Bullpen struggles as Braves drop opener to Angels, 4-0

That mountain of offensive production was much too much for this Braves offense to overcome, as they fell to 1-38 when trailing after eight innings. It was the seventh time the team has been shutout this season and third time in five games.

“The biggest thing is we’ve got some guys that have done it before,” Braves manager said in response to his optimism on why the team’s offense can turn it around. “You just hope the rediscover it again and do what - I always allude to the back of the baseball card. We have a bunch of guys that have that, and a good one. We’re just hoping at some point it clicks and they get it going.”

Braves starter Grant Holmes at least did his part, leaving after six scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth with a strikeout of Logan O’Hoppe on a slider and a first-and-third situation in the fifth by inducing a fielder’s choice off the bat of Mike Trout.

It was Holmes’ second double-digit strikeout performance of his career, and season, and 68 of his 106 pitches were strikes. He also produced 27 swings and misses. Holmes is now fanning 1.17 batters per inning this season.

The Braves fell to 3-9 in Holmes’ last 12 starts and have lost both of his double-digit strikeout performances.

“It is tough. But like I keep saying, it’s baseball,” Holmes said. “We don’t come to the facility and expect to not hit and not pitch well. We come to the facility and expect to pitch well and hit well. It’s just the life of baseball. It can be so rewarded and suck so much at the same time. It is what it is.”

Holmes’ counterpart, veteran Tyler Anderson, was just as impressive, keeping the Braves without a run through six innings and striking out seven while working around four hits and two walks.

Anderson had not had a scoreless outing since April 18.

Michael Harris II, 0 for his last 20 and 3 for his last 46, led off the fifth against Anderson with a triple to right center that sailed right past the open glove of Soler. But the Braves (38-46) squandered the opportunity, as Nick Allen fouled out, Ronald Acuna Jr. struck out, and Marcell Ozuna, after a walk to Matt Olson, flied out weakly to left.

Acuna Jr. struck out four times, just the second time he has done that in his career and the first time since 2020.