The Atlanta Braves picked up an enormous win on Thursday night, and it was due in no small part to their lockdown closer.
In the rubber game of the Braves three-game set with the archrival Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta emerged victorious by a 3-2 final. Burgeoning rookie star pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach picked up the win, and Raisel Iglesias nailed down his 28th save.
Iglesias had his nastiest stuff, striking out Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, then Nick Castellanos, then Bryson Stott, all swinging, to take the series. It kept the Braves (68-59) 1 1/2 games clear of the New York Mets in the Wild Card, and six back of the Phillies in the division.
Iglesias' outing was dominant, and it was crucial to Atlanta's continued push to stay in control of their destiny. But it also put him in rare air among big-league relievers, showcasing how brilliant he has truly been of late.
According to Mark Bowman, a Braves reporter for MLB.com, Iglesias' outing marked the 10th straight time he has pitched without allowing a baserunner, and his 11th straight inning. Only two relief pitchers in AL/NL history have ever had at least 10 consecutive perfect outings.
Bobby Jenks, the longtime Chicago White Sox closer, made 13 consecutive perfect appearances in 2007, setting the mark Iglesias could still break. And Koji Uehara, the remarkable closer for the 2013 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, had a streak of 11 that season.
Bowman also reported that Iglesias' streak of 35 consecutive batters retired is the longest in Braves team history since the Expansion Era (1962), and the longest by any big-league pitcher since Yusmeiro Petit in 2014 for the San Francisco Giants.
It's been a career year for Iglesias, 34, who came to Atlanta in a midseason trade in 2022. In addition to saving 28 of his 30 save opportunities, Iglesias has a career-low 1.45 ERA while allowing opposing batters a microscopic .137 batting average.
The Braves have been ravaged by injuries all season, but they're hanging tough in the playoff hunt. And if they get to October, no one will want to see Iglesias taking the mound in the ninth inning.
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