritated if he didn’t let me go back out there with no hits,” Holmes quipped. “But it was nice. Probably got a little fatigued in the last inning, but if I had gotten ahead of the last batter, I think it would have been a different [outcome].
“But [Fuentes] came in and closed the door. Couldn’t have done it without him.”
Holmes allowed six earned runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings on Aug. 15 in the Braves’ 10-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. It appeared to be a blip on the radar, since his first two starts in August had resulted in 12 scoreless innings and eight hits allowed. But the return of AJ Smith-Shawver created those queries about Holmes’ status.
What a difference an outing can make.
Holmes relied on his defense, striking out three and inducing seven ground-ball outs in the outing. Holmes kept the White Sox lineup, which is fourth in baseball in home runs, in the ballpark.
“It’s funny, I didn’t have one ground ball today,” shortstop Mauricio Dubón said. “[But] it keeps you on your toes. You’re trying to be there, you know what’s going on, you’re trying to make a play, try to bust your [backside] for it and try to go for it.”
The Braves' bullpen shut the door on the White Sox to buoy Holmes’ stellar start. Dylan Lee struck out two in a scoreless eighth, and Raisel Iglesias picked up his 26th save of the year.
It was a bit of a redemption for Holmes, too. The right-hander allowed three runs on four hits and exited in the fourth inning in a loss to the White Sox on June 9. On Thursday, Holmes bounced back and showcased what he could mean to Atlanta's pitching staff down the stretch.
“I feel like we needed that going into playing the Brewers,” Holmes said. “[It’s] going to be a really big weekend, and I feel like that sets us off on the right foot. I’m excited to see what this weekend takes.”