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.

Braves Baseball

- 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.

John Smoltz made his first appearance since going on the disabled list. Unfortunately for Smoltz and the Braves, the Marlins were able to take advantage of some solid hitting in the top of the ninth. Matt Treanor doubled after an inconspicuous foul out by Chad Ross who led off the inning. It was then former Brave Wes Helms following with a single to put runners at the corners. Hanley Ramirez followed with a fly out to right-field. Pinch runner Alfredo Amezaga held at third, obviously concerned with the power and accuracy of Jeff Francoeur’s throw. That was fortunate as Jeff Francoeur let sail with a high and wild throw which allowed Wes Helms to move up 90 feet to second base. It would take a two out hit by Jeremy Hermida to get the runs home. That’s exactly what the Marlins got as Hermida slapped the pitch into left field. Two runs scored after Omar Infante’s short game of futbol. Infante has been playing good for the Braves in my opinion so I see this as just a bump in the road for our trusty utility player. Smoltz was able to get out of the inning after the next batter, getting Jorge Cantu to popup to first baseman Mark Teixeira.

The Braves would not go quietly however. Mark Teixeira led off the bottom of the 10th with a ground out to second. Jeff Francoeur then drew a walk as did Brian McCann the very next at bat. Josh Anderson then comes to the plate and smokes a ball to Jorge Cantu at third as it turned out Anderson had hit in what could have been a game ending 5-4-3 double play. Thanks to Anderson’s speed however, the game was able to continue with two outs and runners at first and third. Gregor Blanco then cames to the plate. Blanco doubled and scored in the eighth but also struck out twice on the night. I think Blanco may be a candidate for the lead off spot. He can score runs but driving them in is a different matter. Thankfully, he didn’t have to get an RBI tonight as Jeff Francouer scored on a heads up play after Kevin Gregg let loose a wild pitch. Gregor Blanco than grounded out to the pitcher to put the game into extra innings.

At this point I would like to point out that Jojo Reyes pitched a very good game. He needed only a minimal number of pitches to get through the first couple of innings. In total he only threw 74 in six innings of work. Reyes look to becoming one of our top pitching prospects. If this guy is able to get some run support behind him, I think that he can gain the confidence necessary to be good member of starting rotation.
Manny Acosta also had a good outing even considering the fact that he gave up the tying run in the 7th inning. Chad Ross got the RBI after hitting a ball which Omar Infante made a great play on. Instead of being a run scoring single it was a fielders choice with an out at second and might have been a double play had Infante been able to get the ball out of his glove. Acosta then walked Jacque Jones putting runners at first and second. Acosta looked to be in trouble with Hanley Ramirez walking to the plate, but the Braves hurler was able to get Ramirez to strike out swinging.

Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but things got kind of scary. Soriano opened the inning by walking Jeremy Hermida. Jorge Cantu then followed with a fly out. Next Mike Jacobs came to the plate and was intentionally walked to get to Dan Uggla who then flied out to left. Next came Luis Gonzalez who Rafael was able to strike out swinging to end the inning.

To say that the game was an edge of the seater would be an understatement. This game went back and forth. There were lots of Marlins base runners late in the game and it was very disquieting. I know that Braves fans have got to be sick of playing in one run games, but it has to be done. I think that the Braves must play to win constantly as they did tonight. Bobby Cox made some adjustments to how he handled his pitchers and how he handled his hitters. He allowed the hurlers to throw the ball, even with the tough match ups. He gave the green light to his hitter in a key situation. These things won the game tonight. Not to mentions the awareness and hustle of Jeff Francoeur. A couple of mistakes were made in the field tonight, but all ended well as we ran the base paths well and we pitched well even if Smoltz had a tough night.

To continue with the recap of the game, the bottom of the 10th brought Kelly Johnson to the plate leading off. The score was still tied 5 to 5 thanks for a scoreless top of the 10th by Wil Ohman who faced the tough order of Jacobs, Uggla, and Gonzalez. Kelly Johnson was able to draw a walk, setting the stage for Yunel Escobar. Coming into the at-bat Escobar was trying to bunt the runner over to second. Two straight pitches for balls and then a wild pitch by Logan Kensing allowed Kelly Johnson to get to second base. Escobar then got the green light with the 3-0 count. He was ready. Kensing threw a fastball which Escobar was able to drive to left center field and out. The ball hit the top of the wall and right into the hand of a Braves fan for the victory. Braves win 6-4 on a Yunel Escobar 2-run walk off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Notes: Tim Hudson’s strained hamstring from yesterday’s loss to the Reds does not seem to be serious enough to force him to miss a start. Blaine Boyer who injured his knee in yesterday’s game said that he was available in tonight’s game but was not used.
Jair Jurrjens then pitch

Second baseman Rickie Weeks hit a RBI tripe in the bottom of the 9th inning in yesterday’s game against the Braves. Jojo Reyes took the loss after putting the winning run on base by walking J.J. Hardy to start the 8th. The loss brings his record to 2-3 with a 4.83 ERA. Blaine Boyer came in after Reyes’ walk of Hardy; Jason Kendall then sacrificed the runner to second and while Boyer was able to strike out the next batter he faced he was unable to set down Rickie Weeks with two outs in the inning.

Bobby Cox indicated in a post-game interview that Reyes had pitched a good game, but it just wasn’t enough with Jeff Suppan’s eight inning gem. Suppan limited the Braves to four hits and struck out seven. The Braves had lots of opportunities early, leaving seven runners on base in the first five innings.

Tomorrow’s game starts at 1:05 EST and will feature the Braves right-hander Jorge Compillo (1-0, 0.86 ERA) against right-hander Seth McClung (2-1, 3.55 ERA).

Notes: Chipper Jones extended his hitting streak to 10 games after a single in the 3rd inning. Rafael Soriano was activated from the disabled list after Matt Diaz was placed on the 15-day DL with a posterior cruciate ligament strain and a laceration on his left leg which needed four stitches following a play in Tuesday’s game.

The Braves are now 2-14 in one-run games this season.

(Source: ESPN) Atlanta has lost 18 straight one-run road games.

Atlanta’s last one-run victory on the road came on Thursday August 9th, 2007 when the Braves defeated the Mets in Shea Stadium 7-6. Tim Hudson got the W while John Maine took the loss. Interestingly enough, this game could’ve also been a heart-breaker for the Braves if not for the heroics of Willie Harris who is now with the Washington Nationals organization.

Image: http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/08/09/sports/baseball/10mets.ready.html

Before that Mets/Braves game the Atlanta club had been on a four game slide in one-run games on the road (referring to 2007 season). The Braves finished the 2007 season with a 18-25 record in one-run games overall.

Rafael Soriano and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a two year contract on Thursday.  The contract will be pay Soriano $9 million dollars.  As long as Soriano can stay healthy I think it is a pretty good deal for the Braves.  Soriano can be lights out at times, and I think he will have very good numbers as long as he stays healthy.

What do you think Braves fans?  Is it too much money for Soriano?

Braves Blog