The Atlanta Braves are back in the win column. Thanks to big games from Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna, and another strong effort from reliever-turned-starter Reynaldo López, the Braves avoided being swept by the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Thursday afternoon (ATL 6, BAL 3). The win snapped a five-game losing streak, Atlanta’s longest in a single season since 2017.
Prior to this week, the Braves had not lost five consecutive games in one season since a six-game losing streak from Sept. 25-30, 2017. The Braves did have a five-game losing streak spanning the end of 2018 and the start of 2019, and a six-game losing streak spanning the end of 2020 and the start of 2021, but this is the first time they’ve done it within one season since 2017.
Going that long between five-game losing streaks is historic. Only the 1930-38 New York Yankees went longer between five-game losing streaks, according to MLB.com. Atlanta played 934 games between five-game losing streaks. Those 1930-38 Yankees went 1,243 games between five-game losing streaks. Two incredible streaks, those are.
As for Thursday, Ozuna doubled in two runs in the first inning and Albies singled in two more in the fourth. López held the high-powered O’s to two singles and a walk in six shutout innings. He struck out eight. López has a 1.69 ERA through 12 starts. Seven times in those 12 starts he allowed no more than one run. He’s been a revelation.
Albies went 4 for 5 with two doubles Thursday. Ozuna went 2 for 4 with a walk. He drove in his 56th and 57th runs of 2024 and leads the National League in RBI.
Even with Thursday’s win, the Braves are 10-17 in their last 27 games, and Thursday was only the 11th time in those 27 games they scored more than three runs. The Braves were the highest-scoring team in baseball a year ago. This year, generating offense has been a real challenge, especially lately.
Thursday’s win improved Atlanta to 36-30 on the season. They are 9.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies heading into Thursday night’s action. The Orioles are 45-23 following Thursday’s loss. They have the American League’s second-best record.
