Atlanta, GA
Mariners win battle of dueling no-hitters over Atlanta, 2-1
We all sign up for baseball knowing that it isn’t fair. You can square up a ball perfectly and have it go for an out; you can throw a gem on the mound and still get tagged with an “L.” Perhaps nothing is more frustrating in baseball than being a pitcher and seeing how your hours of hard work can be undone with one swing.
Tonight Bryce Miller outdueled Braves starter Max Fried in every way except, unfortunately, where it counted—on the scoreboard—and the beautiful sand castle he’d spent hours painstakingly building threatened to collapse under the tidal wave of the Braves’ offense. However, Miller beat back the current, showcasing just how much he’s grown since the last time he faced these Braves, and the Mariners came through with just enough offense—not enough to give Miller a win, mind you, because as aforementioned, baseball is not fair, but enough that the Mariners were able to bank another win, which is all anyone—including Miller—really cares about.
The last time Miller faced Atlanta, in May of 2023, it was just his fourth start, but the rookie held the powerful Braves lineup at bay into the seventh inning, allowing just one run to score, working around a little traffic on the bases and striking out four. He left after allowing a leadoff base hit in the seventh and then walking a runner; both inherited runners would later score.
Tonight, Miller bested himself, this time working through the seventh inning, striking out 10 and carrying a perfect game into the sixth inning, and a no-hitter into the seventh. In a night that was maybe under-billed as a pitching duel between two of the game’s brightest young starters, Miller bested Fried in innings pitches—seven to Fried’s six—and issued just one walk to Fried’s two. He collected more whiffs, and struck out 10 to Fried’s 7. But when Miller departed the game after the seventh, he was in line for the loss, with the Mariners down 1-0.
“Last year, if the fastball wasn’t working or if I gave up a couple hits on it, it was like, I guess I’m gonna keep throwing it and see what happens,” said Miller postgame. “But now I’ve got other stuff, and third time through, they were seeing stuff they hadn’t seen, or they hadn’t seen much of. So it’s big getting into the back half of the game.”
“That’s about as good an outing we’ve seen Bryce maybe ever have,” said Scott Servais postgame. “That was some kind of electric fastball he was featuring tonight.”
Miller went nine up and nine down in the first three innings with five strikeouts: two in the first, one in the second, and two in the third, in a nice little palindromic run. He threw seven of nine first-pitch strikes and demonstrated arguably the best command over his four-seam fastball we’ve seen yet this season. It was a vintage* (*early 2023) Bryce Miller performance, where he leaned heavily on his four-seamer, but sprinkled in his fun new toys of the two-seamer, sweeper, and splitter to pick up outs on the ground and at the plate.
Miller’s one bobble came in the seventh inning; with the perfecto gone on a walk to Travis d’Arnaud in the sixth that was just as quickly erased by former Mariner Jarred Kelenic grounding into a double play on the sweeper, Miller’s new favorite toy to deploy against lefties, Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the seventh inning with a base hit on a fastball away that Dylan Moore, playing in place of the injured J.P. Crawford, couldn’t quite corral. He then rudely stole second and third. I thought the South was all about manners?
Miller then made one of his few mistakes of the night, leaving a fastball in the middle of the plate to Ozzie Albies that would have scored Acuña from first even if he’d been wearing one of those boots they put on cars with unpaid fines. It had the makings of a kind of meltdown inning that plagued Miller at times last season. But Bryce Miller 2.0, fully loaded with new accessories, is a different animal than 2023 Bryce Miller. He came back to strike out Austin Riley looking at a perfectly located slider, nailed Matt Olson with a slider in the same location for another backwards K, and got Marcell Ozuna lunging after a slider for an easy flyout. Deep South, meet Big Tex.
Servais called those the biggest three outs of the game. “That just shows me so much where he’s at, maturity-wise. So many guys, when they have a night like that going and it starts to get away from them, they just lose it, and he didn’t, which is a credit to him.”
“Bryce Miller, he’s a unique cat. It’s Big Tex. It’s always Big Tex. He doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low, and you saw that play out tonight.”
Meanwhile, the Mariners did what they could against Max Fried, created in a lab to be a nightmare for the spin/breaking ball-allergic 2024 Mariners. They did work some counts: Rodríguez and Haniger both worked full counts in the first, and Mitch Garver actually worked a walk in the second, but he was undone by Cal Raleigh swinging through a fastball for a strikeout, Ty France lunging after a curveball for a strikeout, and Jorge Polanco actually making contact but for a soft popout. Polanco also gets a star for a ten-pitch at-bat in the fourth which ended in a strikeout, and it tells you a little bit about the quality of these other at-bats that a ten-pitch strikeout is worthy enough to note. Credit where it’s due, though: Fried’s pitch count was pushing into the sixties in the bottom of the fourth, while Bryce Miller was at a trim 46 (with 33 strikes!) headed into the top of the fifth.
However, even with Fried out of the game, the Mariners went down quietly against Pierce Johnson in the seventh, but were able to get a little traction against Joe Jiménez in the eighth when Ty France led off with a walk. With a righty on the mound, the Mariners finally let Josh Rojas out of his platoon cage, and he of course immediately got a hit and ended the no-hitter. Right now Rojas is serving the role of 2023 J.P. Crawford, bailing this team out when they desperately need people on base, and he needs to be in every game regardless of handedness.
The Mariners actually had Jiménez on the ropes, but right after Rojas broke up the no-hitter (which would have been that most grotesque of creatures, the combined no-hitter), Luis Urías struck out. I wasn’t listening, but the sound Dave Sims made was described to me as “soul-hollowing.” However, pinch-hitter Luke Raley kept hope alive by sneaking a single through virtually the same spot, loading the bases for Julio and Haniger with one out. Surely one of them could cash in the run, right? Surely not, as Julio went after a slider and popped it out to shallow left field, and Mitch Haniger—who has quietly been on a pretty rough run these past couple weeks—struck out, lunging after a slider that ended up in the other batter’s box.
At this point, although it did not feel fair to Bryce Miller to hand him this loss, it felt fair that the Mariners would lose this game. They’d had chances, and squandered those chances. Miller had been better than Fried, but the Mariners hitters had not been better than the Braves hitters. Sometimes, that’s just how it goes.
Until it isn’t.
Braves closer Raisel Iglesias was unavailable today, having pitched yesterday, so Atlanta brought in lefty A.J. Mintner. Jorge Polanco greeted him by leaping on the first fastball he saw, lacing a base hit down the left field line. That brought up Mitch Garver, who’s been scuffling at the plate, to put it mildly. Garver got ahead 3-0, before taking a pair of pitches—one borderline, one less so—to make it a full count.
Then Minter left a cutter in the middle of the plate. And this time, Garver did not miss it.
“I think he can breathe now,” said Servais. “He got a big hit. And once you get a big hit with a new team, it does help.”
That was Garver’s first career walkoff home run at any level, and he described it as a “relief”—not just to have ended the game, but also to have contributed during a time when he’s been scuffling at the plate.
“In a time when things aren’t going my way and I’m not feeling quite like myself, to be able to come through for the team in any way shape or form, that’s a huge W.”
Tonight Miller’s sterling outing was threatened to be undone by one swing; at the same time, Garver’s frustrating stretch of play was also undone by one good swing. It’s a good reminder that as frustrating as baseball can be, as Garver says,
“The game gives back to you at times, too.”
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta HR commissioner placed on leave over nepotism allegations
ATLANTA – The City of Atlanta has placed its human resources commissioner on administrative leave while it investigates accusations of nepotism.
Officials have confirmed an ongoing investigation by the city’s Law Department into Commissioner Tarlesha Smith.
According to a report obtained by FOX 5, the Office of the Inspector General investigation began in April 2023 over an allegation that Smith created a city position for her daughter and then tried to have her daughter’s supervisor terminated.
In the report, Smith is accused of creating a full-time position with the Office of the City Solicitor specifically for her daughter in the fall of 2022.
“City staff expedited the daughter’s onboarding process, skipping elements of her background check and disregarding her ineligibility,” the report reads. “She did not receive an employment or education verification. She was not interviewed. She did not meet the minimum qualifications of the position.”
When Smith’s daughter reportedly began to be late and absent from her work due to her supervisor, OCS Director of Administration Jennifer Johnson, denying her request to telework, officials say Johnson recommended that she be fired.
Instead, the report says the Department of Human Resources began to investigate Johnson, placed her on administrative leave, and told her department head that she would be terminated.
“The department head, who had worked with the supervisor for more than 25 years and who could not recall a single complaint against the supervisor, requested that DHR provide him with documentation to support this action — a copy of the complaint against the supervisor and a copy of DHR’s investigative findings,” the report reads. “DHR provided no documentation.”
The investigation also revealed additional concerns about Smith’s “unprofessionalism” and “deviation from human resources standards.”
Following the report, a City of Atlanta spokesperson said Smith was placed on administrative leave while City Law handles its independent investigation and interviews additional employees.
“We want to ensure we have a comprehensive review of the facts,” the spokesperson said.
The city has also asked the Law Department to develop an updated policy related to immediate family members.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Braves fall to Cubs – WBBJ TV
Atlanta, GA
5 Atlanta events you won’t want to miss: May 16-22
Exhibit opening of Rhythm and Resilience: The Artistry of Sam Middleton
When: May 17, 6:30-9 p.m.
Where: Hammonds House Museum
Cost: $5-$10, free for museum members
Details: Middleton, a pioneering mixed-media artist who grew up amidst the Harlem Renaissance and took inspiration from living in the Netherlands, will get fresh consideration in a new exhibit at the Hammonds House Museum in West End. The exhibit, which runs through August, will kick off with an opening reception on Friday evening. Enjoy small bites and music while you peruse Middleton’s enlightened work.
Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals
When: May 17-18
Where: Underground Atlanta
Cost: $20
Details: Atlanta will host the national finals for Red Bull’s street dance competition, featuring a face-off between sixteen finalists, some of the most talented street dancers in the country. The winner—decided by crowd vote—will head to the World Finals in India later this year. There will also be dance workshops in multiple styles, open to anyone, and a performance from hip-hop icon Soulja Boy. This high-octane event is open to all ages, so bring even the littlest dancers.
Marietta Greek Festival
When: May 17-19
Where: Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, Marietta
Cost: $5, kids under 12 free
Details: Opa! Enjoy all things Greek—notably food, but also music, dance, faith, art, and again, food—at this popular annual festival hosted by Marietta’s Greek Orthodox Church. All three days feature a lineup of dance performances showcasing traditional and contemporary Greek dance styles, as well as “learn to dance” classes open to anyone who wants to learn. There’s also an artist market and tours of the beautiful, Byzantine-style church. And, of course, food to delight the senses: dolmades, spanakopita, baklava, souvlaki . . . you may have to come back multiple days to enjoy the entire menu.
Virginia-Highland Porchfest
When: May 18, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Where: Virginia-Highland
Cost: Free
Details: The leafy neighborhood of Virginia-Highland becomes the city’s most vibrant outdoor festival for this one-day-only event. Dozens of bands will play live music from porches around Virginia-Highland, most of them scattered along Barnett Street, Adair Avenue, and surrounding streets. There’s also a Kids Corner play area, a costume-filled 1k Rock n’ Run, and artist vendors, plus food and drinks from local food trucks.
Indie Craft Experience Summer Market
When: May 19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Monday Night Brewing Garage
Cost: $5, kids under 12 free
Details: Peruse a wide array of local artists and crafts makers at this market pop-up, located inside Monday Night Brewing Garage off the Westside BeltLine. Pick up everything from handmade cards and candles to jewelry, paintings, and local coffee—great gifts for graduates, teacher thank-yous, and anyone else in need of a thoughtful local gift. Come early for a free favor: the first 100 people in line get a custom Indie Craft Experience tote bag.
Sports corner: Atlanta home games
- The Braves host the San Diego Padres at Truist Park for a four-game matchup May 17-20. Info here.
- The Atlanta Dream host the Dallas Wings for their first home game of the 2024 season at Gateway Center Arena in College Park. Info here.
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