DENVER -- You can pick and choose why the Braves have been so effective over the last 11 games, going 9-2 over the stretch and securing their fourth straight series with a pair of wins over the Rockies on Monday and Tuesday (8-2 at Coors Field), boasting 14 hits in each. They’re batting .292 as a team during that stretch and averaging 5.9 runs per game.
There’s the top-to-bottom production from every spot in the lineup, with every batter contributing to Monday’s offensive onslaught and only Marcell Ozuna, the team’s most consistent hitter over the season, failing to reach base Tuesday.
There’s the return of Sean Murphy, who has seven home runs, two doubles, seven walks, 11 runs and 14 RBIs in 17 games (16 starts) since coming off the 10-day injured list on April 8.
Coming off a season-high three hits, including a double, and three runs scored, Matt Olson had his own theories.
“Just better at-bats overall,” Olson said. “We're not necessarily just hitting homers to produce runs. There's a lot of hits in between outfielders and infielders [at Coors Field], and we've kind of seen that a little bit this series from us. Everybody's contributing, keeping the line moving, getting some timely hits.”
There’s the production at the bottom of the lineup, with the seven-, eight-, and nine-hole hitters going 9-for-25 (.360) with four doubles, a triple, seven runs and six RBIs in Colorado.
“Guys at the bottom of the order just keep plugging along, which is awesome,” said manager Brian Snitker.
Among those in the lower third of the lineup is Eli White, another spark plug for the Braves, who extended his extra-base hitting streak to six games Tuesday night with a triple, a double and two runs scored.
"He’s swinging the bat really good, he's having good at-bats, seeing the ball good and getting good decisions,” Snitker said.
Ultimately, for Snitker, it starts at the top of the order, where Alex Verdugo has been the catalyst craved by the Braves since he came up from Triple-A Gwinnett on April 17.
“The biggest thing is when we got Verdugo, when you pinpoint back to when it started,” Snitker said in analyzing the Braves' improved play. “We were mixing and matching with the leadoff spot. He's done a really good job and just brought some stability to it.”
Verdugo is 3-for-8 in the series (.375), with two walks, a run and an RBI. He extended his hitting streak to six games and is 10-for-27 (.370) with three doubles and five RBIs in the span.
“I’m just focused every day on having good at-bats,” Verdugo said before the game. “You're not gonna get knocks every day, but you know you can work pitchers, see pitches, let guys behind me get a better understanding of what that guy's doing, what's working for him and not, and just trying to help put some quality ABs out there and help the team keep the line moving.”
It's the mentality of a leadoff hitter, and Verdugo is practicing what he preaches, slashing .341/.396/.455 with five doubles and two four-hit games going into Wednesday’s series finale. With Ronald Acuña Jr. on the IL following left knee ACL reconstruction, three other players combined to lead off the previous 19 games, slashing .260/.280/.390.
In the same stretch, Braves left fielders combined to slash .200/.268/.231 (13-for-65) with 23 strikeouts in 71 plate appearances.
“For me, the biggest thing is just going back to spraying the ball all over, hitting from the left field line to the right field line and not trying to force outcomes right away,” Verdugo said. “It's a good stretch, but we still feel like there's more in there.”
Verdugo has experience with the Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees, but he found himself without a contract heading into Spring Training, and he worked out on his own with a trainer until taking a call from the Braves.
“I didn't want to sit out a year -- I wanted to play some baseball,” Verdugo said. “It's basically betting on yourself. I get the opportunity to come out here, play, impact games, and show people the type of player that I still am. This is the dream come true.”