The Braves struck first. In more ways than one.

Their offense, which has been rolling along since their general manager rebuilt it at the trade deadline, continued its onslaught. Their very first batter hit a home run. They ended up getting two runs in the first. Three more in the second. And they cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Astros in Houston.

While they won the game, they lost Charlie Morton in the process. Surprisingly, he pitched an entire inning with a broken leg.

In the second inning, a 102-mile-per-hour comeback line drive off the bat of Yuri Gurriel struck Morton in the right shin. It looked as painful as it sounds.

Actually, it was a lot worse. He completed the inning, then got the first out in the third. Then, he realized something was wrong. 

He limped off the mound and out of action for the rest of the year.

His Braves took Game 1. And with any luck, his turn in the order won’t come up again anyway, and his loss won’t be felt. But that’s never how it really goes. And this is a big blow to the Braves.

Morton lasted just two-and-a-third innings because of injury. Houston’s Framber Valdez lasted just two innings because the Braves pounded on him for five runs on eight hits.

This game was over early. Game 1 goes to Atlanta, with an offense that is clicking on all cylinders. Jorge Soler had missed nearly all the playoffs so far because of COVID. He leads off the game going deep. Adam Duvall hit a two-run shot in the third. The Braves collected twelve hits.

Baseball is so much more fun when there’s offense.

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