Braves 4, Rockies 3

The Braves did the little things necessary to win a low-scoring game, and it resulted in a 4-3 win. Now if only they played like this every night.

Rafael Soriano (AP - David Zalubowski)

Brian McCann doubled in the second, was moved to third on a Garret Anderson groundout, and scored on a grounder that Brooks Conrad beat out for the first run. After a Diory Hernandez single moved Conrad to second, Jair Jurrjens poked a single through the hole to score Conrad for the second run.

Jurrjens singled to start the fifth, moved to second on a single by Martin Prado, moved to third on a Chipper Jones walk, and scored on a sac fly by McCann for the third run. Nate McLouth tripled to start the seventh and scored on another sac fly by McCann for the fourth run, which proved to be crucial when Jurrjens hit a wall in the seventh. Troy Tulowitzki hit a solo homer, Seth Smith singled in a run, and Smith scored on a passed ball. The Braves were able to hold the tying run at third, and they eventually won by the same score.

Jair Jurrjens: W (7-7), 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Peter Moylan: H (14), 1 IP, 2 H, ER, K
Eric O' Flaherty: H (10), 0.2 IP, H, BB, K
Manny Acosta: H (2), 0.1 IP
Rafael Soriano: S (12), 1 IP, H, 3 K

I felt the need to mention every pitcher because of the importance of each one's effort tonight. Jurrjens needed to go deep in this game with Kris Medlen starting tomorrow, and he fought hard for six innings. It was a usual outing for him, giving up three walks and striking out three, but he kept the Rockies off the board for six innings until running out of gas in the seventh. Moylan didn't really bail Jurrjens out since he allowed his inherited run to score, but he bailed himself out by keeping the tying run at third. O' Flaherty was asked to go the entire eighth but gave up a hit and walk and left the game in Acosta's hands with runners at first and second. Acosta bailed him out with a groundout. Soriano allowed a blooping single to start the ninth but buckled down and struck out the side. He threw 13 pitches and 12 were strikes. That's a true closer.

Brian McCann: 2 RBI
Jair Jurrjens: 2-3, RBI

McCann saved the Braves on offense, driving in what proved to be the tying and winning runs on sac flies. Jurrjens was also a key for the Braves with an RBI and scoring a crucial run. Ryan Church went 0-4 in his Braves debut but hit the ball hard and just missed hitting a grand slam.

Notable Rockies:
Jason Marquis: L (11-6), 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Seth Smith: 2-4, RBI

Notable Stat:
Rafael Soriano: 13 pitches, 12 strikes. 4 first pitch strikes, 4 batters faced. 3 Ks. 1 save.

Next Game:
7/12: @ Rockies, 3:10 (Kris Medlen vs. Jason Hammel)

7/11: Braves @ Rockies Game Preview

July 11, 2009 - 8:10 (SportSouth)
@


Jair Jurrjens
(6-7, 2.91 ERA, 41 BB, 75 K, 1.26 WHIP)
Career vs. Rockies: 3-1, 2.93 ERA in 4 starts
vs.

Jason Marquis
(11-5, 3.61 ERA, 38 BB, 54 K, 1.30 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 2-3, 8.70 ERA in 6 starts

Braves vs. Marquis:
Nate McLouth: 28 PA, 5-23, HR, 3 RBI
Chipper Jones: 13 PA, 5-10, 3 HR, 3 RBI
Brian McCann: 12 PA, 3-10

Rockies vs. Jurrjens:
Brad Hawpe: 12 PA, 3-12, HR, 2 RBI
Garrett Atkins: 11 PA, 4-10, 2 RBI
Todd Helton: 11 PA, 4-9
Ian Stewart: 10 PA, 0-10
Troy Tulowitzki: 10 PA, 3-9, RBI

Season Series: 3-2 (Last Game: 7/10, W 4-1)

What to Look For:
Jason Marquis has a terrible history against the Braves, but he allowed just one run in eight innings against them earlier in the season. Also, Jair Jurrjens allowed one run in seven innings and struck out eight against the Rockies earlier this season. Which one will repeat is the focus of tonight's game. It will also be the debut of Ryan Church as a Brave. He will more than likely start in right.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Close friends forced to go separate ways

Final Roundup (7/10)

The Phillies have won seven of their last eight after a close win over the Pirates on Friday, giving them a three-game lead over the Marlins and remaining ahead by five over the Braves. Myrtle Beach routed Frederick and Danville received a great pitching performance on the farm.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies beat the Pirates, 3-2. Joe Blanton allowed one run on four hits in 7.1 innings, striking out six. Jayson Werth had two RBIs and Shane Victorino continues to rake, going 3-4. Zach Duke made a valiant effort for the Pirates, allowing three runs in eight innings and striking out six.

Braves MiL Notables:
AA Mississippi (7-12) beat Birmingham, 8-7, in the second game of a doubleheader. Eric Campbell picked up three hits and four RBIs. Freddie Freeman went 2-4 with two RBIs, and Jason Heyward went 2-4 with an RBI.

A+ Myrtle Beach (8-7) cruised past Frederick, 11-4. Benji Johnson went 2-4 with three RBIs. Robert Marcial added two RBIs, and C.J. Lee recorded a homer. Jose Ortegano allowed four runs over two innings.

Rk Danville (11-7) shut out Bluefield, 3-0. Randy Gress went 2-3 with two RBIs, but the highlight of the game was Chris Masters, who pitched seven shutout innings, giving up just four hits while not walking any and striking out nine.

NL East Top Performer:

Joe Blanton
SP - Phillies
(W, 7.1 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 6 K) vs. Pirates

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Eric Campbell
3B - AA Mississippi
(3-4, 2B, 4 RBI) vs. Birmingham

Braves 4, Rockies 1

The good Derek Lowe showed up tonight, allowing just one run and leading the Braves to a 4-1 win over the Rockies.

Garret Anderson (AP - David Zalubowski)

Garret Anderson got the Braves on the board in the first with a two-run double, and it proved to be a key hit when the score remained the same through five. Todd Helton took advantage of Lowe's only mistake, hitting a solo homer in the sixth to make it a 2-1 score. After a rain delay knocked both starters out after six, Diory Hernandez provided two insurance runs in the eighth on a double to make it 4-1, where it remained.

Derek Lowe: W (8-7), 6 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 5 K
Manny Acosta: H (1), 1.1 IP, 3 H, K
Eric O' Flaherty: H (9), 0.2 IP, 2 K
Rafael Soriano: S (11), 1 IP, 2 K

Everything seemed to be against Lowe's favor tonight, with a bad history at Coors and in the middle of a rough stretch. However, he pitched like the Lowe of earlier this season, making just one mistake to Helton and not allowing any extra base hits. Also worth noting is one walk to five strikeouts, which is something that has plagued Lowe recently. Acosta performed well in a tough spot, asked to pitch the seventh and some of the eighth with the one-run lead. He got into trouble in the eighth but O' Flaherty bailed him out with two strikeouts. Soriano pitched another perfect inning for his 11th save.

Garret Anderson: 2-4, 2 RBI
Diory Hernandez: 2 RBI
Martin Prado: 2-4

Anderson and Hernandez were the offense for the Braves tonight. Oh, and Prado. Can't forget him. Matt Diaz went 0-3 in his start, striking out twice. Ubaldo Jimenez was sitting Braves hitters down at a rapid pace, striking out eight over six innings.

Notable Rockies:
Ubaldo Jimenez: L (6-9), 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K

Notable Stat:
Eric O' Flaherty=Bailout Machine: K'd 3 of his last 4 hitters, all in tough spots.

Next Game:
7/11: @ Rockies, 8:10 (Jair Jurrjens vs. Jason Marquis)

7/10: Braves @ Rockies Game Preview

July 10, 2009 - 9:10 (SportSouth)
@


Derek Lowe
(7-7, 4.56 ERA, 36 BB, 56 K, 1.43 WHIP)
Career vs. Rockies: 7-7, 4.50 ERA in 17 starts
vs.

Ubaldo Jimenez
(6-8, 3.86 ERA, 45 BB, 93 K, 1.33 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 1-2, 5.66 ERA in 4 starts

Braves vs. Jimenez:
Yunel Escobar: 12 PA, 5-8
Chipper Jones: 12 PA, 3-11, 3 RBI
Brian McCann: 12 PA, 3-9
Nate McLouth: 10 PA, 2-10, HR
Matt Diaz: 6 PA, 2-4, HR

Rockies vs. Lowe:
Todd Helton: 46 PA, 13-39, HR, 4 RBI
Garrett Atkins: 39 PA, 10-38, 6 RBI
Brad Hawpe: 38 PA, 11-34, 3 HR, 9 RBI

Season Series: 2-2 (Last Game: 7/9, L 7-6)

What to Look For:
Which Ubaldo Jimenez shows up. He is an inconsistent starter who is prone to blow up, but he can also no-hit you pretty easily. He hasn't had much success against the Braves, however. The Rockies have seen Lowe quite often when he was with the Dodgers and have had success against him, especially the three listed above.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Braves deal Francoeur to Mets for Church
Braves option Hanson until after break
Escobar exits with lower back strain
DOB Blog (7/10)
Braves trade Francoeur to Mets
The Francoeur trade: a sad but necessary ending

The Francoeur Era is Over

Thank the Lord. Hallelujah. I'm standing and cheering. Jeff Francoeur has been traded to the Mets for Ryan Church.

My first reaction: the Mets? Wow. The Mets. Probably the last place Francoeur wanted to go and try to work things out. I already know Mets fans don't want the guy, just imagine how it'll be when Jeff grounds into double play after double play. A negative atmosphere is not something he's used to. I wonder how he'll handle it.

My second reaction: the Braves absolutely robbed the Mets of Church. For the Braves to get anything at all for Francoeur is shocking in itself, but to get a capable lefty hitter who can be plugged into right field immediately is amazing to me. I mean, it's not even my place to evaluate Church and his flaws because of the fact that the Braves got him for Francoeur.

My third reaction: I really must wish the best for Francoeur. To be the hometown hero, center of attention, and tagged as the future star in Atlanta only to fall this far is demoralizing, I'm sure. I can't help but feel a little sorry for him despite my constant ripping of him for the past couple years. I will cheer for him and I hope he is able to climb out of the hole.

Braves fans that were attracted to his smile, personality, and story are very upset today. Braves fans that want to see the team win are standing and applauding Frank Wren today. It had to be done.

Final Roundup (7/9)

The Phillies and Marlins continued to keep pace with each other on Thursday, with both winning big games. Meanwhile, the Braves, Mets, and Nationals slid another game behind. Gwinnett picked up a big win and Myrtle Beach won in extras down on the farm.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies took the rubber game from the Reds by the score of 9-6. Jamie Moyer continued his backward slide by allowing six runs in five innings, raising his ERA to 5.99. But he was backed by a homer and two RBIs from Jayson Werth, two RBIs from Shane Victorino, and two hits and an RBI from a red hot Jimmy Rollins. Rollins is currently on a nine-game hitting streak and has seen his average go from .209 to .227 in that stretch.

The Marlins scored 10 runs in the eighth inning to beat the D-Backs, 14-7. Dan Uggla went 4-6 with an RBI. The Marlins got home runs from Jeremy Hermida, Brett Carroll, and Jorge Cantu. The score was actually 7-0 D-Backs through five, but the Marlins scored three in the sixth, one in the seventh, and 10 in the eighth to make the comeback. Blaine Boyer gave up five runs, two earned, in that eighth inning debacle for the D-Backs.

Other Notable Stat Lines:
ATL - Jeff Francoeur (3-4, 3 2B, 2 RBI)
WAS - Ryan Zimmerman (2-5, RBI)
NYM - Gary Sheffield (2-4, RBI)

Braves MiL Notables:
AAA Gwinnett (47-41) got seven solid innings from Bobby Brownlie in a 8-6 win over Durham. Brownlie allowed one run on five hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out five. Barbaro Canizares hit a homer and drove in three. Chris Burke added two hits and a homer.

A+ Myrtle Beach (7-7) beat Potomac in extras, 6-5. Erik Cordier pitched seven solid innings for the Pelicans, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out four. Donell Linares went 4-5 at the plate. Gerardo Rodriguez went 2-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Michael Fisher added two RBIs.

A- Rome (4-11) defeated Greenville, 6-2. Paul Clemens gave up just one unearned run on six hits in six innings, walking one and striking out eight. Yoel Campusano recorded three hits and an RBI. Adam Milligan added three hits.

Other Notable Stat Lines:
AAA - Kelly Johnson (2-2, 3B, RBI, 3 BB)
AA - Jason Heyward (1-3, RBI)
Rk - Brett Oberholtzer (7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)

NL East Top Performer:

Jeremy Hermida
RF - Marlins
(3-5, HR, 2 RBI) vs. D-Backs

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Paul Clemens
A- Rome
(6 IP, 6 H, R, BB, 8 K) vs. Greenville

Rockies 7, Braves 6

The Braves won a series and were unable to keep the momentum going with a win to start the next series. Heard that one before?

Garrett Atkins (AP - David Zalubowski)

The Braves started the scoring in the second on an RBI triple by Yunel Escobar, which was followed by an RBI for Jeff Francoeur when he beat out a double play. The Rockies answered in the home half with a two-run home run by Ian Stewart to tie it at two. This became a pattern.

Francoeur doubled in a run and Martin Prado singled in a run to take another two-run lead in the fourth. The Rockies answered in the home half with a two-run triple by Chris Iannetta to tie at four.

The Braves took the lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Brooks Conrad. The Rockies answered in the seventh with an RBI double by Clint Barmes that tied it at five.

Yes, I am separating these paragraphs on purpose. Problem is the pattern broke in the eighth on a two-run double by Garrett Atkins. The Braves scored a meaningless run in the ninth to lose, 7-6.

Tommy Hanson: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Peter Moylan: 0.1 IP, 2 H, ER
Mike Gonzalez: L (3-2), 0.2 IP, H, 2 ER, BB, K

Hanson was unable to keep a lead when the Braves gave him one, which is a deadly sin. He wasn't hit incredibly hard, he just gave up the big hit when the Rockies needed it. Moylan blew his fourth lead of the season and Gonzalez blew his weekly lead by giving up the winning runs in the eighth. At least Rafael Soriano got a day off. Nobody else did.

Jeff Francoeur: 3-4, 3 2B, 2 RBI
Martin Prado: 2-5, RBI
Yunel Escobar, Diory Hernandez, Brooks Conrad: RBI each

Francoeur really had no business being the lineup tonight but took advantage of it, recording three doubles and two RBIs. Every starter had a hit but they left nine on base and went 3-16 w/RISP. Escobar left the game early with a back strain. Chipper Jones sat out again with his groin injury, but he pinch hit and was intentionally walked.

Notable Rockies:
Chris Iannetta: 2-3, 2 RBI
Ian Stewart: HR, 2 RBI

Notable Stat:
Two walks from Hanson. He seems to have his control under control and is pitching efficiently.

Next Game:
7/10: @ Rockies, 9:10 (Derek Lowe vs. Ubaldo Jimenez)

7/9: Braves @ Rockies Game Preview

July 9, 2009 - 8:40 (SportSouth)
@


Tommy Hanson
(4-0, 2.25 ERA, 18 BB, 23 K, 1.25 WHIP)
Career vs. Rockies: First start
vs.

Aaron Cook
(8-3, 3.76 ERA, 31 BB, 52 K, 1.35 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 1-1, 4.19 ERA in 8 starts, 10 total games

Braves vs. Cook:
Chipper Jones: 26 PA, 8-23, HR, 5 RBI
Jeff Francoeur: 21 PA, 7-21, 3 RBI
Brian McCann: 16 PA, 3-15, RBI
Yunel Escobar: 12 PA, 3-11, RBI
Nate McLouth: 12 PA, 2-10, RBI
Casey Kotchman: 7 PA, 1-6, 2 RBI

Rockies vs. Hanson:
None

Season Series: 2-1 (Last Game: 5/21, L 9-0)

What to Look For:
How the Braves handle Cook. He pitched a complete game shutout against the Braves in the two teams' last matchup in mid-May. Just as important is Hanson's ability to keep the ball in the park at Colorado.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Hanson ready for Coors
DOB Blog (7/9)
Bradley: More Braves shoulda been All-Stars
Momentum or mirage?

7/9-7/12: Braves @ Rockies Series Preview

Atlanta Braves (41-43, 3rd NL East)
@
Colorado Rockies (45-39, 3rd NL West)

The Braves round out the first half with a four-game series against the Rockies.

The Braves got back on the winning track by taking two of three from the Cubs at Wrigley. Solid performances by Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami highlighted a successful series, though they were unable to gain ground on the Phillies. The continuing struggles of the Mets have the Braves alone in third at 41-43.

The Rockies were routed in two of the three games against the Braves back in mid-May. The Braves are facing a different team this time around, however, as the Rockies have taken off since the beginning of June. One very important stretch in June had the Rockies going 17-1 and gain tremendous ground in the standings. They are coming off a sweep of the Nationals as well, and are only a game back of the rival Giants in the Wild Card race.

(2009 stats followed by career stats vs. opposing team)
7/9 - 8:40
Tommy Hanson (4-0, 2.25 ERA)
vs.
Aaron Cook (8-3, 3.76 ERA...1-1, 4.19 ERA in 8 starts, 10 total games)

Hanson continues to be the talk of the baseball world with his hot start since being called up. His scoreless streak was snapped in his most recent start, allowing one run over seven innings against the Nationals. Also the talk is how he will handle Coors Field and the red hot Rockies. After a slow start, Cook has been dominating opponents through his last six starts. However, he left after five innings in his most recent start due to back problems that have plagued him for much of the first half. It obviously affected him on the mound as he allowed two runs on nine hits. Cook pitched a complete game shutout against the Braves earlier this season.

7/10 - 9:10
Derek Lowe (7-7, 4.56 ERA...7-7, 4.50 ERA in 17 starts)
vs.
Ubaldo Jimenez (6-8, 3.86 ERA...1-2, 5.66 ERA in 4 starts)

Lowe continues to fight his struggles, allowing four runs and not reaching the sixth inning in his last start against the Nationals. Jimenez has been up and down this season, struggling with control and allowing 45 walks. He allowed four runs in 6.1 innings against the Diamondbacks in his last start.

7/11 - 8:10
Jair Jurrjens (6-7, 2.91 ERA...3-1, 2.93 ERA in 4 starts)
vs.
Jason Marquis (11-5, 3.61 ERA...2-3, 8.70 ERA in 6 starts)

Jurrjens allowed four early runs to the Cubs in his last start but settled down to last six innings. The four runs raised his ERA to 2.91, still good for fifth in the league. Marquis has been one of the big surprises of the season, leading the league in wins and has two complete games already. After giving up seven runs to the Angels, Marquis pitched a complete game shutout and allowed just two hits to the Dodgers and most recently pitched eight shutout innings against the Nationals. He still struggles with walks, a low amount of strikeouts, and has a high WHIP at 1.30. Marquis also has a rather high career ERA against the Braves.

7/12 - 3:10
Javier Vazquez (6-7, 2.95 ERA...4-2, 3.77 ERA in 8 starts)
vs.
Jason Hammel (5-4, 4.07 ERA...0-1, 4.50 ERA in 1 start)

Vazquez finally got his ERA below three with a one-run performance over seven innings against the Cubs in his last start. He really earned a win too. Hammel has been a solid fifth starter for the Rockies, though he has been up and down this season through 14 starts. After allowing one run over eight innings against the Dodgers, he most recently allowed four runs on 10 hits against the Nationals.

Key Rockies Relievers:
CL - Huston Street (37.1 IP, 2.65 ERA, 21 SV...3.1 IP, 8.10 ERA, SV)
SU - Alan Embree (23.2 IP, 6.08 ERA, 6 HLD...11.2 IP, 7.71 ERA)
MR - Matt Daley (19.2 IP, 5.03 ERA, 5 HLD)

Key Rockies Hitters:
RF - Brad Hawpe (.327, 13 HR, 57 RBI....276, 6 HR, 19 RBI in 30 games)
1B - Todd Helton (.317, 9 HR, 56 RBI....331, 7 HR, 44 RBI in 76 games)
SS - Troy Tulowitzki (.253, 14 HR, 35 RBI....294, 2 HR, 10 RBI in 18 games)

Rockies Injuries:
RP - Manny Corpas (15-day, bone spurs)
RP - Ryan Speier (15-day, strained hamstring)
RP - Taylor Buchholz (60-day, elbow surgery)
SP - Jeff Francis (60-day, shoulder surgery)

Final Roundup (7/8)

Every team in the East picked up a win on Wednesday, with the exception being the lowly Nationals. Gwinnett posted the only win for the Braves farm with an exciting late-inning showdown.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies got revenge on the Reds by scoring a winning run of their own in the ninth, winning 3-2. Rodrigo Lopez allowed two runs on five hits in five innings for the Phillies, who still sit two games ahead of the Marlins. Shane Victorino had two hits and an RBI and Jayson Werth hit his 19th homer of the season.

The Marlins got a little revenge of their own on the Giants, avoiding a sweep by cranking out a 7-0 win. Chris Volstad was the highlight of the East yesterday, pitching a complete game shutout, giving up five hits while not walking any and striking out six. Dan Uggla had a homer and three RBIs, and Emilio Bonifacio and Jorge Cantu added two hits and an RBI each.

The Mets held off a late rally to even the series with the Dodgers, winning 5-4. Oliver Perez walked seven in five innings but only allowed four hits and two runs. David Wright and Jeremy Reed each had two hits and an RBI. Manny Ramirez homered for the Dodgers and Rafael Furcal added two hits and an RBI.

Braves MiL Notables:
AAA Gwinnett (46-41) scored a run in the ninth to beat Durham, 7-6. Kelly Johnson hit a three-run home run in his second rehab start. Antonio Perez went 4-5 and scored twice. Mariano Gomez pitched four scoreless innings behind starter Tony Armas.

Other Notable Stat Lines:
AA - Freddie Freeman (2-4, 2 2B, RBI)
A- - Braeden Schlehuber (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI)
A- - J.J. Hoover (5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 9 K)

NL East Top Performer:

Chris Volstad
SP - Marlins
(W, 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K) vs. Giants

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Antonio Perez
SS - AAA Gwinnett
(4-5, 2B, 2 R) vs. Durham

Braves 4, Cubs 1

Kenshin Kawakami pitched six solid innings and the offense backed him enough to take the game, 4-1, and the series from the Cubs.

Martin Prado (AP/M. Spencer Green)

The Braves started the scoring in the third on a Martin Prado RBI single. They added their second run in the sixth when Casey Kotchman hit a solo homer, which proved to be crucial when Kosuke Fukudome took his former teammate deep on a solo shot in the home half of the sixth.

The Braves remained on top by one until the ninth, when they added two insurance runs on Cubs blunders. Prado singled and the ball got away from Fukudome, allowing Nate McLouth to score from first and Prado advance to third. Prado then scored on a wild pitch for a three-run lead.

Kenshin Kawakami: W (5-6), 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Peter Moylan: H (13), 1 IP, H
Mike Gonzalez: H (9), 1 IP, H
Rafael Soriano: S (10), 1 IP, 2 K

Kawakami earned his fifth win with six solid innings. He pitched five shutout innings before giving up the Fukudome homer in the sixth, pretty much knocking him out. I would have at least sent him out for the seventh to try and save an arm, though. Gonzalez seems to have found himself the everyday setup man for Soriano now. Both he and Moylan worked around allowing a hit in their innings, with Gonzalez getting a little help from a great play by Yunel Escobar that saved the tying run from scoring. The staff was backed by three double plays turned and several big defensive plays.

Martin Prado: 2-3, 2 BB, RBI
Casey Kotchman: HR
Nate McLouth: 2-5

How many times has Prado's name been mentioned on the stat list in my recaps already? Both he and McLouth crossed home plate for three of the Braves' four runs. McLouth extended his hitting streak to nine games with another multi-hit effort. Jeff Francoeur extended his worthless streak to infinity with an 0-fer. If I was Matt Diaz I'd have probably worked my way off the team by now. He's a better guy than me.

Notable Cubs:
Kevin Hart: L (0-1), 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 BB, 3 K

Notable Stat:
Nate McLouth in his past five games: 10-22, 2 HR, 4 RBI

Why Jeff Francoeur... It doesn't even matter anymore. Seriously.

Next Game:
7/9: @ Rockies, 8:40 (Tommy Hanson vs. Aaron Cook)

7/8: Braves @ Cubs Game Preview

July 8, 2009 - 2:20 (SportSouth)
@


Kenshin Kawakami
(4-6, 4.46 ERA, 34 BB, 66 K, 1.38 WHIP)
Career vs. Cubs: 0-0, 3.86 ERA in 1 start
vs.

Kevin Hart
(0-0, 1.59 ERA, 5 BB, K, 1.41 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 0-0, 0.00 in 1 IP

Braves vs. Hart:
Nate McLouth: 2 PA, 0-2

Cubs vs. Kawakami:
Alfonso Soriano: 4 PA, 1-4, HR
Ryan Theriot: 4 PA, 0-4

Season Series: 3-2 (Last Game: 7/7, W 2-1)

What to Look For:
Whether Kenshin Kawakami can rebound from a rough last start against the Nationals, in which he allowed four earned runs in only 4.1 innings. Neither team has much experience against the opposing pitcher, and this is Kevin Hart's first start of the season due to being called up to replace Ryan Dempster.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Slumping Chipper Jones sits with strain

Final Roundup (7/7)

The Phillies' four-game winning streak was snapped on Tuesday, but only the Braves were able to take advantage and gain a game on the division leaders. Every team on the farm fell yesterday with the exception of Danville, but Rome saw an outstanding pitching performance.

NL East Notables:
The Reds scored a run in the ninth to inch by the Phillies, 4-3. Chase Utley had three hits and an RBI, and Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth each hit a solo homer. J.A. Happ allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings, not walking any and striking out seven. Brandon Phillips had two home runs and three RBIs for the Reds. The Phillies still sit two games ahead of the Marlins.

The Marlins failed to take advantage of the Phillies loss, losing a second straight to the Giants, 3-0. Hanley Ramirez sat out with his hip injury, leaving the offense to record only four hits. Josh Johnson allowed three runs in seven innings, receiving the tough loss. Barry Zito pitched into the ninth for the Giants, shutting the Marlins out and giving up four hits.

The Mets were blanked by the Dodgers in their series opener, 8-0. The Mets offense picked up four hits as a team. Clayton Kershaw pitched six shutout innings for the Dodgers, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. The Mets have now dropped to 4.5 out and slipped below the Braves in the East.

Braves MiL Notables:
A- Rome (3-10) dropped a heartbreaker to Lexington, 1-0. Zeke Spruill dominated Lexington over eight innings, not allowing any runs on three hits, no walks and 10 strikeouts. Angelo Paulino gave up the winning run in the ninth. Jahdiel Santamaria, Samuel Sime, and Chris Shehan each had two hits.

Also worth noting is Kelly Johnson's first rehab start at Gwinnett. He went 0-3 with an RBI. Jo-Jo Reyes made a start for Gwinnett as well, pitching two shutout innings.

Rk Danville (9-6) pounded out 23 runs to beat Pulaski, 23-7. I'd rather not go into details of the offensive output, but Cory Harrilchak went 5-7 with four RBIs. Robert Hefflinger hit a grand slam and ended up with five RBIs.

NL East Top Performer:

Javier Vazquez
SP - Braves
(W, 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 0 BB, 6 K) vs. Cubs

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Zeke Spruill
SP - A- Rome
(8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K) vs. Lexington

Braves 2, Cubs 1

Javier Vazquez earned a win? My goodness. Javy allowed one run over seven innings as the Braves held on to win, 2-1, and even the series.

Brian McCann was the offense for the Braves. He started the scoring in the first with an RBI single and doubled in a run in the third. Koyie Hill singled in a run in the second for the Cubs' only run. Chicago had seven hits but never really threatened. The Braves, on the other hand, seemed to put runners in scoring position constantly and couldn't bring them home...sound familiar? They went 1-10 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base.

Javier Vazquez: W (6-7), 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Mike Gonzalez: H (8), 1 IP, H
Rafael Soriano: S (9), 1 IP, H, K

Vazquez only allowed one run so he was able to get a win. Of course, one more run and it wouldn't have been a win. Got in just under the limit. He struggled early, throwing 30-something pitches in the second inning, but he quickly settled down and was a model of efficiency for the remaining five innings. Probably the highlight of the game for me was hearing the boos from Cubs fans toward Gonzalez. Gotta love Cubs fans.

Brian McCann: 2-4, 2 RBI
Brooks Conrad: 2-4

McCann broke out of his mini slump by driving in both runs for the Braves. Nate McLouth and Martin Prado were the two he drove in. Each had a hit. Bobby Cox continues to amaze with his insane love of Garret Anderson by hitting him third. He went 0-3 with a walk. Chipper Jones sat out with a groin injury.

Notable Cubs:
Carlos Zambrano: L (4-4), 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

Notable Stat:
Braves w/RISP: 1-10

Why Jeff Francoeur Sucks:
K. Saw 11 pitches.

Next Game:
7/8: @ Cubs, 2:20 (Kenshin Kawakami vs. Kevin Hart)

7/7: Braves @ Cubs Game Preview

July 7, 2009 - 8:05 (SportSouth)
@


Javier Vazquez
(5-7, 3.05 ERA, 23 BB, 130 K, 1.07 WHIP)
Career vs. Cubs: 4-4, 4.83 ERA in 17 starts
vs.

Carlos Zambrano
(4-3, 3.50 ERA, 38 BB, 69 K, 1.31 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 2-2, 4.62 ERA in 10 starts

Braves vs. Zambrano:
Chipper Jones: 29 PA, 6-23, HR, 2 RBI
Nate McLouth: 29 PA, 5-22, 4 RBI
Jeff Francoeur: 15 PA, 4-14, 2 HR, 8 RBI
David Ross: 14 PA, 2-12, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Brian McCann: 9 PA, 5-9, 2 RBI

Cubs vs. Vazquez:
Derrek Lee: 56 PA, 21-53, 3 HR, 16 RBI
Aramis Ramirez: 32 PA, 8-29, 2 HR, 8 RBI
Reed Johnson: 20 PA, 3-19
Milton Bradley: 19 PA, 3-18)
Ryan Theriot: 13 PA, 5-13
Kosuke Fukudome: 11 PA, 0-6

Season Series: 2-2 (Last Game: 7/6, L 4-2)

What to Look For:
Which Braves team shows up against Zambrano. He made one start against the Braves in 2008, allowing two runs over seven innings. In 2007, Zambrano gave up a total of 11 runs in two starts against the Braves. You never know what you're gonna get with Carlos. Another factor tonight is Javier Vazquez vs. Derrek Lee. Lee has had tremendous success in his career against Vazquez and he is red hot right now, including hitting a two-run homer last night off Jair Jurrjens.

Braves.com Preview
Cubs.com Preview
STATS Preview
DOB Blog (7/7)
Bradley on Francoeur
Cubs' Dempster to DL with fractured toe

Final Roundup (7/6)

The Phillies won their fourth in a row and took a two game lead in the East with a drubbing of the Reds on Monday. Gwinnett pulled out a late win over Norfolk for the farm's only win yesterday.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies scored 10 in the first in route to a 22-1 beat down of the Reds. Every starter in the lineup had at least one RBI except Pedro Feliz. Shane Victorino went 4-5 with a homer and four RBIs. Cole Hamels had one of his best outings, allowing one run on three hits in seven innings, not walking any and striking out two. The Phillies now lead the East by two games over the Marlins, who lost to the Giants last night.

Braves MiL Notables:
AAA Gwinnett (45-40) scored an eighth inning run on an RBI single by Greg Norton to inch by Norfolk, 6-5. Norton had two hits and two RBIs. Reid Gorecki picked up two hits and an RBI for a Braves team that rallied from five runs down after six innings.

AA Mississippi (6-8) lost to Jacksonville, 9-4, but the highlight was Jason Heyward's two hits, including a triple, and three RBIs. He's hitting .417 since being called up. Concepcion Rodriguez added three hits and an RBI.

NL East Top Performer:

Shane Victorino
CF - Phillies
(4-5, 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI) vs. Reds

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Jason Heyward
RF - AA Mississippi
(2-5, 3B, 3 RBI) vs. Jacksonville

Cubs 4, Braves 2

The Braves made it three straight losses after a 4-2 loss in the series opener against the Cubs.

Jair Jurrjens struggled early and it cost him the game, allowing two runs in the first on a two-run home run by Derrek Lee, and two in the second on an RBI double by Kosuke Fukudome and an RBI single by Ryan Theriot. Those were the only runs scored by the Cubs, but they were two more than the Braves would score.

Yunel Escobar singled in a run in the fourth to break the shutout. Nate McLouth hit a solo homer in the fifth but had a rather questionable at bat later in the game, lining out on a bunt attempt with a runner on first. The Braves once again matched the opposing team in hits but once again left a lot on base.

Jair Jurrjens: L (6-7), 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, K
Peter Moylan: 1 IP, H, BB, K
Manny Acosta: 1 IP, H, K

Jurrjens settled down after the rough first two innings to last six. He only struck out one and walked three.

Nate McLouth: 3-5, HR
Yunel Escobar: 2-3, RBI

I blame the loss on Martin Prado for not having four hits and three RBIs tonight. Oh, and Matt Diaz too. The Braves went 1-7 w/RISP and left eight on base. At least Diaz stayed in right field against a righty. That makes me happy. But he went 0-4 so we won't see him for a week.

Notable Cubs:
Randy Wells: W (4-3), 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Derrek Lee: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI

Notable Stat:
Brooks Conrad saw as many pitches in a pinch hit at bat as Casey Kotchman saw in four at bats.

Next Game:
7/7: @ Cubs, 8:05 (Javier Vazquez vs. Ryan Dempster)

7/6: Braves @ Cubs Game Preview

July 6, 2009 - 7:05 (ESPN)
@


Jair Jurrjens
(6-6, 2.73 ERA, 38 BB, 74 K, 1.24 WHIP)
Career vs. Cubs: First start
vs.

Randy Wells
(3-3, 2.43 ERA, 14 BB, 45 K, 1.08 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 0-0, 1.29 ERA in 1 start)

Cubs vs. Jurrjens:
Jeff Baker (4 PA, 1-4)

Braves vs. Wells:
Garret Anderson (3 PA, 1-3, HR)

Season Series: 2-1 (Last Game: 6/22, W 2-0)

What to Look For:
Whether Randy Wells can continue his hot pitching against a team he did very well against earlier in the season. The Cubs have absolutely no prior experience against Jair Jurrjens, so that is also something to keep in mind tonight.

A bevvy of rumors prior to the game tonight, speculating that neither Yunel Escobar nor Javier Vazquez may be traded before the deadline. Mark Bowman shot down the Yunel rumors in his blog. The Brewers inquired about Vazquez but the two sides are not talking due to Frank Wren wanting one of the two top prospects from Milwaukee. Good to see Wren taking the "blown away" approach to Vazquez. It's the only way to go with him.

7/6-7/8: Braves @ Cubs Series Preview

Following a series sweep of the Phillies at home, the Braves again took a step backward by losing two of three to the Nationals. They look to right the ship with a three-game series against the Cubs.

The Braves carried a four-game winning streak into Washington as they faced the cellar dwellar Nationals, and took the first game of the series with a 9-8 win. But a late rally by the Nationals in the second game cost the Braves a win and took the air out of them. It resulted in a poor loss in the third game that gave the Nationals the series. The Braves lost what they gained in the standings, now sitting four games back.

The Cubs have not changed much at all since the Braves last saw them in the first week of June. They continue to hover around .500, struggling on offense and failing to back a pitching staff that has the fourth best ERA in the National League. The Braves split a couple games with the Cubs in early June and won a postponed game later in the month. The Cubs are currently 40-39, 2.5 games behind in the standings.

(2009 stats followed by career stats vs. opposing team)
7/6 - 7:05
Jair Jurrjens (6-6, 2.73 ERA)
vs.
Randy Wells (3-3, 2.43 ERA...0-0, 1.29 ERA in 1 start)

The Braves remember Wells very well since he took a no-hitter late into his outing against the Braves earlier in the season. He possesses strong command, evident in his 14 walks allowed in 63 innings and a 1.08 WHIP. But the Cubs have had trouble scoring runs for him. Speaking of which, Jurrjens gets the start for the Braves. He continues to cruise through his starts, shutting the Phillies out over seven innings in a 11-1 win in his last outing.

7/7 - 8:05
Javier Vazquez (5-7, 3.05 ERA...4-4, 4.83 ERA in 17 starts)
vs.
Ryan Dempster (5-5, 4.09 ERA...2-11, 5.14 ERA in 15 starts, 26 total games)

I actually went back and double checked Dempster's career numbers against the Braves to make sure that record was correct. He has a 2-11 career record versus the Braves with a rather unimpressive ERA. Dempster gave up three runs in 6.2 innings against the Brewers in his most recent start. Vazquez struggled a bit with command in his last start, only going 5.1 innings and allowing two runs to the Phillies. He pitched 6.2 shutout innings against the Cubs in the makeup game.

7/8 - 2:20
Kenshin Kawakami (4-6, 4.46 ERA...0-0, 3.86 ERA in 1 start)
vs.
Carlos Zambrano (4-3, 3.50 ERA...2-2, 4.62 ERA in 10 starts)

Zambrano takes to the mound for the Cubs in the series finale. He missed a scheduled start against the Braves in their last matchup due to missing the team plane. Zambrano allowed one run in seven innings against the Brewers in his most recent start. Kawakami is looking to rebound from a rough past outing, giving up four runs in 4.1 innings of work. He allowed three runs in seven innings to the Cubs earlier in the season.

Key Cubs Relievers:
CL - Kevin Gregg (37.1 IP, 3.62 ERA, 14 SV...17.1 IP, 5.71 ERA, 5 SV, 4 BSV)
SU - Carlos Marmol (39.1 IP, 3.66 ERA, 17 HLD...9 IP, 3.00 ERA, HLD)
MR - Aaron Heilman (38.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 5 HLD...52 IP, 5.02 ERA, 7 HLD)

Key Cubs Hitters:
1B - Derrek Lee (.285, 15 HR, 51 RBI....257, 21 HR, 62 RBI in 120 games)
LF - Alfonso Soriano (.226, 14 HR, 32 RBI....342, 16 HR, 35 RBI in 38 games)
SS - Ryan Theriot (.289, 7 HR, 29 RBI....253, 0 HR, 5 RBI in 20 games)

Cubs Injuries:
2B - Aaron Miles (15-day, hyperextended elbow)
CF - Reed Johnson (15-day, back spasms)
RP - Angel Guzman (15-day, strained triceps)
RP - Jason Waddell (15-day, non-baseball related medical issue)
RP - Chad Fox (15-day, elbow inflammation)
3B - Aramis Ramirez (15-day, dislocated shoulder)

Final Roundup (7/5)

The Phillies completed a sweep of the Mets on Sunday, but the Marlins remained one game back. The Braves farm system didn't have much success Sunday, but a grand slam helped lead Rome to a victory.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies finished a three-game sweep of the Mets with a 2-0 win. Joe Blanton pitched 7.1 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits. Jimmy Rollins continues his climb out of the dumpster with a 2-3, RBI day. For the Mets, Johan Santana allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings, but was tagged with his seventh loss. The Mets offense managed just four hits.

The Marlins took two of three from the Pirates with a 5-0 win. Ricky Nolasco earned player of the day honors by pitching eight shutout innings, allowing just three hits while walking two and striking out 12. The offense racked up 10 hits despite the absence of Hanley Ramirez, who sat out due to a bad hip. Jeremy Hermida and John Baker each had two hits and an RBI.

Braves MiL Notables:
A+ Myrtle Beach (6-5) lost to Salem, 6-4. Cody Johnson and Donell Linares each had a homer and two RBIs. Michael Fisher continued his hot hitting with a 3-4 day, including a double. Jose Ortegano pitched three innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit, not walking any and striking out three. Ortegano has a BB/K ratio of 18/48 and hitters are hitting .215 against him this season.

A- Rome (3-8) defeated Lexington, 6-5, with four runs in the eighth on a grand slam by Chais Fuller. Braeden Schlehuber and Shayne Moody each had two hits and an RBI. Randall Delgado allowed one run on six hits in five innings for the Braves.

NL East Top Performer:

Ricky Nolasco
SP - Marlins
(8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 12 K) vs. Pirates

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Chais Fuller
3B - A- Rome
(HR, 4 RBI) vs. Lexington

Nationals 5, Braves 3

The Braves are such teasers. They come off a sweep of the Phillies and promptly lose two of three to the Nationals. Such teasers.

The Nationals started the scoring in the first on an RBI single by Ryan Zimmerman. They added two in the second on an RBI double by Ronnie Belliard and an RBI single by Scott Olsen. Derek Lowe did settle down after that to pitch a scoreless third, fourth, and fifth, but hit a wall in the sixth that knocked him out.

The Braves scored their first run in the third on a sac fly RBI by Chipper Jones. But the Nationals gained the run back in the sixth on an RBI single by Nick Johnson. An RBI double by Nyjer Morgan in the eighth gave them a four-run lead. The Braves cut the lead to two in the ninth on a two-run homer by Nate McLouth, but the game ended with the tying run on first.

Derek Lowe: L (7-7), 5.1 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, BB, K
Boone Logan: 0.1 IP, H
Manny Acosta: 0.1 IP
Kris Medlen: 2 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K

Lowe had another bad outing, starting off shaky and ending up shaky. His 10 hits allowed are a good indication his stuff is pure crap right now. His ERA is up to 4.56. Logan allowed one of Lowe's runs in the sixth on the Johnson hit. Acosta recorded the final out of the sixth. Medlen actually had two solid innings, though he gave up three hits and the run. He struck out four.

Nate McLouth: 2-5, HR, 2 RBI
Chipper Jones: RBI
Martin Prado: 4-4, BB

Prado is amazing. His average is up to .329 after a perfect 4-4 day, and yet he never scored a single time. Matt Diaz is pretty good himself, having another 2-4 day in right field. Brian McCann was the rally killer today, going 0-4 and leaving a ton on base, including the tying run in the ninth. The Braves were 1-11 w/RISP. When you can't do anything against Olsen and almost let him pitch a complete game, you should just give up.

Notable Nationals:
Scott Olsen: W (2-4), 8.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K
Nyjer Morgan: 3-5, RBI

Notable Stat:
Team LOB: 10. Olsen: 5 BB. Runs scored: 3

Why Jeff Francoeur Sucks:
Popped out in a big spot as a PH. First pitch.

Next Game:
7/6: @ Cubs, 7:05 (Jair Jurrjens vs. Randy Wells)

I really could care less about the All-Star Game due to its joke of a voting process, but Brian McCann was the lone Brave to make the roster. He doesn't get to start despite having far and away the best numbers for a catcher. Jurrjens, Vazquez, and Soriano all had a chance to go and all missed out. I'm not really concerned about this but at least one of them could have been named to the team.

Final Roundup (7/4)

The Phillies won a second straight from the Mets to maintain their lead, but the Marlins remained a game behind on Saturday.

NL East Notables:
The Mets' struggles continued as they lost another to the Phillies, 4-1. Jimmy Rollins picked up two RBIs and Shane Victorino added three hits and an RBI, backing a one-run performance by Jamie Moyer over 6.1 innings. Fernando Nieve allowed three earned runs in 5.2 innings for the Mets, including six walks. Alex Cora had three of the offense's six hits and Nieve recorded the only RBI. The Mets lineup is looking pitiful at the moment.

The Marlins evened up the series against the Pirates with a 5-3 win. Andrew Miller allowed three runs in 6.2 innings. Hanley Ramirez went 2-4 with a homer and two RBIs, his 14th home run of the season and 59th and 60th RBIs. Emilio Bonifacio went 4-4 and scored twice from the leadoff spot.

Braves MiL Notables:
AA Mississippi (6-6) got some help from a couple of new faces in a 8-6 win over Jacksonville. Jason Heyward had two hits, a triple, and an RBI. Freddie Freeman also picked up an RBI. Concepcion Rodriguez and Eric Campbell each recorded two RBIs.

A+ Myrtle Beach (6-4) defeated Salem, 3-2. Michael Fisher had two hits and three RBIs for the Pelicans. David Francis allowed one run on three hits in 6.1 innings, walking three and striking out seven.

NL East Top Performer:

Hanley Ramirez
SS - Marlins
(2-4, HR, 2 RBI) vs. Pirates

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Michael Fisher
2B - A+ Myrtle Beach
(2-4, 3 RBI) vs. Salem