The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins finished up a three game series on Wednesday afternoon. The bad news for Braves fans is that the Braves lost 5-3 and dropped two out of three games down in Miami. The Braves now have a 60-80 record on the season.

All three of the Braves runs came in the fourth inning when Kelly Johnson tripled to score Brent Lillibridge and Omar Infante. The Braves were not done in the inning however as Jeff Francoeur doubled to score Johnson and put the Braves up 3-1.

However, the Braves pitching staff couldn’t hold the lead as the Marlins scored two in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 3-3 and then added two more runs in the seventh inning to take the lead. Braves starting pitcher Jorge Campillo pitched the first five innings and gave up four hits and three runs. He ended up with a no decision however as Will Ohman took the loss after being charged with a run in the seventh inning.Vladimir Nunez also gave up a run in the seventh inning.

Most Braves fans probably wish that the season was over now and I don’t really blame them. When your team is used to making the playoffs and is 20 games under .500 it is hard to really root for them.

Braves Baseball

Mark Kotsay and Jeff Francoeur had big nights at the plate for the Atlanta Braves on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs but it still wasn’t enough as the Cubs beat the Braves 11-7. It seemed like everytime the Braves would score, the Cubs would come right back and score again and just kept the pressure on the Braves the entire game. With the loss, the Braves were swept in the three game series.

Tom Glavine only lasted four innings as he gave up seven hits and seven runs. Glavine wasn’t getting some of the calls he usually gets from umps and walked four batters while giving up two home runs. He is now 2-4 on the year. Buddy Carlyle and Blaine Boyer both gave up two runs each as well out of the bullpen.

Kotsay led the Braves at the plate by hitting for the cycle and finishing the game with two rbi as he went 5-5. Jeff Francoeur hit a three run home run that got the team back in the game but it still wasn’t enough to catch the high powered Cubs offense. Martin Prado and Chipper Jones both added single rbi’s as well in the game.

It was definately not the way the Braves wanted to play the series. Hopefully they can play better this weekend against the San Francisco Giants.

Braves Baseball Blog

The Atlanta Braves once again lost to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.  This was the third straight loss for the Braves against the Cardinals in the four game series.  They will now have to win on Thursday to avoid the four game sweep at home.

Jair Jurrjens started the game and gave up seven hits and three runs through seven innings.   He didn’t throw the ball that badly at all to be honest.  However Jurrjens took the loss and is now 10-7 on the season.  Blaine Boyer gave up two hits and two runs while only recording two outs.  Julian Tavarez had a lot of trouble in the ninth inning as he allowed the Cardinals to score two more runs.

Jeff Francoeur had a rbi single in the second inning and then Omar Infante added a rbi single in the fifth inning.  That was all the scoring for the Braves however.

I will not be around to blog about the games the rest of the week as I have to head out of town for a few weeks.  Our normal blogger should be back at the beginning of the week so check back then!

Well the first game without Mark Teixeira did not go good for the Atlanta Braves as they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3.  The Braves allowed the Cardinals to score six late inning runs and come from behind to get the victory.  Before the game, the Braves traded Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek.

Jorge Campillo got the start for the Braves and threw the first seven innings of the game.  Campillo gave up seven hits but only two runs in the game and he really should have got the win in my opinion.  It was too bad that the Braves bullpen couldn’t hold off the Cardinals so Campillo could get the win.

Rafael Soriano took the loss as he gave up one run in the eighth inning.  Mike Gonzalez was only able to record two outs in the ninth inning as he allowed five runs to score.  Only one of those five runs were earned however so things shouldn’t have been as bad as they were.

Gregor Blanco, Greg Norton, and Jeff Francoeur all had one rbi each for the Braves.  They just need a couple more big hits and for the bullpen to hold the Cardinals now.  That didn’t happen and that was why you seen a Braves loss on Tuesday.

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- Cliff

Tuesday night’s game was a microcosm of the Braves’ season.  They received good pitching from their rookie starter Charlie Morton, but the offense’s perpetual battle to come up with timely hits, or any hits at all for that matter, left the Braves on this night on the wrong end of a 4-0 shutout.

On Monday, it was the Braves who were able to take advantage of a brilliant pitching performance from pleasant surprise Jorge Campillo.  They also took advantage of runners in scoring position, something at which they have failed miserably this season.  So complete a team win was Monday night’s victory, Chipper Jones proclaimed it their best victory of the season.

Back to reality.  What has become indicative of Bobby Cox’s team during the last three seasons, the Braves’ inconsistency and lack of fundamental play manifested itself just one day after such an impressive win.  Whatever they did right Monday night, they did wrong Tuesday, starting with the deciding fourth frame.  The Braves began the fourth with three consecutive walks to the heart of the lineup.  Thing are looking pretty good, right?  Recently recalled Marlins starter Rick VandenHurk is reeling, and the Braves are poised to put a few runs on the board to provide their young starter a cushion.  Up steps Jeff Francoeur (cue the music when a game show contestant fails.  You know, “wah, wah, wah.”)   True to his terrible ‘08 form, Jeff swings at the only 4 pitches he sees and strikes out.  I’m nearly certain struggling pitchers view Francoeur walking to the plate as something akin to a sigh of relief. They’d rather see him step to the dish than the opposing pitcher, undoubtedly.  At least the pitcher would make a guy who had walked three straight hitters throw him a strike.

So, not so unpredictably, the Braves squander as promising a scoring opportunity as a team can get, as neither Kelly Johnson or Mark Kotsay could bail Francoeur out.  Move now to the bottom of the inning.  Morton allows free passes to two Marlins batters.  With two outs, he can get out of the inning unscathed and keep the game tied at zero.  Oh, but no.  Mike Jacobs hits a three-run bomb.  Game, set, match.

To this point, the Braves had not even managed a hit.  They finished the game with one, a measley single from Chipper, and the season in a snapshot is complete. The Braves squander great scoring opportunities, while their opponent takes advantage of lesser ones.  The Braves get good pitching, but their over-eager offense makes the opposing pitcher look like 2001 Randy Johnson.  Finally, the one single redeeming moment (no pun intended) is a basehit by their only stud — Chipper.

What else?

- Jeff Francoeur has 2 extra-base hits in his last 25 games.  You wonder.  If the Braves are sellers at the end of the month, what will happen to Jeff?  Will they try to move him?  Will they send him down for the rest of the season, since they are conceding the season anyway?  Or will they allow him to further devolve at the major league level?

- Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless inning Tuesday night.  It was his first action since June 5th.  He struck out two after giving up a leadoff single to Hanley Ramirez (Ramirez was later thrown out attemting to steal second).  Soriano’s velocity was down a little bit, but the end result was obviously good.

- Kelly Johnson is batting .163 in 15 July contests.  He has one extra-base hit over that span.

Maybe there’s a reason why fans don’t show up until the 4th inning in LA. Absolutely nothing happened in this one for the first 4 and a half frames. Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson were literally perfect, recording the first 27 total outs of the game in order. Both guys had their nastiest sinkers working. Between the two, 29 ground ball outs were recorded. Lowe was just a little bit better though, his only mistake coming in the 8th when he surrendered a solo home run to Jeff Francoeur.

Known as one of the best dirtballers in the game with Brandon Webb and Chien-Ming Wang, Lowe was filthy tonight. 16 of the 23 outs he recorded were on the ground.

The Dodgers got on the board first in the bottom of the sixth on a Matt Kemp home run.

The Braves had a chance to pull even the next half inning. Gregor Blanco led off the top of the 7th with a solid line drive single to center field. Sensing that this might be their only opportunity to score, Bobby Cox decided to play hit and run with the next batter, Yunel Escobar, and it worked. On one of the most heady baserunning plays you’ll see, Blanco went 1st to third on Yunel’s groundball out to the SS. But the all of a sudden struggling Chipper Jones couldn’t get him in from third with less than two out. He grounded out weakly to the pitcher. Chipper was probably trying to put the ball on the ground to a middle infielder. Unfortunately, his aim was off, and the Blanco was stranded at third.

The Dodgers stretched their lead to two in the bottom of the inning when the much loathed Andruw Jones handled an 0-2 pitch from Hudson for an RBI single.

The Braves pulled within one on Francoeur’s home run in the 8th. But it was all they could manage. Dodger closer Takashi Saito slammed the door in the 9th, retiring the side in order. The Braves have now lost 24 consecutive 1 run games on the road.

What else?

-Mark Kotsay inexplicably tried to steal second in the top of the 8th with 2 outs and pinch hitter Ruben Gotay batting. Mark was thrown out by 10 feet, and the decision ensured that the Braves would need to get a guy on base for Chipper to have a chance in the 9th down by only a run. Whomever’s decision it was, Bobby’s or Mark’s, it was a terrible one. Sure enough, Saito retired the final Brave batter in the 9th, while Chipper watched from the on-deck circle. The Braves have lost 24 straight 1 run games on the road.

-Cueball had it working tonight, undoubtedly summoning strength from the tarantula on his right wrist. But Chip Caray’s man crush, Lowe, just wasn’t going to be denied. This was not a game for long-ball digging chicks or the casual fan. For those who can see the artistry in what Lowe and Hudson were doing, though, it was as good as it gets.

-Lowe started the season hot and then cooled off quickly with a 6.11 May ERA. I’d say he has settled back into good form. Tonight he recorded his 7th quality starts over his last 10.

The Braves bats provided plenty of offense for Jair Jurrjens tonight, plating 9 on 12 hits.  And with ace Tim Hudson starting the rubber game tomorrow, we are in good position to take our second straight series. 

Just one night after mustering only one baserunner against Dodger starter Hiroki Kuroda, the Braves appeared to be in jeopardy of being shut out for a second straight night.  LA starter Chad Billingsly no hit us through four innings before we finally broke through with 3 runs off Billingsly in the 5th..

Billingsly, he of the disproportionately massive legs, was dominant at times, hitting his spots with an explosive low to mid 90s fastball.  He was locating his pitches at the knees and on the corners, embarrassing Chipper Jones a couple of times (It was only the third time all season Chipper struck out more than one time in a game). But in the top of the 5^th, Tree-trunk legs wasn’t able to escape a bases loaded jam when Yunel Escobar came through with the big hit for the second time in three days.

KJ and Kotsay led of the inning with back to back singles.  After a failed bunt attempt resulted in a K for Jurrjens, Gregor Blanco walked to load the bases with one out.  Yunel followed jumping on the first pitch, hitting a bases clearing, frozen-rope double just inside the third base bag.  

The Braves tacked on 3 more off Billingsly in the 6^th on a no-doubter solo bomb by Brian McCann to right center and a two run single by Blanco. 

The run support was more than enough for Jurrjen the surgeon.  He dissected the Dodger lineup to the tune of 6 Ks, lowering his ERA to an even 3 for the season.  Jair has allowed only 5 earned runs over his last 34.2 innings — an ERA of 1.32.

What else?

Jeff Francoeur doesn’t appear to have really figured anything out from a mechanical standpoint during his brief demotion. If you’re looking for silver linings, he did have a basehit and he managed to avoid any U turns on the night.  In his other three at bats, he hit two weak grounders and an inside out fly ball to right field.  The effort to stay on the ball is pretty clear, but his swing still looks long and slow.

Tex and BMac went back-to-back in the 9^th, each getting his 17^th jack of the season.

Chipper struck out thrice for the first time since August 28 of last year at the Marlins.  After reaching base safely 7 times in the Braves marathon win Sunday, Chipper is 0 for 7 with 4 Ks in the series.

Braves batters have struck out 35 times in their last 35 innings.

Kelly Johnson scored 3 times tonight, giving him 52 for the season.  That’s good for a tie for second on the team with Mark Teixeira.

Newly signed Julian Tavarez recorded only one out in the 9^th before being yanked for closer Mike Gonzalez.  There’s a reason this guy is suiting up with his third different team THIS SEASON.  I’ll continue to scratch my head on that acquisition.

The Atlanta Braves were the come back kids once again as they scored two runs in the ninth inning to tie the game at 4-4 against the Texas Rangers.  However it was the Rangers coming right back with their own game winning run in the  bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Braves 5-4.  The Braves lost two out of three games against the Rangers as they continue to struggle on the road.

Blaine Boyer ended up getting the ninth inning run charged to him to take the loss.  Jeff Bennett was the pitcher that gave up the game winning hit when Michael Young scored Ian Kinsler for the game winning run.  Bennett simply just didn’t get the job done like he was called to do.

Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton tossed the first five innings of the game and allowed five hits and three runs.  Morton did have some control issues as he walked four batters and that was kind of why he only lasted five innings.  Jeff Ridgway was the other Braves pitcher to give up a run which he gave up in the sixth inning on a three run home run.  Two of the three runs were charged to Morton however.

Kelly Johnson, Jeff Francoeur, and Omar Infante had the three rbi for the Braves.  The other run came in the third inning when Corky Miller grounded into a double play so he was not awarded an rbi.

The Braves will now start up a three game series with the Seattle Mariners on Friday.  Things should be really interesting because the Mariners just fired their manager today.

Braves Blog

Jair Jurrjens tossed 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Colorado Rockies 7-1 on Monday night.  Jurrjens gave up eight hits and struckout seven Rockies as he improved his record to 7-3.

Will Ohman recorded the final out in the eighth inning and then Jeff Bennett was brought in but he had some troubles in the ninth inning.  Two walks and a hit allowed the Rockies to score their one run in the game off of Bennett.

Chipper Jones stayed hot as he went 2-4 with two rbi in the game.  Jeff Francoeur and Brandon Jones both had two rbi in the game as well.  Mark Teixeira also contributed with an rbi of his own as the Braves had no problems scoring runs off the Rockies.

It was a good win for the Braves as they picked up a win on the road.  They will try for another win on Tuesday against the Rockies.

Braves Blog

Well, that sure is a different way to lose a baseball game.  The Atlanta Braves battled with the Chicago Cubs for 11 innings and ended up coming up short in the game as they lost 3-2.  Jeff Ridgway threw one pitch in the 11th inning with the bases loaded and hit Reed Johnson to score the winning run for the Cubs.

Manny Acosta actually took the loss for the Braves and is now 3-5.  It was actually a pretty good day for the Braves pitching staff before all that happened.  Well except for the blown save in the ninth inning when Jim Edmonds took Blain Boyer deep to tie the game.  Tim Hudson got the start on the mound and threw 6 2/3 innings and gave up seven hits and only one run.

The Braves offense once again struggled to put up runs in the game even though they had 11 hits.  Jeff Francoeur had a two run home run in the second inning and that was all the Braves could get off the Cubs as they left 25 runners on base.

Braves Blog