Chris Sale reached 200 strikeouts for the first time since 2019 and secured his 16th win of the season, pitching seven strong innings to help the Atlanta Braves defeat the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Tuesday night.
After losing three out of four games to NL East-leading Philadelphia, which hurt Atlanta’s chances for a seventh straight division title, the Braves kept a half-game lead over the Mets for the final NL wild-card spot. The Mets won 7-2 against the Boston Red Sox.
Sale (16-3) earned his sixth consecutive win. He has managed to give up no more than three earned runs in his last 15 starts, showing he is still a top pitcher like he was when he made the All-Star Game and ranked high in AL Cy Young Award voting for seven years.
Sale allowed six hits and struck out nine batters, raising his season total to 206, which is his highest since he had 219 strikeouts with the Red Sox before injuries affected his career. He is now the first left-handed pitcher in Braves history to reach 200 strikeouts.
Sale downplayed these achievements, saying his main focus is helping the Braves succeed in the playoffs.
“When you get home and everything settles down, that’s when you start to appreciate some of these things,” he said. “I don’t want to get caught up in something that doesn’t matter right now and doesn’t count towards the season.
It doesn’t help us get more wins. It’s just a shiny coin that you can’t cash in.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker values the season Sale is having. Despite a series of injuries, Sale has played a key role in keeping Atlanta in the playoff race.
“A lot of these things he is doing are very special in my book,” Snitker said. “When you’re with him every day and you see how he competes and what he’s done, it’s a Cy Young season.”
Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 29th save out of 31 opportunities, and he has now pitched 22 1/3 scoreless innings.
“It’s getting past the point of impressive,” Sale said about his closer’s performance. “To have him secure the ninth inning like that, it’s a game-changer for us.”
In the third inning, Whit Merrifield singled off Kyle Freeland (4-7) with one out and scored on Gio Urshela’s double down the left-field line.
Michael Harris II then hit a grounder toward first base. Michael Toglia fielded the ball and tried to flip it to Freeland, but the throw was off-target and rolled toward the Atlanta dugout. This error allowed Urshela to score.
Sale managed to get out of a tough situation in the sixth inning after Ezequiel Tovar led off with a triple that hit the fence in right field.
Brendan Rodgers and Brenton Doyle struck out swinging before Toglia hit a ball to the 400-foot sign in center field. Harris made a twisting catch against the wall.
Merrifield left the game after a frightening moment in the seventh inning when a 94-mph fastball from Jeff Criswell hit him in the head, though it caught part of his helmet just behind his left ear.
Merrifield wobbled on one knee, yelling angrily at Criswell, before slowly walking to the dugout. Luke Williams replaced him and later scored on Harris’ sacrifice fly.
Snitker said Merrifield passed the concussion protocol and expected he would be able to play on Wednesday.
