Atlanta isn't, and hasn't been, playing well: 5 - 14 in their last 19, their one-time 9.5 G lead down to 2.5
Last night the Cardinals scored 3 in top 1st but the Braves came back with 5 in the bottom half. That kind of 1st inning lightning was, for the last couple of years, their signature move and once it happened the game was essentially over. But in this case the runs were kind of cheap to start with -- walks, soft hits, and then Dom Smith got a favorable bounce off the pitchers foot which turned into a bases-clearing double -- and then they were blanked for the next eight frames which bit them when the Cards turned in a seven-run 7th. 11 - 5 was the final.