The Braves played a playoff contender for the third straight weekend. The three-game set against the Brewers followed series against the Diamondbacks and Yankees.
This time, the Braves scored six total runs while losing the first two games before salvaging a victory in the series finale. They scored eight total runs each against the Yankees and Diamondbacks while getting the same results.
The Braves avoided the sweep by beating the Brewers 4-2 Sunday night. The Braves could not avoid adding to the pile of evidence that they will struggle against the good pitchers they’ll see in October.
The Brewers (81-50) held the Braves to a run in each of two games played in Milwaukee. The Braves scored two runs on defensive miscues by Milwaukee during the finale in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Braves outfielder Michael Harris II hit his team’s only homer of the series in the final inning.
It’s possible the Braves (76-55) could end up playing the Brewers in October. If the playoffs started now, the top-seeded Brewers would earn a bye to the National League Division Series. The Braves would be the No. 3 seed as the NL East champs and host a best-of three NL wild-card series.
But the Phillies (73-58) have won nine games in a row to close the gap to three games in the East. If the Braves make the playoffs as a wild card, they could be put in Milwaukee’s half of the bracket. Then again, staying at No. 3 could mean a potential matchup with the defending champion Dodgers in the NLDS.
That would require the Braves to advance in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2021 World Series. They have the pitching to make a run. The question is how their homer-or-nothing offense will fare against the swing-and-miss pitchers they’ll see in October.
The Braves are 11-10 in August while averaging 3.7 runs per game.
“I think we kind of had this same little thing in June,” Harris said during an in-game interview with ESPN on Sunday. “And then right when July came around, everything went back to normal. I think a lot of teams have these little ruts you go through that you’ve just got to try to get out of.”
The Dodgers will be at Truist Park on Tuesday to start a three-game series.
Angel Reese has become unstoppable
Angel Reese began last week with a key blown layup during the Dream’s loss to Indiana. She spent the rest of the week making up for it.
Reese made winning plays late in the Dream’s victory at defending WNBA champion Las Vegas on Tuesday. She made all nine of her shots in the blowout victory at Los Angeles on Thursday. Then Reese ended the week with her best performance since joining the Dream this year.
Reese scored a career-high 31 points during the victory at Phoenix on Saturday night. It was a confident and assertive offensive effort from a player who has struggled at that end.
Reese scored on putbacks. She scored on drives. She scored with nifty moves around the basket.
Reese missed 9 of 13 attempts from within five feet against Indiana last weekend, including the potential game-winner. She was 5-of-10 shooting from that distance against Las Vegas, 7-of-7 at Los Angeles and 14-of-17 at Phoenix.
The WNBA’s least-efficient scorer from close range has been unstoppable around the basket for the past three games.
What changed?
“Just staying poised and not letting anybody speed me up,” Reese said after the victory at Phoenix. “I think I’m not at my best when I’m rushing around the basket.”
The Dream clinched a playoff spot with the victory at Phoenix. They are 3-0 on the trip that concludes Monday night back in Los Angeles.
“We wanted to come on this West Coast trip and leave 4-0,” Reese said. “We obviously have one more to take care of Monday. Just setting the tone for what the playoffs is going to look like for our team.”
The Dream are going to be hard to handle in the postseason if Reese keeps playing like this.
United adds Swiss striker Embolo
Miguel Almirón and Alexey Miranchuk are finally playing like the consistently productive attacking players Atlanta United expected when it acquired them. Now, the Five Stripes have added another European goal scorer to the front.
United announced the signing of striker Breel Embolo on Sunday. The Swiss national scored eight goals in 31 matches (20 starts) last season for Rennes in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Embolo had two goals and two assists in four games for Switzerland at the World Cup this summer.
Embolo is signed through 2029-30 as a Designated Player. The Athletic reported that United will pay an $18 million transfer fee. Embolo will give the Five Stripes a big boost if he can provide the goal-scoring touch that was lacking for Emmanuel Latte Lath, who was loaned to Union Berlin earlier this month.
Once Embolo receives his work visa, he will join United’s high-priced attacking group with Almirón and Miranchuk. Almirón and Miranchuk have combined for three goals and seven assists in seven games since the World Cup break.
The Five Stripes beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday night for their third victory in a row. United (6-12-3) has pulled within six points of the last guaranteed spot for the MLS playoffs with 13 games to play.
Three quick thoughts
- Almirón made a fantastic play to set United’s franchise record with 42 assists in all competitions. Almirón got by Sporting Kansas City defender Moisés Mosquera with several stop-and-go moves before serving a precise pass to Tomás Jacob for a score in the 13th minute. Almirón also earned a secondary assist with a corner kick that Fafà Picault flicked into goal in the 24th minute.
- Georgia Bulldogs great Nick Chubb announced his retirement Saturday. He was on track for the Pro Football Hall of Fame before injuries derailed his career. Chubb rushed for 6,341 yards and 48 touchdowns through his first five seasons with the Browns but played just 10 games from 2023-24. Chubb, 30, was a backup for the Texans last season.
- Another Bulldogs great, Stetson Bennett IV, increased the chances the Rams will keep him as the backup quarterback. Bennett passed for 181 yards on 31 attempts and rushed for two touchdowns in the preseason victory against the Saints on Saturday. “I think he’s getting better and better,” Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters.
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