Baseball fans were treated to an exciting showdown on Friday night as the Atlanta Braves took on the Boston Red Sox. The game delivered a classic pitcher’s duel between Garrett Crochet and Chris Sale, but it was ultimately decided by two early home runs and a collapse from Boston’s bullpen, helping Atlanta improve to a 23-22 record.
The Braves had a golden opportunity to blow the game wide open in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded against Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, manager Brian Snitker had the chance to make a bold move. However, he opted to stick with Stuart Fairchild instead of using a pinch hitter. The decision was questionable, especially with Drake Baldwin—one of the team’s hottest hitters—available on the bench. Despite being a lefty, Baldwin has been outstanding against left-handed pitchers in May.
So far this month, Baldwin is 4-for-5 versus left-handers, and Braves insider Mark Bowman noted he would have been the better choice in such a critical moment. To make matters more puzzling, Fairchild came up again in the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs, and once again, Snitker chose not to pinch-hit. Fortunately for Atlanta, the Red Sox bullpen continued to struggle, and Fairchild managed to draw a walk, giving the Braves two much-needed insurance runs.
While Snitker has generally done a solid job of getting Baldwin into games, this felt like a missed opportunity. The numbers clearly supported giving Baldwin the at-bat: he’s batting .364/.417/.636 this season in two-out, runners-in-scoring-position situations, including one home run, five RBIs, and an impressive 195 OPS+.
Baldwin has a knack for delivering in high-pressure situations, so it was surprising not to see him used when it counted most. In the end, the Braves still pulled out the win, with Raisel Iglesias locking down the save and Fairchild catching the final out—bringing a dramatic game to a close.
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