The Atlanta Braves are good. Like, really good. They’re one of the best offensive teams in the Live Ball Era. They currently have the highest team slugging percentage since it became an official stat 100 years ago.
They’re the real life Gas House Gorillas. If you don’t get the reference, ask your cool uncle Google.
Yes, last night was a tough loss, and a game they probably should have won. The Phillies have lost two of three games so far in this series, but I firmly believe that the Phillies can absolutely go toe-to-toe with this Braves team.
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True to form, Atlanta has torn the cover off the ball in these three games, to the tune of 22 runs, including eight homers. The Phillies have countered with 21 runs, and seven dingers of their own.
This team is hitting like it has never hit before. Literally, in team history. Since August 4 – better put, since the Trea Turner Ovation game – the Phillies lead all of baseball in homers (79 – more than two a game!), extra base hits (157), and their team OPS of .894 would not only be better than that of the Braves for this season (.845), but the best since at least 1900! That’s over a period of 36 games, nearly a quarter-season.
No matter what the deficit, no matter how late in the game, the Phillies' offense keeps coming, like a monster from a horror movie. They have 40 comeback wins, second-most in the NL to the Reds. Using the TOG (Turner Ovation Game) as a starting point again, they are destroying the back end of opponents’ bullpens to the tune of two runs per game in the 7th through 9th innings, with an OPS of .901.
No lead is safe.
Philadelphia Phillies
Last night was the fourth time since August 23 the Phillies have tied the game in the 8th inning or later, only to lose the game. Rob Thomson was asked if that could have a negative effect on the team.
“No,” he said, “because they keep coming back. They keep fighting … as long as they’re fighting, I’m good with it.”
The man who has been destroying seemingly every pitch thrown to him over the past six weeks also destroyed any thoughts the Phillies are down on themselves, despite how this series has gone.
“I don’t know our season record [against the Braves] … I feel like it’s been close, it feels like we can compete with anybody," Turner said.
If the Phillies continue to hit like they have been, they certainly will.