The Atlanta Braves have had a tough start to the Major League Baseball season. Going into Thursday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, they had yet to win a series, holding a 2-9 record and tying for the worst in the league. Their offense had been underperforming, with only 34 runs scored, barely ahead of the Colorado Rockies’ 33. In the final game of their three-game series, the Braves started 24-year-old right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who delivered a solid performance, allowing just one run in six innings. With both teams struggling offensively, the game was tied at one after a long rain delay and went into extra innings. In the 11th inning, Marcell Ozuna hit a walk-off home run to the left field stands, sending the fans who stayed through the rain delay into a frenzy. The Braves quickly posted a two-word message on their official X account.
Marcell Ozuna is affectionately known as “The Big Bear,” a nickname he adopted early in his career while playing in the Minor Leagues. In Spanish, “bear” translates to “oso.” Ozuna’s 413-foot walk-off home run was only his second of the season. Though his power has yet to fully emerge this year, he remains the Braves’ top hitter with a .316 batting average, the only one above .275.
The Braves have had struggles across the board, but Thursday night’s dramatic walk-off could be the spark they need. The Braves have been one of MLB’s most consistent teams in recent years, making the postseason in each of the last seven seasons, including a World Series win in 2021. After starting the season 0-7, they now stand at 3-9. No team in MLB history has ever reached the playoffs after an 0-7 start, and the longest losing streak to start a season while still making the postseason belongs to the 1974 Pittsburgh Pirates, who began 0-6.
Leave a Reply