Braves Let One Slip Away in Arizona: D-Backs Steal Series Finale

Apr 27, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves second base Ozzie Albies (1) gets ready for a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

After clinching the series on Saturday night, Atlanta stumbles behind missed chances, questionable calls, and a few ugly at-bats.

Hot Start Fizzles

On a sunny Sunday afternoon at Chase Field, the Braves were looking to complete a sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks after a wild 8-7 win the night before. Riding a 7-1 stretch and finally finding their groove after a rocky start to the season, the Braves sent Spencer Schwellenbach (1-1) to the mound against Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt (4-1). Things didn’t go as planned with Atlanta falling 6-4, letting a very winnable game slip through their fingers.

First Inning Fireworks... and Some Ump Show

Atlanta came out swinging early. Alex Verdugo singled, Austin Riley doubled, and it looked like a big inning was brewing. Then the wheels fell off.

After a pop-out from Marcell Ozuna, Verdugo was gunned down at the plate on a controversial call that had Braves fans seeing red. Maybe he was safe, maybe not but once again, MLB's replay system leaves more questions than answers.

Matt Olson then struck out to waste the rally, setting the tone for a day full of missed opportunities.

Arizona Pounces on Braves’ Mistakes

Corbin Carroll tripled and immediately scored on a groundout to put the D-Backs up 1-0. Schwellenbach would then buckle down to end the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.

Then in the second inning, things got a little embarrassing. Schwellenbach walked Eugenio Suárez, then threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt. Arizona didn’t even need a hit to score their second run, cashing in on a sac fly from Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

You can’t give away runs like that and expect to win the game.

Schwellenbach Battles, Braves’ Bats Stay Quiet

While Schwellenbach found his rhythm for a few innings, the Braves' offense sputtered. Arizona tacked on another run in the fourth on a doubles parade, while the Braves continued stranding runners and hitting into double plays.

Even Alex Verdugo’s four-hit day couldn’t save the lineup from itself. Austin Riley looked completely lost at the plate today (1-for-5 with two strikeouts), and outside of a brief rally in the seventh, Atlanta never found the big inning they needed.

Braves Rally... Then Collapse (Again)

In the seventh, the Braves had Arizona on the ropes with Drake Baldwin hitting a single, Nick Allen driving in a run, and Verdugo knocked in another, and suddenly it was a 4-2 game.

Bases loaded, two outs, Ozzie Albies at the plate. You could almost feel the go-ahead hit coming. Instead Ozzie hits a foul popout to third to end the top half of the inning. Brutal.

Then the bullpen chaos we’ve all seen too much of this year unfolded. Aaron Bummer gave up two runs in the bottom half with Rafael Montero coming in with two outs to close the inning, and by the time the Braves scratched one more across in the ninth, it was too little, too late.

Final Thoughts

The MLB season is a long season. But games like this, games where you blow your chances of scoring, committing errors, and can’t get a hit when it matters, are the ones that come back to bite you in September when you need it the most.

The Braves have too much talent to be inconsistent offensively. Between Austin Riley’s ongoing struggles, the bullpen roulette, and hitting with runners on base, there’s some stuff to clean up if they want to run down the rest of the NL East. Good thing it is a long season and the Braves have looked on the better side as of late. It’s baseball, you are always bound to drop a game. 

Up Next

Atlanta heads to Colorado next for a three-game set at Coors Field. First pitch tomorrow night is at 8:40 PM ET. Watch on FanDuel Sports Network South/Southeast or listen on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan.