ATLANTA — First place still wears navy and red in the National League East. Friday night at Truist Park just did not look like it.
According to the Associated Press recap on ESPN, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Friday, Aug. 14, behind seven scoreless innings from Brandon Pfaadt and a ninth-inning solo home run from Tim Tawa.
The pitching duel
Pfaadt improved to 7-1, allowing only two hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts and no walks on 87 pitches, the AP account says. Since returning to the big-league rotation from Triple-A Reno on June 30, Pfaadt is listed at 7-0 with a 1.16 ERA in that stretch, with 32 2/3 innings without an earned run.
Braves left-hander Chris Sale took the loss and fell to 12-8. He worked six innings, allowing one run on five hits with nine strikeouts on 108 pitches, tying a season high, per the same recap.
Rookie left-hander Brandyn Garcia finished a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
How Arizona scored
Arizona’s first run came in the opening inning. After a leadoff walk to Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll hit a line drive to left that Mauricio Dubón misplayed; it was ruled a double, and Perdomo scored on a groundout by Gabriel Moreno, the AP write-up says. Tawa’s solo shot in the ninth — his seventh homer of the year — provided the insurance run.
Perdomo finished 3-for-4 with a run scored. Carroll went 2-for-4.
Context for Atlanta
The Braves had not been shut out since June 27 and entered the night 10-0 in Friday home games this season, according to the recap. After the loss, ESPN’s standings snapshot in the same package listed Atlanta at 73-49, still alone atop the NL East, with Arizona at 65-58.
Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte left in the second inning with left knee soreness, the AP notes.
What’s next
The series continues Saturday at Truist Park, with Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez (11-4, 2.70) lined up against Atlanta’s Grant Holmes (7-4, 3.47), per the recap’s “up next” notes. Battery ATL’s event listing had first pitch for the series games at 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Primary source: ESPN game recap (AP).