Braves Walk It Off Behind Chris Sale’s Gem in Game Two

May 6, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) pitches ball against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Tuesday night baseball in Truist Park as the Braves and Reds met for game two of this four-game series. Atlanta took the opener behind AJ Smith-Shawver’s one-hitter that carried into the eighth. Tonight belonged to Chris Sale, making his 300th career start, opposite Reds lefty Andrew Abbott. Sale entered riding momentum from two strong outings, including a 7.0 inning, 10-strikeout effort in Colorado. The Braves were looking to keep control of the series on a perfect evening in Cobb County.

Cincinnati wasted no time, as TJ Friedl led off with a single followed with Matt McLain being hit by a pitch. With two on and no outs, Sale locked in. He struck out Elly De La Cruz on a nasty 81 mph slider, then got Tyler Stephenson swinging. Santiago Espinal then grounded out to end the inning. After spotting two runners, Sale shut the door and found his rhythm. Abbott answered with a clean first, benefitting from a generous strike zone. The lefty consistently hit his spots and retired the Braves in order.

Sale breezed through the second on just nine pitches. The Reds swung early but got nothing to show for it. In the bottom half, the Braves got back-to-back two-out hits from Sean Murphy and Eli White. White’s ground-rule double likely cost Atlanta a run, as Murphy had to stop at third. After that, Michael Harris II struck out to end the threat. Atlanta would continue to squander chances to score. This has been a them off and on the whole season, and when you are facing a tough pitcher, you can't give up opportunities.

Sale struck out two more in the third and worked around a tough Del La Cruz infield hit that extended the inning. Sale would follow with striking out Stephenson again to strand runners. Abbott kept pace in the home half of the third, punching out Riley to end the inning, in a fast-moving game that was shaping up as a classic pitcher’s duel. Both guys were going back and forth, almost like a game of HORSE, except it was baseball.

Sale struck out Spencer Steer for his sixth of the night in the fourth. Austin Wynns singled but was left stranded. Abbott continued to dominate the outside edge, getting Ozuna looking and stranding two more Braves after singles from Olson and Albies. His command was sharp, and his confidence never wavered. Atlanta surrendered another opportunity to bring across a run.

Sale opened the fifth with another strikeout, his seventh, and later erased McLain’s two-out single by getting De La Cruz swinging on a low slider. Through five, Sale had eight punchouts and full command of the zone.

“Yeah, it’s kind of like vintage Chris Sale now,” Brian Snitker said postgame. “Last two, three times out, it’s been really, really good. Velocity was up, slider was sharp. Just really good.”

Harris’s struggles continued with another strikeout to begin the Braves’ fifth. He’s was 3-for-30 at that point, since the start of the Colorado series. Abbott kept cruising, finishing five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and only four hits allowed.

In the sixth, Sale recorded his ninth strikeout and retired the side in order. It brought him just one retired batter away from 2,000 career innings pitched. To start the bottom half, Cincinnati surprisingly turned to Graham Ashcraft, ending Abbott’s night at 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 8 K. Ashcraft followed suit and sent the Braves down quickly.

Wynns opened the seventh with a double off the top of the wall. The play was reviewed but stood as a double instead of a home run. Jacob Hurtubise came on to run, and Sale followed with a groundout from Jose Trevino, reaching his career milestone of 2,000 career innings pitched. Sale would follow with getting Blake Dunn swinging. After a Friedl walk, Sale left to a standing ovation. 'Another Chris Sale Gem' was pitched tonight, and what he has accomplished and overcome is remarkable.

“Yeah, no, I appreciate those things. I really do,” Sale said postgame when asked about reaching both 300 starts and 2,000 innings. “I don't want to sit up here and talk about myself a whole lot, but I appreciate the path that I got to get here. Some of it was easy, some of it was really not. I'm just thankful, for my teammates, coaches, fan bases, my family, and the training staff. I mean, I’ve spent a lot of time in there, as you guys know.”

Pierce Johnson entered and struck out McLain to keep the game scoreless. Atlanta looked ready to strike in the bottom half. Albies walked and moved to third on a Murphy single. But Albies got caught between bases on a fielder’s choice from an Eli White hit, and Harris lined out before Allen walked to load the bases. Verdugo had a chance to play hero but grounded out. The Braves fell to 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and had left seven stranded through seven innings.

Daysbel Hernández opened the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to De La Cruz, who stole second and later scored on a base hit from Espinal, breaking a 23-inning scoreless drought for the Reds. Hernández bounced back with two strikeouts, but the Braves trailed 1-0 with just six guaranteed outs remaining.

Riley led off the eighth with a single, but Ozuna flew out and both Olson and Albies struck out. Rafael Montero took over in the ninth, and despite a two-out walk to Friedl, got McLain to line out. Atlanta had one last chance.

Emilio Pagán came in for Cincinnati. Murphy worked a leadoff walk and was replaced by Stuart Fairchild on the bases. Eli White struck out after failing to get a bunt down. Then came Michael Harris II, who needed a moment, and found one.

Harris drilled an RBI double to right, scoring Fairchild to tie the game. It was a much-needed breakthrough for the struggling center fielder, who had entered the night 3-for-30 since the Colorado series. Postgame, Snitker acknowledged Harris’s effort and preparation behind the scenes.

“Yeah, big. He’s been struggling. He’s been working,” Snitker said. “I know he was out of here hitting early today, and they’ve been processing things, so that was good. That was really encouraging to see.”

Drake Baldwin grounded out but moved Harris to third. With the winning run 90 feet away, Verdugo grounded out to send it to extras.

Raisel Iglesias took over and dominated in the 10th. He struck out De La Cruz and Stephenson before Espinal flew out. Iglesias worked fast and confidently. Atlanta’s bullpen continued the trend Sale started. Pierce Johnson, Daysbel Hernández, and Iglesias combined for seven more strikeouts. The Braves pitching staff totaled 17 strikeouts on the night, completely stifling Cincinnati’s lineup from start to finish.

Sale, during postgame, praised Iglesias for closing the door: “You look at the back of that baseball card, it’s pretty damn oppressive,” Sale said. “He’s gotten back to what made him successful. When those lights go down in the ninth or tenth, we’re all confident.”

Verdugo started the bottom of the tenth at second. Riley was intentionally walked. Then came Marcell Ozuna. And he delivered. Ozuna ripped a single to left, scoring Verdugo for the walk-off win. This win was big for the team. It allowed players that have been struggling lately, to step up big when it mattered. Brian Snitker always speaks on handling adversity, and tonight was anothing example of that.

Snitker spoke to the significance of Sale’s night. “It seems like we’re throwing every ball out because he’s surpassing somebody or hitting another milestone. It speaks volumes to the career that man’s had, and how he’s persevered through injuries. I’ve got so much respect for him and the way he competes.”

Atlanta pulled out a 2-1 victory, their first of the season when scoring fewer than four runs. They’re now one game below .500 and riding a three-game winning streak.

Raisel Iglesias earned the win (2-2, 4.50 ERA). Lyon Richardson took the loss for Cincinnati (0-1, 2.25 ERA). Game three is set for Wednesday at 7:15 PM EDT. Grant Holmes will get the ball for Atlanta, facing off against Hunter Greene in what could be another pitching duel.