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Braves Talk - Braves pitching on a roll in last six games

Bill Shanks talks about the great pitching the Braves have gotten in the last six games

When Mike Soroka got hurt last Monday night, everyone in Braves Country gulped. Could the Braves survive with their ace pitcher out for the rest of the season.

Well, so far, so good. In the six games since Soroka was hurt, starting with Tuesday's game with Toronto, the Braves pitching staff has given up 13 runs on 30 hits in 49.0 innings, with 16 walks and 40 strikeouts. That's an ERA of 2.39.

And while Max Fried has started two of those six games, you have to give the rotation credit. In those same six games, the Braves starters have allowed 11 runs on 24 hits in 30.2 innings, with eight walks and 26 strikeouts. That's an ERA of 3.24.

The bullpen continues to be the main story for this team. For the 17 games so far this season, it has a 2.61 ERA, with 20 earned runs allowed on 55 hits in 69.0 innings, 22 walks and 72 strikeouts.

In the last six games, the bullpen has allowed just two earned runs on six hits in 18.1 innings, with eight walks and 14 strikeouts.

We know the Braves are going to score runs. Saturday's shutout obviously woke up the bats on Sunday as they outscored the Phillies 13-2 in the double-header. But if this pitching continues to be solid, the Braves are going to be heavy favorites in the National League East.

Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays at 3:00 p.m. ET on Middle Georgia’s ESPN. You can listen online at TheSuperStations.com. Follow Bill on Twitter at @billshanks and you can email him at thebillshanksshow@yahoo.com.