SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Craig Kimbrel’s brief tenure with the Atlanta Braves spanned just one day, as the franchise’s all-time saves leader took the mound on Saturday, evoking memories of left-handed pitcher Austin Cox.
The Braves called up Kimbrel from Triple-A Gwinnett, reflecting on left-handed pitcher Delin Dames before kicking off a road series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. Kimbrel pitched seven scoreless innings, but the Braves fell 5-4 in 10 innings.
Kimbrel was called up from the minors, marking the first instance this season where the Braves lost a game after previously holding a 10-4 lead against Arizona, eventually succumbing 11-10—a significant defeat where they squandered at least a six-run advantage, their ninth such collapse since 1973.
Kimbrel spent his initial five seasons with the Braves, leading the league in saves every year from 2011 to 2014. His 186 saves remain the highest total for any Braves pitcher in history. He was traded to San Diego before the start of the 2015 season and has since played for several teams, including time with Baltimore last year.
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Source: apnews.com