The Mets completed the sweep of the Braves on Thursday night 5-4, it was the first time the Braves have been swept at Shea since 2003.  This game also marked the 27^th time that the Braves lost a road game in which they had a one run lead.  That stretch of 27 dates back to last season, and is now a major league record.   

The Braves jumped out to an early lead when Yunel Escobar took the first pitch he saw from Pedro Martinez over the fence in left field.  Atlanta, down 3-1 scored three in the sixth to make it 4-3, in the sixth Yunel Escobar hit a one out double, then with two out Martinez walked Chipper Jones.  Both Escobar and Jones scored on a Brian McCann double.  McCann would score on a base hit by Omar Infante.   

The Braves again did not get good defense or relief pitching.  The game changing error happened in the eighth inning which tied the score at four.  Jeff Bennett entered the game and retired the first batter he faced before giving up a one out double to Nick Evans; he then issued a two out walk to Carlos Beltran.  Bobby Cox elected to make a pitching change bring in Will Ohman to pitch to Carlos Delgado, Delgado delivered again-hitting a single between first and second that Martin Prado made a great play on only Will Ohman got caught watching the excitement and did not get to first in time to get the throw for the out which allowed Nick Evans to score from second.  The error was charged to Prado, but it really should have been on Ohman.   

In the ninth inning with Vladimir Nunez allowed a one out double to David Wright he then intentionally walked Carlos Beltran.  Carlos Delgado came up to bat again with runners in scoring position, he hit a line drive to left that Omar Infante misplayed which allowed Wright to score from second, ending the game with a 5-4 victory for the Mets.   

The Braves continue their road trip to St. Louis.  Game time is scheduled for 8:15 p.m.   

Braves Blog

Jair Jurrjens struggled with his control in the first inning of last night’s game.  Jurrjens, who has really been the ace of this staff this season, allowed five runs in the first inning.  All of the runs scored with two out.  Chipper Jones and Yunel Escobar committed throwing errors in the inning so only four of those runs were earned.

The Braves scored one run in the third inning off a single by Grego Blanco.  In the sixth, Blanco was in the mix again, he bunted for a base hit to lead off the inning.  Mike Pelfrey then walked Yunel Escobar and Chipper Jones.  Brian McCann grounded into a double play, but that scored Blanco and moved Escobar to third.  Escobar then scored on a wild pitch by Pelfrey.  However, Mark Kotsay lined out to left to end the inning.  The Braves didn’t really get much on Pelfrey as he allowed only three hits. 

The Braves wrap up the series at Shea tonight.  Mike Hampton will be on the mound for the Braves and the Mets will counter with Pedro Martinez.  The Braves have an opportunity to play spoiler as the Mets are in a fight for first with the Phillies holding only a game and a half lead over them.  The Phillies are playing the Nationals who have now lost something like 12 in a row.

Braves Blog

The Chipper Jones-less Braves showed tonight that they are not going to make GM Frank Wren’s job any easier, as they played one of their gutsiest games of the season against the division rival Philadelphia Phillies. With the trade deadline looming at the end of next week, and Braves Brass being pushed to decide whether to buy or sell, tonight’s game was a perfect example of why Wren’s decision may be harder than any other GM’s in MLB.

It is no secret this Braves team has a dearth of talent.  They have flashed signs of that talent at times this season, but, to date, have failed to put together a stretch of consistent play.  Now, after an inspired performance like tonight’s game, and with reinforcements to the starting rotation in Mike Hampton and Tom Glavine ready to make an impact the final two months, we all have to wonder if that stretch may be imminent.  At the very least, Wren will have to hold the dogs at bay for another day or two.

To the game.  Rookie Jair “Surgeon” Jurrjens pitched the game of his young career.  Surgeon struck out 6 in 8 innings, allowing only 4 Phillies base runners all night.  He was absolutely brilliant.  Everything he threw dipped and dived with ridiculous movement, and his fastball had as much life on it as it has at any point this season, as he was routinely touching the mid 90s.  In all honesty, he looked like Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez’s illegitimate love child.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick was good as well, allowing only a lone run on a 4th inning homer to Brian McCann. It appeared as though that might be the only run scored the entire game by either team, a true rarity in hitter friendly Citizen Bank, until the Braves erupted for 7 in the top of the 9th.  B Mac, who is quickly establishing himself as the Captain of this team, capped the Braves impressive, and much needed, win with a 4-run bomb off Phillies closer Brad Lidge in the final frame. His two homer night raised his batting average to .302 for the season, to go along with his 20 jacks and 62 ribbies.  He leads all catchers in MLB in the latter two categories, and he is on the short list of most underrated players in the game.

What else?

The Braves played possibly their most crisp defensive game of the season.  Omar Infante made two professional bare-handed plays at third. In the bottom of the 5th, Yunel Escobar executed a sublime double play, fielding a grounder up the middle, stepping on 2d base, while simultaneously releasing a dart to the first baseman to complete the twin killing.

The play of the night, however, was made by the star of the night, the Surgeon.  With 2 outs and nobody on in the bottom of the 8th, Jaysen Worth hit a frozen rope back up the middle.  Jair got a glove on it, knocking the ball towards third base.  He then sprinted off the mound, made a fielding slide, popped up and threw a 100 mph heater to first base, getting Worth by a step.