Chris Sale Achieves Complete Game Shutout Against Dodgers

<p>Chris Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, threw 97 pitches through eight innings on Thursday before walking the length of the Atlanta Braves’ dugout to inform manager Walt Weiss of his intention to complete the game.</p><p>"This is mine," Sale declared.</p><p>He needed just 12 more pitches to secure the final three outs and finished a 1-0 shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta. This victory concluded a three-game sweep for the Braves, who won each game by a single run.</p><p>At 37, Sale's performance highlighted his continued excellence and bolstered his position in the NL Cy Young Award race alongside Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.</p><p>Sale recorded two of his fastest pitches since 2018 during the game, both thrown while facing Shohei Ohtani. He also achieved his first complete game since 2019, with an ERA now at 2.06, second in the majors behind Misiorowski. Sale extended his streak of starts allowing three runs or fewer to 21.</p><p>Ohtani struck out twice against Sale, who concluded the game with 11 strikeouts.</p><p>Weiss stated, "You can make an argument that, as great a career as he's having, he's as good now as he's ever been."</p><p>The last time Sale's fastball reached triple digits was on July 6, 2018, when he was 29 and pitching for the Boston Red Sox, who went on to win the World Series that year before Sale underwent Tommy John surgery.</p><p>Sale commented on the challenge of facing a strong team like the Dodgers, saying, "Anytime you're facing a team like that you just try to put your best foot forward, you know it's going to be a dog fight, you know it's not going to come easy."</p><p>Only one Dodgers player reached scoring position while Sale was pitching.</p><p>Videos shared on social media showed Sale’s son reacting to his father returning to the mound for the ninth inning. Sale expressed the emotional significance of the night, saying, "The family stuff, it's fun just [because], I'm glad I don't see that stuff until after the game [because] that's just so special."</p><p>Adding to the emotional context, Sale learned before the game that Ashley Foss, a close family friend, had died of cancer. Foss’ family has managed Sale’s finances through their agency for several years, and the families have developed a close relationship.</p><p>While Sale's performance was notable, Yoshinobu Yamamoto also pitched well for the Dodgers, going 6.1 innings and allowing one run from Braves catcher Drake Baldwin’s first-pitch solo home run.</p><p>The Braves will remain at home this weekend, starting a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. The Dodgers will travel to Detroit for a matchup with the Tigers, where Tarik Skubal will face his former team for the first time since his trade to Los Angeles earlier this month.</p>