Braves Spencer Strider Makes History During Strong Night in Miami

The Braves righty pitched seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits and walks while striking out three. He passed a major test in his final inning of work. The Marlins put two runners on with one out, and Strider worked around it to end the inning.

Along with the test at the end, he worked around a lead-off triple in the first inning and held the Marlins to one run in the fifth inning.

If not for the Braves (and in turn, him) taking a 2-1 loss to open their series with the Marlins, it would have been a performance that would have left him relieved. He had a 10.38 ERA and a 2.30 WHIP. He gave up 10 hits or more twice and five earned runs or more in his last three starts.

Now, he gave himself a moment to rebuild his confidence and turn the corner.

Coming back from missing a year due to an elbow injury - now helped by missing time shortly after with a hamstring injury - typically comes with its ebbs and flows. Strider's return has been no exception.

We've seen some of the best of Strider as well this season before things began to spiral for him. In seven starts from June 14 to July 18. He had a 2.53 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 58 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings pitched.

He had two double-digit strikeout performances in that span and recorded at least eight punchouts five times.

The strikeouts didn't come back in droves on Monday night. As a matter of fact, it was his fourth game with three strikeouts or fewer in his last five starts. According to the FanDuel Network broadcast, he only had two instances in his first 67 Major League starts.

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that the strikeout pitch wasn't there. He was forced to find other ways to get the batter out. He induced seven groundouts - there was a fielder's choice that could have been an eighth time. He got a batter to pop up along with a few lineouts toward the end of his start.

Fatigue setting in toward the end of his start is likely the groundouts started to turn to lineouts, but to his credit, he didn't surrender to it.

If this is where a run to finish the season on a high note starts, then he's already a step toward silencing a lot of doubts that could potentially follow him into Spring Training.

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