ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale reached 200 strikeouts for the first time since 2019 and earned the 16th win of his comeback season, pitching seven strong innings to lead the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Tuesday night.
After losing three of four at NL East-leading Philadelphia, putting a severe dent in Atlanta’s hopes of a seventh straight division title, the Braves maintained a half-game lead over the Mets for the final NL wild card. New York beat the Boston Red Sox 7-2.
Sale (16-3) earned his sixth straight win. He has gone 15 straight starts allowing no more than three earned runs — looking very much like the pitcher who made the All-Star Game and finished near the top of AL Cy Young Award balloting for seven consecutive seasons.
Sale allowed six hits and fanned nine to push his season total to 206, his most since he had 219 with the Red Sox before a series of injuries derailed his career. He became the first left-hander in Braves franchise history to post 200 Ks.
Sale shrugged off the milestones, saying his only goal is helping the Braves go deep in the playoffs.