Spencer Schwellenbach gave the Atlanta Braves bullpen a desperately needed breather on Wednesday’s 6-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He went the distance, pitching a two-run complete game, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out nine. He completed the game in 105 pitches, throwing 76 of those pitches for strikes.
It’s his first career complete game at any level of professional baseball. He never tossed one in the minor leagues. It’s the first complete game by a Braves pitcher this season. He’s the first Braves pitcher not named Max Fried to go the distance since Bryce Elder pitched a complete-game shutout in 2022. Before that, you have to go back to 2018 when Mike Foltynewicz pitched two of them.
Once an indicator of a strong outing, especially knowing the Braves history of starting pitching, complete games have become hard to come by.
His two earned runs allowed came on a solo shot by Rhys Hoskins in the bottom of the second to make the game 3-1 and an RBI double by Eric Haase in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it 6-2. The Braves bats gave Schwellenbach plenty of cushion finish the game. They put up six runs on 10 hits, going 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position. In a tighter game, manager Brian Snitker might have gone to the bullpen to keep them in it.
However, with the struggles the bullpen has had, particularly over the last week, this was a major moment for them to reset and not have to worry about more than one arm.
The Braves finally pick up a series win, their first since they took two out of three against the Boston Red Sox in mid-May. A seven-game losing streak mixed into losing 15 of their last 20 games made it hard for a series win to come by.
It took some things to go absolutely the right way. A complete game was what it took. The Braves head back home with, what should be, a favorable matchup ahead. They host the Colorado Rockies for a three-games series over the weekend. Bryce Elder will be on the bump for a 7:15 p.m. first pitch.
