ATLANTA -- Bryce Elder looked like he was finally finding some consistency ahead of Saturday’s start against the Astros.
The right-hander entered the day having won three straight decisions over his past six starts dating back to Aug. 14. To make things better, the Braves were 5-1 in those outings and Elder had a 3.32 ERA over those 38 innings.
Elder also came into Saturday having allowed no more than two runs while making it through at least six innings over his previous four starts.
That was not the case in Atlanta’s 6-2 loss to the Astros on Saturday at Truist Park.
Elder allowed six earned runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. It was the fourth time this season Elder has allowed six or more runs without getting through at least five innings. The six runs in 4 1/3 innings were more than he surrendered over his previous four starts and 26 1/3 innings combined.
Elder gave up an RBI single and two-run single in a three-run second and gave up another three runs in the third featuring a Christian Walker two-run home run that traveled a Statcast-projected 431 feet.
“I think they thought they had a pretty good approach,” Elder said. “I thought I didn’t make the pitches when I needed to. [There were] a couple of two-strike sliders [that were] up. The homer was probably the wrong pitch and an even worse location. I think it was kind of ugly all around. I think there were two or three pitches that if I made a better pitch, it may not have been a really good outing but it would have kind of limited the damage.”
The 10 hits that he surrendered matched his single-game career-high, which last happened on June 22 in Miami.
“It [was] probably location, but he’s been on a great run -- but [the Astros are] a really good hitting club,” said manager Brian Snitker. “If you make mistakes and don’t hit your spots, they’re [going to] make you pay. It’s just one of [those] days. We couldn’t mount any offense to get a run at the game.”
Elder has been a workhorse for a Braves rotation that has been devastated by injuries this season. He leads the team in games started (26) innings (142 1/3) and his 118 strikeouts are third on the team behind Chris Sale (141) and Grant Holmes (123). Elder has made it through at least five innings in 18 of his starts.
Elder was relieved by Dylan Dodd, who saved much of Atlanta’s bullpen with a scoreless and hitless 3 2/3 innings.
“I really thought I was going to sneak through five [innings] there,” Elder said. “I thought Dodd did a heck of a job there coming in and stranding those runners. I really appreciate that. I thought I could sneak through five there and I thought that would be really good but I wasn’t able to. We’ll be back at it in five or six days and we’ll be ready to go.”
Though it was one of Elder’s shorter starts, Snitker appreciates Elder’s ability to eat innings, especially after rookie Hurston Waldrep allowed eight runs over 4 2/3 innings on Friday.
“It’s huge,” Snitker said. “When you have back-to-back short starts, that starts chewing up your bullpen. It’s just unfortunate that two of the guys that have been pitching the best for us had the struggles in back-to-back games. Bryce has had five out of six [starts] that have just been nails.”
Despite a large workload this season, Elder exhibited a slight uptick in his fastball velocity in the early innings. Elder’s fastball averages at 92.6 miles per hour, but he consistently hit 93-94 mph in the first two innings.
“I really don’t know [why that is],” Elder said. “I think whether it’s efficiency in my delivery or just timing of it, or both, the last seven or eight starts I think I just pick my leg up and go down on the mound and I’m able to try to throw the ball harder.”
Elder was hit in the leg by a 101.8 mph comebacker off Jake Meyers’ bat in the top of the third, but Elder doesn’t think it will have a long-lasting effect.
“It’s going to get pretty tight but it was fine,” Elder said.