MIAMI -- Down 2-1 with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning, Braves manager Brian Snitker stuck with his dealing rookie right-hander -- at the plate.\n\nSeconds before Miami intentionally walked the eighth batter, Ender Inciarte, Matt Joyce was announced in the on-deck circle. Braves starter
Albies turned on a 1-2, 95.5 mph four-seam fastball, sending it to the second deck for his third career grand slam during the decisive five-run sixth. Atlanta went from a 36.7 percent win expectancy following Soroka’s strikeout to 87 percent after Albies’ clutch knock, per FanGraphs.\n\n“That was amazing,” said Soroka, who drove in his first career RBI with a single in the seventh. “That was the most fired up I've been for sure, when Ozzie hit that grand slam. Obviously I wanted to hit that grand slam before, but he finished the job, and I was real pumped. That was awesome.”\n\nIt was more than enough run support for Soroka, who permitted a pair of unearned runs over seven innings to improve to 3-1 and lower his ERA to 1.14.\n\nAfter allowing at least one baserunner in each of the first four frames, Atlanta’s top-ranked prospect turned dominant. Soroka scattered three hits, none after Rosell Herrera’s infield single in the fourth. Paired with Albies’ grand slam, the 21-year-old righty’s scoreless sixth and seventh innings backed up his skipper’s decision to keep him in the game.\n\n“After that grand slam and RBI and the one inning after that, \\[pitching coach Rick Kranitz\\] said, 'Hey, let’s go. You got to go back out there and stay locked in. First guy's the biggest guy. Make sure you get back in there,'” Soroka said. “That’s nice just to have somebody who resets you and have somebody you can trust.”
Credit Soroka’s devastating two-seamer, which he threw 55 times out of his 89 total pitches. He recorded eight of his 15 called strikes on the pitch. According to Statcast, Soroka entered Saturday with the lowest expected slugging percentage allowed (.234) by a Major League starting pitcher in 2019 (minimum 50 at-bats). He also ranked second with a 59.5 percent ground-ball rate (min. 25 batted balls).\n\n“He's the real deal,” said