Chris Sale strikes out 10 in dominant start vs. Angels

ANAHEIM — Chris Sale’s fairy-tale comeback season continued Saturday night at Angel Stadium as he took another step toward his pursuit of history.

Despite some hiccups in the sixth inning of the Braves’ 11-3 win, Sale dominated the Angels lineup for most of his start as he struck out 10 batters for the third consecutive game. His two earned runs came off three hits in the sixth, matching the total hits he’d allowed in the previous five innings. Sale earned his 14th win of the season, the most in the National League.

“It’s huge for your team, just knowing that you have that guy that’s going to go out there and give you a chance to win,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said before the game. “He’s going to do everything in his power to do that. … He’s been awesome all year.”

Sale’s ERA sits at 2.62, which also leads the NL. So do his 186 strikeouts, making him a legitimate Triple Crown candidate and putting him in position to potentially be the National League’s first pitching Triple Crown winner since Clayton Kershaw in 2011.

It’s been a career renaissance for Sale, who was once one of the most feared pitchers in the Majors, but saw his last few years in Boston marred by injuries. He’s reemerged since joining Atlanta in the offseason, posting his best ERA since 2018, which was also his last All-Star season before being selected again this year.

“I’m just enjoying where I’m at. I’m having fun playing baseball again, honestly,” Sale said after the game. “Obviously my last few years have been well documented, and it was tough. But people go through tough things and we get over it, and here we are.”

It’s not only the joy of being on the mound in the big moments, but also the joy for the little details and the day-to-day minutiae that stand out to Snitker about Sale.

“It’s great just to get back and be able to do what he loves to do,” Snitker said. “This guy’s a ballplayer. He loves to come to the ballpark, do his work, be a great teammate, just dedicated to what he’s doing. He’s a ballplayer.”

Sale had the luxury of a three-run cushion before he even stepped on the mound Saturday night thanks to a home run from Marcell Ozuna — a hitting Triple Crown challenger — in the first inning.

“We go over there, and we’re going to help him have a good outing,” Ozuna said. “He’s one of the best pitchers in the league, and for me, he’s the Cy Young already.”

But for all the talk and hype about awards in this season, Sale is keeping his mind on just helping his team get to the postseason in the best way he knows how.

“I don’t put a whole lot into it,” Sale said. “There’s a left column and a right column. We want to stack as many on the left as we can. We’re getting late in the year, and wins are crucial. That’s what we’re aiming for.”