Owen Murphy Reflects on First MLB Start in Braves' Narrow Loss to Rangers

Saturday afternoon at Truist Park offered Owen Murphy the assignment every young pitcher dreams about, a first major league start against a first-place opponent.

The day ended with the rookie right-hander taking an honest look at his own work following a 7-6 Atlanta loss to the Texas Rangers.

Murphy lasted 2 2/3 innings and allowed three runs, two of them earned, in an outing that unraveled after a defensive mistake behind him.

Joc Pederson greeted him with a first-inning homer into the Chop House, and a third-inning collision between Mauricio Dubon and Michael Harris II in the outfield opened the door for four straight Texas singles.

The 22-year-old did not hide from any of it afterward.

Murphy told reporters he simply failed to finish hitters when he had them on the ropes, saying "we got a lot of guys 0-2, 1-2. Just missed those pitches." Manager Walt Weiss offered no panic about the debut, and the offense initially picked its rookie up.

Eli White launched a two-run homer during a four-run second inning, his fifth of the season, before Drake Baldwin added an RBI single and Ozzie Albies drove home a run with a sacrifice fly.

Michael Harris II then opened the third with his 17th homer of the year, a 405-foot shot that stretched the lead to 5-3.

The lead disappeared in a four-run sixth against a relief group that entered the day with the fifth-best ERA in baseball.

Tyler Kinley surrendered a leadoff double to Ezequiel Duran and a two-run homer to Evan Carter, then Dylan Lee loaded the bases before Brandon Nimmo ripped a two-run single that put Texas ahead 7-5.

Weiss defended the plan afterward, explaining that his top relievers were lined up for the sixth inning of a close game and that rookie JR Ritchie had done his job in the fifth.

Dubon answered with an RBI double in the seventh, but Jacob Latz recorded the final four outs for his 19th save and Atlanta stranded the tying run.

The defeat trimmed nothing meaningful from the standings, as the Braves remain in first place in the NL East at 56-41 after entering the break atop the division.

The one-run margin will sting regardless, because Atlanta had a two-out single from Harris and an RBI double from Dubon in the seventh to pull within a run, then sent the winning run to the plate in the eighth before Baldwin flied out on the first pitch he saw.

Atlanta turns to Grant Holmes in Sunday afternoon's rubber match, while Texas tentatively plans to start Nate Eovaldi, who has been sidelined by an illness.

Murphy's next opportunity will depend on a rotation still managing injuries, and his composure suggested he belongs in the conversation.

One shaky inning aside, the debut showed more promise than some slumping veterans have flashed all year.