Chris Sale’s Dominant Shutout Against Dodgers Highlights Braves’ Sweep

Chris Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, displayed impressive skill on Thursday. After throwing 97 pitches across eight innings, Sale declared, “This is mine,” to Braves’ manager Walt Weiss, signaling his intent to finish the game.

The left-hander utilized just 12 more pitches to secure the final three outs, completing a 1-0 shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta. This victory completed a three-game sweep for the Braves, who are leading the NL East and managed to defeat the Dodgers by a single run in each matchup.

At 37 years old, Sale remains among baseball’s elite, reinforcing his position in the NL Cy Young Award competition alongside Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers. Misiorowski recently set a record for the hardest pitch thrown by a starter.

On Thursday, Sale delivered his fastest pitches since 2018, with Shohei Ohtani facing the batter’s box at the time. Sale achieved his first complete game since 2019, lowering his ERA to 2.06, second only to Misiorowski in the majors. Sale also extended his streak of starts allowing three runs or fewer to 21.

Ohtani struck out twice, contributing to Sale’s tally of 11 strikeouts for the night. “He’s as good now as he’s ever been,” remarked Weiss, impressed by Sale’s career performance.

The last time Sale’s fastball reached triple digits was when he played for the Boston Red Sox in 2018. That year, Boston took home the World Series title before Sale underwent Tommy John surgery.

“When facing a team like that, you put your best foot forward, knowing it’ll be a tough game,” Sale explained on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

Only one Dodgers player reached scoring position during Sale’s performance. Videos online captured Sale’s son reacting as his father prepared for the ninth inning. Reflecting on this, Sale shared his thoughts on the emotional night’s events.

Adding to the evening’s intensity, Sale learned of the passing of Ashley Foss, a close family friend, before the game. Foss’ family had managed Sale’s finances for several years, creating strong family ties between them.

While Sale excelled on the mound, Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto also delivered a strong performance, giving up one run over 6.1 innings. Braves catcher Drake Baldwin hit the deciding run with a first-pitch solo homer off a splitter.

The Braves will continue playing at home over the weekend, opening a series against the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers head to Detroit, where they will face the Tigers, marking Tarik Skubal’s reunion with his former team following his trade to Los Angeles.

Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.