Chris Sale solid against Reds as Braves’ offense rolls

CINCINNATI — Chris Sale may have already locked down the National League Cy Young Award. But the rejuvenated ace still has plenty to prove next week, when he attempts to pitch the Braves into the postseason.

Sale’s biggest starts of the season awaited him after he benefited from six home runs, including two from both Michael Harris II and Matt Olson, in a 15-3 win over the Reds on Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. The only concern coming out of this outing was the velocity drop the veteran hurler experienced, especially in his fifth, and last, inning.

“Sometimes you feel great and sometimes you’ve just got to find a way through it. Day game. Hot. I just had to find a way to get through that one,” Sale said.

Sale entered Thursday with his four-seam fastball averaging 94.9 mph. The pitch sat between 92.1 mph and 95.5 mph in the third. But it ranged from 89.7 mph to 90.9 mph most of the next two innings. His last fastball of his 93-pitch effort was 92.5 mph.

“I could tell he was beat,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It was hot. It was an early game. Those old bones probably didn’t have a chance to get going real good.”

Sale was given some breathing room as the Braves hit a season-best six home runs. They became the first team in MLB history to tally four three-run home runs in one game.

Having gained an 8-1 lead entering the bottom of the fifth, Sale could have been conserving energy. The Braves have the option to bring him back on normal rest to start Tuesday’s series opener against the Mets. This would also make him available to pitch the regular-season finale if the Braves need to win that day to reach the postseason.

With wins in the final two games of this three-game set, the Braves moved to 1 1/2 games behind both the Mets and D-backs in the battle for the National League’s third and final Wild Card spot.

“We know where we’re at and we know what we’re up against,” Sale said. “It’s right there in front of us.”

Even with the velocity drop, Sale limited the Reds to two runs over five innings. The 35-year-old veteran continues to lead MLB in ERA (2.38), wins (18) and strikeouts (225). He is aiming to become the first pitcher to win MLB’s Triple Crown in a 162-game season since Johan Santana in 2006.

“Knowing what we have in him going into [next week] and later on as well, which would be next month, it will be fun to watch,” Harris said.

As long as Sale is healthy, the Braves are in a much better spot than they were on Tuesday, when they suffered a third straight loss and fell to 0-4 on the season against the Reds. The clutch hitting woes that plagued the team early in the week disappeared with the return of the long ball over the past couple days.

“Hopefully, they’re getting some momentum, and this is a good place to start,” Snitker said. “This ballpark is [good] for hitting.”

Olson certainly would like to play in Cincinnati more frequently. The Braves’ first baseman gave Sale an early lead with a second-inning leadoff homer. His three-run shot in the fifth gave him seven homers within a span of 22 at-bats at GABP going back to last season. He needs just two more home runs to secure a fourth straight 30-homer season.

Harris also seems to be heating up at the right time. His eighth-inning homer gave him a home run in three consecutive games for the first time in his career. His ninth-inning homer gave him his second multihomer game of the season. He tallied his other on Sept. 10 against the Nationals.

Sale also benefited from home runs hit by Jorge Soler and Ramón Laureano. The Braves have leaned on their rotation throughout this season. But this would be a good time for the offense to begin sharing some of the load.

“You hope you can take something from this and keep the momentum rolling,” Sale said.