The Atlanta Braves can complete a sweep of the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in the finale of the three-game weekend series between the division leaders.
Atlanta brings hot bats into the finale, having scored a double-digit total of runs in each of the first two wins over Milwaukee. Marcell Ozuna and Ronald Acuna Jr. helped the Braves offensively in Friday’s 10-7 win, with Acuna going 2-for-3 and Ozuna 2-for-4.
In Saturday’s 11-5 romp, Acuna went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a home run and stole his 50th base of the season. Acuna, who has 24 homers, is the first player in major league history with 20 or more home runs and 50-plus steals before the month of August.
Ozuna went 3-for-4 on Saturday and hit his 20th and 21st home runs of the season.
“That’s amazing for us as a team,” Ozuna said to Bally Sports South following Saturday’s win. “I’ve got a feeling right now, feel comfortable. … I see the results. Sometimes, you put your head down but you say, ‘OK, let’s go, let’s go up, put your head up and keep continuing doing what you do.”
While the 11 runs surrendered on Saturday were hardly ideal for the Brewers, starting pitcher Julio Teheran lasting five innings despite giving up six first-inning runs prevented Milwaukee from having to go too deep into its bullpen ahead of the finale.
Just two relievers — Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe — appeared over the final three innings.
“Everything affects the next day,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said in his postgame news conference. “There offense is good, period. Their offense puts pressure on you every inning.”
Colin Rea (5-4, 4.53 ERA) will start for Milwaukee on Sunday, looking to cool Atlanta’s hot bats.
Sunday will mark his first appearance opposite Atlanta since June 2016, when Rea started for the San Diego Padres, and just the right-hander’s third time facing the Braves in his career.
Rea is 1-0 against Atlanta, with an August 2015 win as a member of the San Diego Padres. He has a 3.55 ERA in his two career starts against Atlanta.
Rea is 5-1 in his past six starts that have resulted in decisions, though he didn’t factor into the decision in his last three starts. The most recent came July 24 against Cincinnati when he struck out five and allowed two runs — both earned — over six innings in a 3-2 Milwaukee win.
AJ Smith-Shawver (1-0, 4.32 ERA) was a late announcement as Atlanta’s Sunday starter. The rookie right-hander made four appearances for the Braves in June with three starts, the most recent of which came June 23 at Cincinnati.
Smith-Shawver pitched 3 1/3 innings against the Reds and gave up five runs, all earned, in the outing. He most recently pitched for Triple-A Gwinnett on July 23. He picked up the win, allowing two hits and no runs with six strikeouts.
Sunday will mark Smith-Shawver’s first time pitching against Milwaukee.
–Field Level Media