Sale’s solid Sunday outing

Chris Sale gave Atlanta six steady innings on Sunday night, holding Cleveland to one run as the Braves rolled to a 13-1 win. (espn.com) Sale struck out six, walked one and allowed eight hits on April 12 at Truist Park. The outing also included his 2,600th career strikeout, according to Major League Baseball’s game recap. (espn.com) (mlb.com) Atlanta gave him room early, scoring three runs in the first inning and five more in the fifth against Tanner Bibee. ESPN’s box score credited the Braves with 19 hits, including a two-run homer by Dominic Smith. (espn.com) The start came one week after Sale’s roughest line of the season, when he was tagged in a loss at Los Angeles on April 6. Local coverage called Sunday his fourth start of 2026 and a reset after that Angels outing. (theatlantavoice.com) Sale opened 2026 with two other efficient starts in Atlanta, including six innings and one run against the Athletics on April 1. Major League Baseball’s recap of that game said he was pitching through illness and still limited Oakland to a solo homer. (mlb.com) By Sunday’s result, Atlanta moved to 10-6 and stayed atop the National League East, while Cleveland fell to 9-7. Baseball-Reference listed the Braves at 9-6 before the game and first in the division. (espn.com) (baseball-reference.com) Sale is now in his second season with Atlanta and his age-37 campaign after turning 37 on March 30. Baseball-Reference lists him under contract through 2027, with a team option for 2028. (baseball-reference.com) Sunday looked like the version of Sale Atlanta expected when it kept him atop the rotation: quick outs, one walk and six innings before the bullpen finished the last three. The Braves will take that line every fifth day. (espn.com)