Braves lose to Red Sox 9-1 in regular season finale
Braves vs. Red Sox: The Braves and Red Sox finished a three-game series today and concluded the 2020 regular season…Boston took two of three games this weekend…The Braves have lost 10 of their last 12 games with Boston in Atlanta, and are 1-5 against the Red Sox here at Truist Park…Atlanta has gone 0-6-1 in series play here in Atlanta against the Red Sox since 2004.
Postseason Outlook: The Braves are officially set to host the Cincinnati Reds in a three-game National League Wild Card series, which will begin here at Truist Park on September 30.
Sixty: The Braves finished the regular season today with their 60th game…This 60-game schedule ties for the fewest the organization has ever played in a season; the 1878 Boston Red Stockings went 41-19 to win the NL pennant…The fewest games the club has played in a season in the modern era (since 1900) is 114 in 1994, and a players’ strike ended that season early…The club’s best 60-game stretch last season was 40-20, done several times and last from game No. 91 to game No. 150.
.600: Atlanta finished the season 35-25 (.583), falling one win shy of a .600 winning percentage for the season…The Braves have had a .600 winning percentage in a season 23 times prior, with 10 of those seasons coming in the modern era (since 1900)… The Braves last finished with a .600 winning percentage in 2003, when the club went 101-61 (.623) before losing in the NLDS to Chicago… The club’s best ever regular-season winning percentage is a 93-39 (.705) record set in 1897...The franchise modern-era record is held by the 1998 team, who went 106-56 (.654) before losing in the NLCS to San Diego.
Runs: Atlanta’s offense scored just one run in the final game of the season and ended the season with 348 runs, second most in the majors (Dodgers, 349)…Their 348 runs scored were the most by any Braves modern-era team, surpassing the Boston Beaneaters’ 346 in 1900 and later matched by the 2003 team.
Bullpen: Atlanta’s relievers gave up eight runs in 6.0 innings in relief during today’s 9-1 loss to Boston...Prior to today’s game, the Braves’ bullpen ERA of 3.24 was the third lowest in the majors while their 266.2 innings pitched were the most in the National League…Tyler Matzek led all left-handed relievers with 43 strikeouts and 29.0 innings pitched…Luke Jackson entered play with 54 induced ground balls, the most among relievers this season…Mark Melancon’s 11 saves were tied for third most in the National League.
Pablo Sandoval: Made his Atlanta debut going 0-for-2 with two walks on the day…His contract was selected to the major league roster this morning after last night’s starter Tucker Davidson was optioned postgame to the alternate training site…Sandoval began the year with San Francisco and hit .220 (18-for-82) with a home run, six RBI and a .546 OPS before the Giants released him on September 10.
Marcell Ozuna: Hit a solo shot on an 0-1 pitch over the left-center field wall for his 18 home run of the season…He entered the game tied with Fernando Tatis Jr. for the most homers in the National League while his 55 RBI ranked first in the NL and second in the majors.
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