Braves and Cardinals conclude season series

There could be long-term implications for who wins Sunday’s deciding game between the visiting St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves.

The teams played a doubleheader on Saturday, with Atlanta winning the opener 3-2 in 10 innings and St. Louis winning 9-5 in the closing game.

If Atlanta wins on Sunday, the Braves will even the season series at 3-3. But if St. Louis wins, the Cardinals will win the season series 4-2 and hold a tiebreaker over the Braves if the two teams are tied at the end of the season.

Atlanta holds a 3 1/2-game lead over St. Louis in the battle for the National League’s top wild-card spot.

A pair of right-handers will begin the series and season finale between the clubs. St. Louis sends veteran Miles Mikolas (7-8, 5.13 ERA) to the mound to face Atlanta rookie Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4, 4.43).

Mikolas suffered the loss in his most recent start, against the Chicago Cubs on July 14. He allowed six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Mikolas allowed a career-high four home runs in the 8-3 loss.

“Our rotation has done exactly what we want it to do,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “Our bullpen is as good as any bullpen and as consistent as any bullpen. They’ve been really, really good.”

Mikolas will make his eighth career appearance, his seventh start, against Atlanta. He snapped a three-game losing streak against the Braves in his last start against them on Sept. 5, 2023, to go 2-4 with an all-time 3.89 ERA.

Schwellenbach has assumed the role of the Braves’ No. 5 starter since being promoted from Double-A Mississippi in May. He will make his ninth start and first since July 12 when he defeated the San Diego Padres 6-1. Schwellenbach allowed one run on three hits, one walk and three strikeouts in a season-long seven innings. He has allowed just two runs in his last 13 innings.

“It shows how far he’s come and I think he’s discovered things and learned things about himself,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.

Schwellenbach faced the Cardinals on June 24, losing 4-3. He allowed four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts in five innings.

The St. Louis offense continues to be led by designated hitter Alec Burleson, who went 4-for-9 with four RBI in the doubleheader. Burleson has a team-leading 57 RBI and has driven in 39 since June 1, the most in the NL. He has raised his batting average to .292.

Atlanta DH Marcell Ozuna picked up where he left off before the All-Star Game. He hit two homers on Saturday’s nightcap, giving him 28 (second in the NL) and seven homers in his last 12 games. Ozuna had two more RBIs for an NL-best 79.

The Braves are benefiting from the return of left fielder Eddie Rosario, who was cut by the Washington Nationals on July 8 and signed by Atlanta.

He homered in every game of the doubleheader and has hit safely in six of the nine games since returning to the Braves. He played with Atlanta from 2021-23 before joining the Nationals in the offseason.

–Field Level Media