The Evening TiltBraves and United Lose, Saturday, April 4

Two losses on 404 Day weekend. They are not the same kind of loss.

Braves Bryce Elder threw seven innings, allowed zero earned runs, struck out eight, and got credit for a loss. The two Arizona runs were unearned — a second-inning error opened the door, and Soroka walked through it. That's the Braves at their least fortunate: starter does his job, offense manages four hits, outcome is what it is.

The number that matters isn't the score. It's this: Elder has now thrown 13 innings this season without allowing an earned run. Record: 1-1. That's either a cruel joke or a sign the rotation is better than the results look. Ellis has the full breakdown — the framing is worth your time.

The series went 2-1 Atlanta. The Braves are 6-3. File this one and move on.

Atlanta United This one requires more processing. Columbus came to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on 404 Day and won 3-1. United led by nothing at half and then Abou Ali scored in the 48th and 53rd minutes. Miranchuk answered in the 60th. Arfsten answered Miranchuk in the 61st. Hope lasted one minute before it was extinguished — which, as a metaphor for this stretch of United football, lands harder than it probably should.

Tito had framed this as the measuring-stick match. The answer nobody wanted came through clearly. Columbus's first win under Rydström, on the road, on a symbolic Atlanta weekend. The problems here are structural — not an off night, not an error in the second inning. United is giving up multi-goal runs in the second half and hasn't found the defensive shape to stop it.

Hawks No game tonight. They handled the Nets 141-107 yesterday. The gauntlet — Knicks, Monday — starts now.

Falcons NFL offseason. Miles covered the 404 Day Fan Fest this morning. The football calendar has been quiet since the draft approach began. That changes soon.

One more thing. Michael Soroka beat his former team tonight at Chase Field. Two back-to-back Achilles surgeries, two years away from the game, and he's out there winning starts in April. Whatever you think of tonight's box score, that's a good story. The sport produces them when you're not looking.