It wasn’t supposed to end this way. Not this way.
The Waffle House winning streak is over and the Atlanta Braves have not one, but a host of bad plays and bad decisions to thank for it.
Atlanta was looking to win its 15th game in a row, which would have tied a franchise record. Instead, the Braves fell to the basement-dwelling Miami Marlins 1-0 at Turner Field on Saturday.
The game was offensively ugly from the start, with both pitchers having their way. Braves’s starter Alex Wood got the no decision for the game. He left after the sixth inning having allowed only two hits and a walk on 87 pitches.
He and Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi, who allowed only one hit in seven innings, took a duel deep into the evening, ighting through a 54 minute rain delay in the second inning. Each dealt with their share of poor plays from their defense as well, but both managed to play extraordinary baseball. Eovaldi finished with eight strikeouts and three walks with no earned runs on his one-hit evening.
But the story of the game was the wild pitch from Braves’ reliever Jordan Walden that got away from rookie catcher Evan Gattis to allow shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria to score from third. The Cuban had just notched his sixth triple of the season off of Walden to put himself in position.
The pitch to batter Ed Lucas was low, but certainly catchable, particularly for Gattis who has played like a prodigy in his first big league season.
Gattis was able to get on base with two men out in the bottom of the ninth, but a Paul Janish strikeout delivered by Marlins’ winning pitcher Mike Dunn sealed the deal and the Braves will have to pick up the pieces against these same Marlins tomorrow night.
A candlelight vigil for the winning streak will be held at the Waffle House at 66 5th St. NW, near downtown Atlanta.
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