ATLANTA — For a pitcher such as Nolan McLean, who prides himself on adapting pitch to pitch, inning to inning, game to game, week to week, there are few challenges quite so engaging as facing a team multiple times. Tuesday, McLean proved he was up to that challenge.
Facing the Braves for the fourth time in his young career, the third time this season and the second time in five weeks, McLean held Atlanta to one run over six innings at Truist Park. It was a solid rebound from his last outing, in which McLean allowed five runs to the Guardians on Thursday.
The only damage McLean allowed came on a leadoff homer by Ozzie Albies, who jumped all over an 0-2 fastball in the fifth inning to record the game’s first run. That, however, was enough to put McLean on the hook for a loss.
Through 24 starts, McLean holds a 3.42 ERA. But he has a 2.81 ERA in his three outings against the Braves this season, putting up a better stat line each time he’s faced them.
