The Braves were unable to get anything going against rookie pitcher Casey Kelly and the Padres bullpen on Monday night, falling by a score of 3-0. It was the 11th time the club has been shutout this season, which seems odd given they rank third in the National League in runs scored.
Paul Maholm continued to be solid for Atlanta, although he let the long ball hurt him again. His lone mistake was a two-run homer to Yasmani Grandal in the second inning. Maholm ended up working 6.2 innings of two-run ball, scattering eight hits and one walk.
Kelly was simply too good in his Major League debut. The 22-year-old righty gave up just three hits and two walks over six innings on the mound, striking out four with his power curve and hard fastball.
With the score 2-0 in the eighth, Fredi Gonzalez made a poor decision by bringing in Miguel Batista. He promptly surrendered a run, pushing what was a solid deficit to an unmanageable one. Some things never change, I suppose.
Martin Prado led off the top of the ninth with a single, but was unable to advance any father. Jason Heyward lined out for the first out, which was followed by a weak 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Chipper Jones.
The Braves are now five games back of the Nationals, who were idle on Monday.