MINNEAPOLIS -- For the second night in a row, a solid outing from the starting pitcher wasn't enough to push the Braves past the Minnesota Twins.
Despite a 6 2/3-inning quality start from right-hander Tyler Mahle, Atlanta’s lineup struggled to string together key hits in a 4-1 loss on Tuesday night at Target Field, dropping the three-game series.
When Atlanta acquired Mahle at the Trade Deadline, the goal was simple: add a reliable veteran who provides quality innings down the stretch.
He delivered on that blueprint Tuesday, even after getting tested early.
Much like Martín Pérez’s harrowing 34-pitch opening frame on Monday, Mahle encountered early traffic when Josh Bell launched a two-run homer to right-center field in the bottom of the first. But rather than allowing Minnesota’s high-powered opening frame to dictate the evening, Mahle locked down. He worked through 5 2/3 scoreless innings after the first, keeping Atlanta within striking distance by relying heavily on a diving splitter and commanding his four-seamer.
"Just punching back after that," Mahle said of his bounce-back effort. "I just settled down, started making pitches, defense was making plays behind me. ... Didn't panic. [Sean Murphy] did a great job behind the plate. Yeah, just made pitches and let the defense work."
Braves manager Walt Weiss praised his starter’s ability to salvage his outing and shield a taxed bullpen.
"Tyler was great," Weiss said. "For whatever reason, the Twins score a lot of first-inning runs, [they're] one of the best in baseball. So he gives up the two there, but pitches into the seventh. He did a great job."
Mahle’s outing was reinforced by defensive support, highlighted by center fielder Michael Harris II tracking down deep drives to the wall and Atlanta’s infield turning slick double plays in the third and fourth innings.
"It's awesome," Mahle said of pitching in front of Harris. "He's running down everything out there. ... How many double plays did we turn today? You don't feel like you got to strike out the world because guys are going to be in the right spots and they're going to make the plays."
Yet, the solid defense and quality start only served to highlight Atlanta's primary roadblock: an inability to string together timely hits.
The Braves mounted flashes of pressure throughout the night. Drake Baldwin put Atlanta on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo home run to left-center field -- his 21st of the season -- cutting the lead to 2-1. Atlanta threatened again later that frame, placing runners at the corners with two outs, but pinch-hitter Lane Thomas struck out to end the threat.
In total, Atlanta left six runners on base and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Minnesota's bullpen, while Ryan Jeffers provided the final blow with a two-run double in the eighth to seal the contest.
"I'm not sure," Weiss said when asked about the biggest challenge facing the lineup. "Just need to put together better at-bats, you know, throughout. ... We're not doing much offensively. So yeah, just got to put together better at-bats. That's all."
For a team accustomed to explosive run production, the current slump is a frustrating hurdle during a crucial stretch of the schedule. However, inside the clubhouse, the sentiment remains grounded in context: Quality pitching keeps a team afloat, and the track record of this lineup suggests the breakout is a matter of when, not if.
"I don't think anyone's worried about them," Mahle said of the offensive struggles. "You see their numbers and everything and our record. ... I'm just going to focus on staying where I'm at, because the bats are going to come alive and we'll be fine."
The Braves will look to avoid the series sweep on Wednesday when right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver returns to Atlanta's rotation after being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett.