Brewers 4, Braves 0

Yovani Gallardo remained perfect against the Braves this season, throwing 7.1 shutout innings in a 4-0 Brewers win.

Tommy Hanson (AP - Morry Gash)

The game remained scoreless through four, but the Brewers broke the tie in the fifth on an RBI single by Gallardo and a groundout by Craig Counsell that scored a run. They added two insurance runs in the eighth on a two-run single by Casey McGehee.

Tommy Hanson: L (5-1), 7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K
Eric O' Flaherty: 0.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, K
Manny Acosta: 0.2 IP, H, K

Hanson was finally tagged with his first loss, though he pitched seven solid innings while battling the flu bug. Giving up nine hits caught up to him in the fifth and he surprisingly only struck out one. I'll give him a break this time since, afterall, he is Tommy Hanson. O' Flaherty was pure garbage in the eighth, walking the bases loaded before being pulled. Acosta didn't do a bad job after getting put a spot he shouldn't have been in in the first place. He induced a fly out with the bases loaded and one out, but a grounder by McGehee found a hole and drove in two. Didn't matter with the Braves hitting like they were anyway.

Nate McLouth: 2-2

Despite just four hits, the Braves were on base every inning but the sixth, seventh, and ninth innings. However, Gallardo held them scoreless through 7.1 innings. Todd Coffey finished the eighth, and Mitch Stetter pitched a scoreless ninth. McLouth recorded two of the four hits and he walked twice.

Notable Brewers:
Yovani Gallardo: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 6 K
Craig Counsell, Yovani Gallardo: 2 hits, RBI each

Notable Stat:
One XBH (McCann 2B), three Braves reached second base.

Next Game:
7/26: @ Brewers, 2:05 (Derek Lowe vs. Braden Looper)

Bravesbuzz.com

You may notice that the website address has changed to www.bravesbuzz.com. We've gone big timin'. Hopefully this will add to the traffic and add a little interaction to the blog. If you have any suggestions on making this blog better just shoot me a message. Thanks for the continued readership the blog has received.

7/25: Braves @ Brewers Game Preview

July 25, 2009 - 7:05 (SportSouth)
Braves (50-47) vs. Brewers (48-48)
@


Tommy Hanson
(5-0, 3.00 ERA, 23 BB, 36 K, 1.27 WHIP)
Career vs. Brewers: 0-0, 9.00 ERA in 1 start
vs.

Yovani Gallardo
(8-7, 3.28 ERA, 59 BB, 130 K, 1.26 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 1-0, 1.20 ERA in 2 starts

Braves vs. Gallardo:
Nate McLouth: 17 PA, 4-17, RBI
Ryan Church: 6 PA, 2-4, RBI
Chipper Jones: 6 PA, 2-4, HR, 2 RBI

Brewers vs. Hanson:
Ryan Braun: 3 PA, 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI
Mike Cameron: 3 PA, 1-3, HR, 2 RBI

Season Series: 2-3 (Last Game: 7/24, W 9-4)

What to Look For:
Two young pitchers taking the mound tonight. Tommy Hanson is coming off an 11 strikeout performance against the Giants in his last start. He made his debut against the Brewers and didn't fare well, though you can't fault him for that. He was named Rookie of the Month for his efforts since that start. Yovani Gallardo continues to cruise through opponents, though he hasn't been on point in his last three starts. He has tremendous success against the Braves in two career starts, including eight shutout innings in June.

Stat to Consider:
Braves pitchers had a streak of 77 2/3 innings without allowing a home run before Ryan Braun snapped it last night. Braun hit two homers off Hanson back in June.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Tommy Hanson sick again, before anticipated start
Braves looking for a reliever

Final Roundup (7/24)

The Braves and Marlins both gained a game on the Phillies Friday. On the farm, every team but Danville came away with a victory.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies lost to the Cardinals, 8-1. J.A. Happ was tagged with his first loss by allowing five runs on 10 hits in six innings. Newly-acquired Matt Holliday went 4-5 with an RBI in his Cardinal debut. Joel Pineiro pitched six shutout innings for the Cardinals.

The Marlins scored three late runs to pull away from the Dodgers, 6-3. Josh Johnson allowed three runs in seven innings, improving to 9-2 on the season. Wes Helms went 3-6 with an RBI. Jeremy Hermida and Chris Coghlan each picked up a pinch hit RBI. The Braves and Marlins now sit 5.5 games behind the Phillies, 2.5 behind the Rockies and Giants in the Wild Card.

Notable Lines:
FLA - Josh Johnson (7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 K)
FLA - Wes Helms (3-6, RBI)
ATL - Martin Prado (2-5, HR, 4 RBI)
ATL - Javier Vazquez (7 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 9 K)
ATL - Nate McLouth (2-4, HR, 2 RBI)
NYM - Omir Santos (3-4, HR)

NL East Top Performer:

Martin Prado
(2-5, HR, 4 RBI) vs. Brewers

Braves MiL Notables:
AA Mississippi routed Tennessee, 10-0. Jason Heyward finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-5 with a homer and three RBIs. Matt Young added three hits and an RBI. Concepcion Rodriguez had three hits and an RBI, and Freddie Freeman added two hits and an RBI. Scott Diamond pitched six shutout innings, striking out five.

A+ Myrtle Beach routed Winston-Salem, 10-1. Cody Johnson had a homer and two RBIs, and Donell Linares added two RBIs on two hits. Gerardo Rodriguez, Jesus Sucre, and C.J. Lee each went deep. Jacob Thompson allowed one run on three hits in six innings.

A- - Has anybody noticed the tear Yoel Campusano has been on lately? The Rome second baseman is 18 for his last 31 and has at least two hits in his last seven games. He's hitting .465 with two homers and 10 RBIs in his last 10 games.

Notable Lines:
AAA - Brian Barton (HR, 3 RBI)
AAA - J.C. Holt (2-4, 3B, RBI)
AA - Jason Heyward (3-5, HR, 3 RBI)
AA - Matt Young (3-5, RBI)
AA - Scott Diamond (6 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K)
A+ - Cody Johnson (HR, 2 RBI)
A+ - Donell Linares (2-6, 2 RBI)
A- - Zeke Spruill (7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K)

Braves MiL Top Performer:

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

Braves 9, Brewers 4

No need to complain about run support anymore, Javy. The offense backed him with nine runs in route to a 9-4 win to open the series in Milwaukee.

Martin Prado (AP - Morry Gash)

The Braves started the scoring in the second when Casey Kotchman grounded out to score a run. Matt Diaz got caught in a rundown for a double play to prevent an RBI for Kotchman. Martin Prado hit a three-run home run in the third for a four-run lead.

The Brewers scored all four of their runs in the third and fifth innings. Craig Counsell doubled in two and Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer to tie it at four. Chipper Jones put the Braves ahead for good in the sixth on a solo homer. The Braves continued to pile on insurance runs in the late innings. Nate McLouth hit a two-run homer and Garret Anderson singled in a run in the eighth, and Prado singled in a run in the ninth.

Javier Vazquez: W (8-7), 7 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Peter Moylan: 1 IP, 2 K
Rafael Soriano: 1 IP, K

Vazquez gave up seven hits and walked three so he was in trouble more than once, but he got the out when he needed it to keep the Braves ahead. The best evidence came in the seventh when Vazquez got Prince Fielder on a strikeout with the tying run at third and two outs. I stated in the preview that Fielder was the focus and if Vazquez contained him they would win. Vazquez struck him out four times.

Martin Prado: 2-5, HR, 4 RBI
Nate McLouth: 2-4, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI
Chipper Jones, Garret Anderson: 3 hits, RBI each

The Braves offense recorded 17 hits along with eight runs. Brian McCann was the lone starter without a hit, though he just missed a home run at least three times. I don't think I've ever seen so many fly balls die at the warning track, yet the Braves still went deep three times. McLouth snapped out of his funk with a double and a homer. The offense put an end to Manny Parra's hot streak, putting up four runs on 10 hits against him.

Notable Brewers:
Ryan Braun: 2-3, HR, 2 RBI
Prince Fielder: 0-4, 4 K

Notable Stat:
First time Prince Fielder has struck out four times against one pitcher in a game.

Next Game:
7/25: @ Brewers, 7:05 (Tommy Hanson vs. Yovani Gallardo)

7/24: Braves @ Brewers Game Preview

July 24, 2009 - 8:05 (SportSouth)
Braves (49-47) vs. Brewers (48-47)
@


Javier Vazquez
(7-7, 2.86 ERA, 24 BB, 141 K, 1.05 WHIP)
Career vs. Brewers: 5-7, 4.87 ERA in 15 starts
vs.

Manny Parra
(4-8, 6.37 ERA, 45 BB, 68 K, 1.75 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 0-0, 7.94 ERA in 1 start)

Braves vs. Parra:
Chipper Jones: 3 PA, 3-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Matt Diaz: 3 PA, 1-3
Yunel Escobar: 3 PA, 2-3

Brewers vs. Vazquez:
Jason Kendall: 33 PA, 11-29, 2 RBI
Craig Counsell: 28 PA, 7-27, HR, 5 RBI
Frank Catalanotto: 26 PA, 10-26, HR, 2 RBI
Felipe Lopez: 16 PA, 3-15
Prince Fielder: 2 PA, 1-2, HR

Season Series: 1-2 (Last Game: 6/7, W 8-7)

What to Look For:
Prince Fielder. The big guy has nine home runs in 26 career games against the Braves, and he went 5-9 with two homers in the series in June. Fielder ranks second in the league to Albert Pujols in many categories and is fifth in home runs at 24. But if anybody can contain him it's Javier Vazquez, who has been one of the hottest pitchers in the game thus far. He faces a hot pitcher in Manny Parra, who has allowed just one run in his last two starts.

Stat to Consider:
The Brewers had at least 10 hits in each of their past four games but won just once.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Gonzalez struck by line drive in eighth
Rogers Blog (7/24)
Tim Hudson suffers rough inning in rehab start

7/24-7/26: Braves @ Brewers Series Preview

Atlanta Braves (49-47, T-2nd NL East)
@
Milwaukee Brewers (48-47, 4th NL Central)

The Braves take their hot streak to the road for a three-game series against the Brewers.

The Braves have been on fire since the break, recording a 6-2 record and coming within a game of sweeping both four-game series. The offense has been the best in the league since the break, due in large part to Yunel Escobar. They have moved up to fourth in the league in batting average.

The Brewers have taken a step back in the division due to solid play from the Cardinals, Cubs, and Astros, dropping all the way to fourth in the Central and only a game above .500. They are coming off a series loss to the Pirates. Pitching has been the main concern for the Brew Crew, ranking 14th in the league in team ERA. It's evident in their most recent series, allowing a total of 16 runs in the two losses to the lowly Pirates.

(2009 stats followed by career stats vs. opposing team)
7/24 - 8:05
Javier Vazquez (7-7, 2.86 ERA...5-7, 4.87 ERA in 15 starts)
vs.
Manny Parra (4-8, 6.37 ERA...0-0, 7.94 ERA in 1 start)

Vazquez continues to dominate and his ERA continues to drop. He is coming off another seven innings of one-run ball against the Mets, and he's actually won two decisions in a row. Parra has struggled mightily this season but appears to be a completely different pitcher since being sent down to AAA in mid-June. In his two starts since being called back up, Parra has allowed one run in 13 innings. His start against the Braves back in June was his next to last before being sent down, allowing five runs in 5.2 innings.

7/25 - 7:05
Tommy Hanson (5-0, 3.00 ERA...0-0, 9.00 ERA in 1 start)
vs.
Yovani Gallardo (8-7, 3.28 ERA...1-0, 1.20 ERA in 2 starts)

Hanson faces the team he made his debut against. Back in June, the Brewers got to Hanson for six earned runs in six innings. Since then, he has been close to perfect, yet to lose a start and steadily lowering his ERA. Gallardo has been consistently good all year, though his ERA is the highest it's been since May due to a couple of short starts against the Cardinals and Dodgers in early July. He rebounded to allow three runs in six innings against the Reds in his last start.

7/26 - 2:05
Derek Lowe (9-7, 4.26 ERA...2-1, 3.43 ERA in 6 starts, 8 total games)
vs.
Braden Looper (9-4, 4.64 ERA...6-3, 4.63 ERA in 3 starts, 56 total games)

Lowe appears to be back to his early season form, allowing one run in six innings to the Giants in his last start. He faces a fellow former reliever in Looper, who has remained consistently average as a starter this season. He is coming off his best start of the season, pitching seven shutout innings in a win over the Pirates.

Key Brewers Relievers:
CL - Trevor Hoffman (28.1 IP, 1.91 ERA, 22 SV...49.2 IP, 2.36 ERA, 26 SV)
SU - Todd Coffey (49.2 IP, 2.54 ERA, 15 HLD...9.1 IP, 4.82 ERA, 2 HLD)
MR - Mitch Stetter (31 IP, 2.90 ERA, 15 HLD...3.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 HLD)

Key Brewers Hitters:
1B - Prince Fielder (.312, 24 HR, 86 RBI....272, 9 HR, 13 RBI in 26 games)
LF - Ryan Braun (.307, 18 HR, 64 RBI....250, 3 HR, 11 RBI in 19 games)
CF - Mike Cameron (.260, 14 HR, 43 RBI....225, 12 HR, 31 RBI in 57 games)

Final Roundup (7/23)

With a Braves loss, the Phillies moved back to 6.5 games ahead in the division. Gwinnett and Mississippi pulled out wins on the farm.

The Phillies got back to winning after having their streak snapped, defeating the Padres, 9-4. Pedro Feliz and Jayson Werth each had three hits and an RBI. Every hitter but Shane Victorino picked up an RBI, and every hitter in the lineup had at least one hit. Cole Hamels allowed three runs on four hits in seven innings.

Coming off a sweep of the Padres, the Marlins got the day off yesterday. However, a Braves loss moved them into a tie for second, 6.5 games out. They visit the Dodgers this weekend.

The Mets continue to struggle, losing two of three to the Nationals before getting the day off yesterday. They visit the Astros this weekend.

Notable Lines:
WAS - Adam Dunn (3-3)
PHI - Cole Hamels (7 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
PHI - Jayson Werth, Pedro Feliz (3-5, RBI each)

NL East Top Performer:

Cole Hamels
SP - Phillies
(W, 7 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) vs. Padres

Braves MiL Notables:
AAA Gwinnett defeated Norfolk, 5-1. Brandon Jones had two hits, a double, a homer, and two RBIs. Barbaro Canizares added a solo homer. James Parr pitched three shutout innings, giving up two hits while not walking any and striking out two.

AA Mississippi inched by Tennessee, 2-1. Jeff Lyman pitched seven shutout innings on five hits, walking two and striking out six. Travis Jones went 2-3 with an RBI. J.C. Boscan picked up the other RBI. Eric Campbell added two hits.

Notable Lines:
AAA - Brandon Jones (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI)
AAA - James Parr (3 IP, 2 H, 2 K)
AA - Jeff Lyman (7 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K)
A+ - Tim Hudson (2.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, K)
A- - Yoel Campusano (3-4, 2 2B)
A- - Jahdiel Santamaria (2-5, RBI)

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Jeff Lyman
SP - AA Mississippi
(7 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K) vs. Tennessee

Giants 5, Braves 1

As I said in the preview, the fourth game is always the toughest to win when bidding for a sweep. Barry Zito shut the Braves down over seven innings for a 5-1 Giants win.

Casey Kotchman (AP - John Bazemore)

Both teams scored early runs. Pablo Sandoval doubled in a run in the first and Yunel Escobar hit a solo homer in the second. The game remained tied at one until the eighth, when the Giants broke it open with four runs due in large part to bad defense. An error by Peter Moylan brought in one run, Randy Winn singled in a run, a third run scored on an error that was wrongfully charged to Ryan Church, and Fred Lewis singled in a run.

Kenshin Kawakami: 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 BB, K
Peter Moylan: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 K

Kawakami only allowed one run in five innings and held the Giants to four hits. His problem was constantly falling behind in the count, which led to 97 pitches after five innings. Three walks and only one strikeout are never a good sign, but at least he was able to minimize the damage to one run. Just about every reliever was used, though only three threw at least 10 pitches. Mike Gonzalez gave up a hit to start the eighth and was charged with the run scoring after he left from being struck in the arm with a line drive. It's only a bruise, but his arm doesn't need any more damage. The eighth inning was just garbage.

Yunel Escobar: HR

The Braves had just three hits off Zito through seven innings. They did walk five times. Zito walked the bases loaded in the fourth but got out of it when Casey Kotchman struck out. Other than that, the Braves never threatened. It didn't help that Nate McLouth grounded into two double plays. From one game to the next, I either love the guy or I can't stand him. At least his OBP is hanging in there. For whatever reason that I'll never know, the Braves activated Kelly Johnson and sent Brooks Conrad down. This officially begins the "Kelly Johnson Play of the Day," making note of whatever bad play he is certain to make when he is on the field due to his incredibly horrible level of confidence.

Notable Giants:
Barry Zito: W (6-10), 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 5 BB, 6 K
Nate Schierholtz, Travis Ishikawa: 3 hits each
Randy Winn: 2-4, RBI

Notable Stat:
The Braves went to bat with runners in scoring position three times.

Next Game:
7/24: @ Brewers, 8:05 (Javier Vazquez vs. Manny Parra)

7/23: Giants @ Braves Game Preview

July 23, 2009 - 1:10 (SportSouth)
@


Barry Zito
(5-10, 4.89 ERA, 44 BB, 84 K, 1.38 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 2-1, 2.84 ERA in 3 starts
vs.

Kenshin Kawakami
(5-7, 4.15 ERA, 40 BB, 71 K, 1.35 WHIP)
Career vs. Giants: 0-1, 4.76 ERA in 1 start

Braves vs. Zito:
Garret Anderson: 72 PA, 21-64, 2 HR, 9 RBI

Giants vs. Kawakami:
Aaron Rowand: 4 PA, 2-3, RBI

Season Series: 3-3 (Last Game: 7/22, W 4-2)

What to Look For:
Whether the Braves can complete a four-game sweep. The Braves haven't seen Barry Zito yet this season, but they haven't had much success against him in the past. For the Giants, they got to Kenshin Kawakami for three earned runs in 5.2 innings back in May, though Kawakami has turned a corner since then. A bid for a four-game sweep is always the toughest game to win.

Braves 4, Giants 2

Ok, the Braves are officially winning now. Getting to Tim Lincecum for four runs in five innings means you're winning.

Yunel Escobar (AP - Gregory Smith)

After Chipper Jones singled and stole second with two outs in the first, Brian McCann drove him in with a single to start the scoring. Yunel Escobar hit a three-run home run in the third to provide the big blow, giving them a quick four-run lead.

The Braves put two in scoring position in the fourth but left them on. This partly resulted in Lincecum being pulled after five. He was at 89 pitches anyway. However, that was the last time the Braves would threaten. The score remained 4-0 until the eighth, when Randy Winn beat out a dribbler to third that scored a run. Mike Gonzalez was able to get the last out in the inning. Rafael Soriano gave up back-to-back singles in the ninth to allow a second Giants run to score.

Jair Jurrjens: W (9-7), 7.2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 9 K
Mike Gonzalez: H (10), 0.1 IP, H
Rafael Soriano: S (14), 1 IP, 2 H, ER, K

Jurrjens completely dominated the Giants through seven innings, setting down 17 in a row at one point. He had a one-hitter going until the seventh, and pitched a shutout through seven. Jurrjens ran out of gas in the eighth and was eventually charged with a run that Gonzalez allowed. Soriano pitched a solid ninth despite giving up a run.

Yunel Escobar: HR, 3 RBI
Brian McCann: RBI

The offense never recorded a hit after Lincecum left after five. But they did plenty damage through those five innings, mainly the three-run shot by Escobar that traveled a pretty good distance. Everybody had a hit except Ryan Church, though he had a walk.

Notable Giants:
Tim Lincecum: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 9 K

Notable Stat:
Tim Lincecum's first loss to the Braves in his career and first loss in a night game this season.

Next Game:
7/23: Giants, 1:10 (Barry Zito vs. Kenshin Kawakami)

7/22: Giants @ Braves Game Preview

July 22, 2009 - 7:00 (Peachtree TV)
@


Tim Lincecum
(10-2, 2.27 ERA, 35 BB, 159 K, 1.04 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 5-0, 2.08 ERA in 5 starts
vs.

Jair Jurrjens
(8-7, 2.77 ERA, 46 BB, 79 K, 1.24 WHIP)
Career vs. Giants: 0-2, 3.46 ERA in 2 starts


Braves vs. Lincecum:
Yunel Escobar: 13 PA, 2-10, 2 RBI
Brian McCann: 13 PA, 5-13
Chipper Jones: 11 PA, 3-11
Ryan Church: 6 PA, 4-6

Giants vs. Jurrjens:
Randy Winn: 7 PA, 5-6, 2 RBI

Season Series: 2-3 (Last Game: 7/21, W 8-1)

What to Look For:
Tim Lincecum. Arguably the best pitcher in baseball, his one flaw is he needs a haircut. Lincecum has more wins against the Braves than any other team in his career, posting a perfect 5-0 record in five starts. He pitched eight shutout innings against the Braves in May. Jair Jurrjens has yet to beat the Giants in two career starts, but has a respectable 3.46 ERA. A great matchup, but it never really is a fair matchup with Lincecum on the mound.

Stat to Consider:
Tim Lincecum in night games: 8-0, 1.89 ERA

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
McLouth expects to play on Wednesday
Carlyle pleased with first rehab outing
DOB Blog (7/22)
Yunel Escobar: "I don't believe I'm that person"

Final Roundup (7/21)

The Phillies made it 10 straight wins Tuesday night with an extra innings win over the Cubs. The Braves remained 6.5 back and the Marlins remained seven back with wins for each team. Gwinnett and Myrtle Beach received solid pitching performances to lead them to wins.

NL East Notables:
The Phillies continued their incredible winning streak with a walkoff three-run homer by Jayson Werth in the 13th inning, beating the Cubs, 4-1. Other than the three RBIs for Werth, Jimmy Rollins picked up the other RBI on a home run. Joe Blanton allowed one run on five hits in seven innings, not walking any and striking out five. Rich Harden allowed one run on four hits in seven innings for the Cubs.

The Marlins took a second straight from the Padres, 3-2. Jorge Cantu and John Baker each had a hit and RBI. Chris Volstad allowed one run on four hits in seven innings.

Despite recording only four hits, the Nationals defeated the Mets, 4-0. John Lannan pitched a complete game shutout, giving up seven hits while not walking any and striking out one. Adam Dunn went 2-4 with an RBI.

Notable Lines:
WAS - John Lannan (9 IP, 7 H, K)
FLA - Chris Volstad (7 IP, 4 H, ER, 4 BB, 2 K)
PHI - Jayson Werth (2-3, HR, 3 RBI)
PHI - Joe Blanton (7 IP, 5 H, ER, 5 K)
ATL - Brian McCann (2-3, HR, 4 RBI)
ATL - Derek Lowe (6 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 4 K)

NL East Top Performer:

John Lannan
SP - Nationals
(W, 9 IP, 7 H, K) vs. Mets

Braves MiL Notables:
AAA Gwinnett defeated Norfolk, 4-1. Jonathan Venters allowed one run on five hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out two. Kelly Johnson, Clint Sammons, J.C. Holt, and Brian Barton each had two hits for the Braves, and Johnson and Sammons each recorded an RBI.

AA Mississippi got good performances from several players in a 3-2 loss to Tennessee. Edgar Osuna pitched seven, allowing one earned run on five hits while walking one and striking out four. Jason Heyward and Brandon Hicks each had two hits, and Freddie Freeman picked up two RBIs.

A+ Myrtle Beach received possibly the best outing of all the solid starts from yesterday in a 1-0 win over Wilmington. Jose Ortegano pitched six shutout innings, giving up four hits while not walking any and striking out five. Cole Miles picked up the winning RBI with a solo homer in the sixth. Chris Shehan had his first multi-hit game since being called up from Rome, going 2-3.

Notable Lines:
AAA - Jonathan Venters (7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 2 K)
AA - Edgar Osuna (7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 4 K)
A+ - Jose Ortegano (6 IP, 4 H, 5 K)
Rk - Chris Masters (6 IP, 2 H, 4 K)
Rk - Cory Harrilchak (3-5, 2 RBI)
Rk - Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg (2-5, HR, 2 RBI)

Braves MiL Top Performer:

Jose Ortegano
SP - A+ Myrtle Beach
(W, 6 IP, 4 H, 5 K) vs. Wilmington

Braves 8, Giants 1

The Braves are winning? The Braves are winning! I'm not getting excited, though. I've watched this team too much this season.

Brian McCann (AP - John Bazemore)

The Braves scored all eight of their runs in the first four innings. Brian McCann doubled in a run in the first. Chipper Jones, Garret Anderson, and Yunel Escobar each drove in a run in the third. Martin Prado singled in a run in the fifth and McCann capped it with a three-run home run for an eight-run lead. The Giants scored their lone run in the fifth on an RBI single by Juan Uribe.

Derek Lowe: W (9-7), 7 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 4 K
Peter Moylan: 1 IP, K
Eric O' Flaherty: 1 IP, H, K
Manny Acosta: 1 IP, K

Lowe gave up his usual number of hits but kept the damage to a minimum due to most of them being scattered singles. He did a good job of minimizing walks and even struck out four. The ones to pitch tonight for no reason were Moylan and O' Flaherty, who each went an inning despite a seven-run lead. Yay for Acosta.

Brian McCann: 2-3, HR, 4 RBI
Martin Prado: 3-5, RBI
Yunel Escobar: 2-4, RBI

Jones and Anderson also picked up an RBI each. The only starters that didn't drive in a run were Ryan Church, Nate McLouth, and Casey Kotchman, but they each had a hit. McLouth left the game with a back strain. Six of the eight runs scored with two outs and the team went 5-10 with runners in scoring position. McCann reached double digits in homers with the three-run shot.

Notable Giants:
Ryan Sadowski: L (2-2), 3.2 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Notable Stat:
Garret Anderson was the lone starting player without a hit, including Derek Lowe.

Next Game:
7/22: Giants, 7:00 (Tim Lincecum vs. Jair Jurrjens)

Braves 11, Giants 3

The Braves scored six in the seventh and two in the eighth to back Tommy Hanson's strong outing, beating the Giants, 11-3.

Chipper Jones (AP - John Bazemore)

The game remained close through 6 1/2 innings. The Giants started the scoring in the second on a two-run double by Randy Winn. The Braves answered in the second with a solo homer by Garret Anderson, and they took the lead in the third on a two-run home run by Chipper Jones.

The Braves remained on top 3-2 until the seventh. Nate McLouth lost a pop fly in the sky and allowed it to fall, eventually leading to a sac fly RBI by Aaron Rowand that tied it at three. However, the Braves quickly took the lead back and put it away in the home half of the seventh with six runs. Matt Diaz tripled in two, Casey Kotchman singled in a run, Ryan Church hit a two-run homer, and Brian McCann singled in a run. Church and McLouth each drove in a run in the eighth for insurance.

Tommy Hanson: W (5-0), 7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Mike Gonzalez: 1 IP, BB, K
Kris Medlen: 1 IP, H, 2 K

If you watched the first couple innings, you would have never guessed Hanson's final line would end up like it did. Hanson allowed four of his five hits in the first two innings and two of his three runs allowed. He also threw almost half of his total pitches in the first two innings. However, he settled down and pitched very efficiently the rest of the way, earning his fifth win due to the six-run seventh. Also worth noting is the 11 strikeouts. Gonzalez was warming up in the bottom of the seventh and ended up entering the game despite the big lead, wasting his weak elbow for a second straight day. I'm surprised Soriano didn't pitch the ninth and earn the eight-run save.

Ryan Church: 2-2, HR, 3 RBI
Matt Diaz: 2-4, 2 RBI
Garret Anderson: 2-4, HR
Chipper Jones: 2-5, HR, 2 RBI

Nate McLouth snapped his hitless streak with a hit and an RBI, scoring twice. Church's stats came as a pinch hitter. Not bad. The Braves struggled against Sanchez, only recording four hits and striking out eight times against him, but they were able to hold a lead when he left the game. They did a good job of destroying the Giants pen, and it was even more impressive knowing one of the worst umpires in the game was behind the plate.

Notable Giants:
Jonathan Sanchez: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 8 K
Randy Winn: 2-4, 2 RBI

Notable Stat:
Only starter without a hit? Martin Prado. Also, Diaz has three triples this year. Hahahaha.

Next Game:
7/21: Giants, 7:00 (Ryan Sadowski vs. Derek Lowe)

7/20: Giants @ Braves Game Preview

July 20, 2009 - 7:00 (SportSouth)
@


Jonathan Sanchez
(3-8, 4.69 ERA, 46 BB, 79 K, 1.50 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 1-2, 5.68 ERA in 2 starts, 4 total games
vs.

Tommy Hanson
(4-0, 2.85 ERA, 20 BB, 25 K, 1.29 WHIP)
Career vs. Giants: First start

Braves vs. Sanchez:
Ryan Church: 6 PA, 1-6, RBI
Brian McCann: 5 PA, 3-4, RBI
Nate McLouth: 5 PA, 2-4, HR, 2 RBI
Yunel Escobar: 4 PA, 2-4, RBI

Giants vs. Hanson:
None

Season Series: 0-3 (Last Game: 5/27, L 6-3)

What to Look For:
How Jonathan Sanchez handles his first start since throwing the no-hitter. He was struggling mightily before it and whether that start gave him the boost of confidence he needs will be discovered tonight. Neither team has much experience against the opposing pitcher, especially since the Giants have never seen Tommy Hanson. But Sanchez has not fared well against the Braves in a small sample size.

Stat to Consider:
The Braves have lost five straight to the Giants. Sanchez's last win prior to the no-hitter was against the Braves on May 25th.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Braves' Escobar named NL Player of the Week
Hudson tosses two innings at Class A
Braves proud of British Open champ Cink
Rogers Blog (7/20)
The top prospect? Baseball America says he's a Brave

7/20-7/23: Giants @ Braves Series Preview

San Francisco Giants (50-41, 2nd NL West)
@
Atlanta Braves (46-46, 2nd NL East)

After a promising series win against the Mets to start the second half, the Braves continue their homestand with a four-game set against the Giants.

The Braves returned to .500 for the first time since early in the season by taking three of four from the Mets in the first series of the second half. Both hitting and pitching were on point in three of the four games, with the only loss coming at the hands of Johan Santana. Despite the recent winning, the Braves still sit 6.5 games out due to a surge by the Phillies. Since the Braves swept the Phillies back in the first week of July, the Phillies are 13-1.

The Giants continue to win out West with an incredible rotation and timely hitting. They have slowed some in July, currently 8-7 and coming off a series loss to the Pirates. Their troubles have to do with offense. They have scored a total of nine runs in their seven losses this month, which is why they have been mentioned several times in the rumor mill regarding adding a bat before the deadline. Despite the solid record, the Giants are 7.5 games behind the Dodgers, though they hold the Wild Card lead by a half game over the Rockies.

(2009 stats followed by career stats vs. opposing team)
7/20 - 7:00
Jonathan Sanchez (3-8, 4.69 ERA...1-2, 5.68 ERA in 2 starts, 4 total games)
vs.
Tommy Hanson (4-0, 2.85 ERA)

As you have probably already heard, Sanchez has been in the news lately regarding a no-hitter he tossed back on July 10th against the Padres. The no-hitter still doesn't hide the fact that Sanchez has struggled this season and was about one start away from getting traded. He has good stuff but struggles with command, walking 46 in 78.2 innings and posting a 1.50 WHIP. Hanson allowed four runs in five innings against the Rockies before the break but kept his perfect record alive.

7/21 - 7:00
Ryan Sadowski (2-1, 1.00 ERA)
vs.
Derek Lowe (8-7, 4.40 ERA...4-5, 3.21 ERA in 14 starts)

Sadowski has been a pleasant surprise for the Giants in three starts, allowing just two earned runs in 18 innings. He recorded two straight shutouts to start his big league career before allowing two earned runs to the Marlins in his last start. After a solid start against the Rockies before the break, Lowe allowed three runs in six innings against the Mets to start the second half. He seems to be slowly getting his confidence back.

7/22 - 7:00
Tim Lincecum (10-2, 2.27 ERA...5-0, 2.08 ERA in 5 starts)
vs.
Jair Jurrjens (8-7, 2.77 ERA...0-2, 3.46 ERA in 2 starts)

Nothing needs to be said about Lincecum. If you don't already know, watch him completely maul the Braves Wednesday night.

7/23 - 1:00
Barry Zito (5-10, 4.89 ERA...2-1, 2.84 ERA in 3 starts)
vs.
Kenshin Kawakami (5-7, 4.15 ERA...0-1, 4.76 ERA in 1 start)

Zito continues to give people reason enough to say his signing was the worst one ever. He still shows flashes of his Oakland days every now and then, but he is not the same pitcher. Zito gave up nine runs to the Padres back on July 12th and followed with two runs allowed in 6.1 innings against the Pirates in his most recent start. Not to mention he leads the league in losses. Kawakami had another solid effort against the Mets in his last start, allowing two runs in 6.2 innings. However, he did walk four, the most he's had since May 27th.

Key Giants Relievers:
CL - Brian Wilson (42.1 IP, 3.40 ERA, 24 SV...7.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 4 SV)
SU - Jeremy Affeldt (36.1 IP, 1.24 ERA, 20 HLD...11 IP, 4.09 ERA, 3 HLD)
MR - Bob Howry (33 IP, 3.55 ERA, 7 HLD...11.2 IP, 4.63 ERA, 3 HLD)

Key Giants Hitters:
3B - Pablo Sandoval (.331, 15 HR, 56 RBI....556, 0 HR, 1 RBI in 2 games)
C - Bengie Molina (.266, 11 HR, 50 RBI....269, 2 HR, 11 RBI in 19 games)
CF - Aaron Rowand (.277, 9 HR, 40 RBI....308, 5 HR, 24 RBI in 41 games)

Giants Injuries:
SP - Randy Johnson (15-day, shoulder strain)
RP - Kelvin Pichardo (60-day, shoulder strain)
RP - Joe Martinez (60-day, concussion)
SP - Noah Lowry (60-day, shoulder strain)

Braves 7, Mets 1

The Braves rebounded from a tough loss yesterday to cruise past the Mets, 7-1, giving them the series win.

Yunel Escobar (AP - John Amis)

Yunel Escobar stole the show on offense in front of the national audience. He started the scoring in the second with a solo homer. The Mets tied it in the third on an RBI single by Jeff Francoeur, which proved to be the only run they would score. Escobar singled in a run in the fourth, and Martin Prado and Chipper Jones each drove in a run in the fifth for a three-run lead.

The Braves continued their onslaught in the fifth on a two-run single by Escobar, and Casey Kotchman singled in a run as well for a six-run lead, where it remained.

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

Vazquez earned his seventh win with seven solid innings, giving up six hits but only one run and walking just one. He allowed baserunners in the first, second, third, and fifth innings, but the Mets never really threatened outside of the run they scored in the third. Gonzalez and Soriano were both used for no reason, but they both pitched a scoreless inning.

Yunel Escobar: 3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI
Casey Kotchman, Chipper Jones, Martin Prado: RBI each

The Braves were able to chip away at the bullpen after Fernando Nieve was forced out after one inning due to a strained quad. Perhaps the stat of the year is the Braves walking eight times and not striking out once as a team. They were 5-10 with runners in scoring position, led by Escobar's four RBIs. Garret Anderson had two hits but still nobody cares. Nate McLouth was still hitless...in one at bat. He walked four times.

Notable Mets:
Jeff Francoeur: 1-4, RBI
Luis Castillo: 2-3

Notable Stat:
Braves: 8 BB, 0 K

Next Game:
7/20: Giants, 7:00 (Jonathan Sanchez vs. Tommy Hanson)

7/19: Mets @ Braves Game Preview

July 19, 2009 - 6:00 (ESPN)
@


Fernando Nieve
(3-3, 3.03 ERA, 18 BB, 23 K, 1.51 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 1-0, 3.60 ERA in 1 start, 4 total games
vs.

Javier Vazquez
(6-7, 2.95 ERA, 23 BB, 136 K, 1.05 WHIP)
Career vs. Mets: 8-8, 3.47 ERA in 22 starts

Braves vs. Nieve:
Chipper Jones: 5 PA, 2-4, HR
Brian McCann: 3 PA, 3-3

Mets vs. Vazquez:
Luis Castillo: 78 PA, 24-70, HR, 7 RBI
Gary Sheffield: 58 PA, 10-54, 2 HR, 7 RBI
Alex Cora: 19 PA, 7-18, RBI
David Wright: 6 PA, 3-6, HR, 2 RBI
Jeff Francoeur: 2 PA, 1-2, HR, 3 RBI

Season Series: 4-4 (Last Game: 7/18, L 5-1)

What to Look For:
Javier Vazquez is the focus of ESPN's game of the week. He determined his abdomen was fine before the break ended, but we will find out for sure when he takes the mound tonight. Several Mets hitters have seen Vazquez many times in the past and with some success, especially Luis Castillo, who went 1-3 with an RBI yesterday and is 12 for his last 29. The Braves aren't too familiar with Fernando Nieve, but the ones who have faced him have had success.

MLB.com Gameday
STATS Preview
Maddux open to helping Braves during Spring Training
Braves' Hudson to start rehab stint
Prado makes most of opportunity

Final Roundup (7/18)

The Mets defeated the Braves and the Nationals lost another in the NL East games for Saturday. Gwinnett crushed Scranton in the second game of a doubleheader on the farm.

NL East Notables:
The Braves lost to the Mets, 5-1. Angel Pagan had three hits and drove in one. Johan Santana pitched seven shutout innings, giving up five hits and striking out five for his 11th win. Kenshin Kawakami allowed two runs in 6.2 innings for the Braves, who recorded eight hits as a team but only one run. The Braves dropped half a game due to the Phillies/Marlins game being postponed last night. They sit 6.5 back.

The Nationals lost their fourth straight, dropping a close one to the Cubs, 6-5. Nyjer Morgan and Nick Johnson each had three hits and an RBI. Jordan Zimmermann allowed four earned runs in 5.1 innings, losing his fifth game of the season. For the Cubs, Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run home run in the sixth and Mike Fontenot hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth for the win. The Nationals are 3-11 in July.

Notable Lines:
NYM - Johan Santana (7 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K)
WAS - Nyjer Morgan (3-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI)

Top Performer:

Johan Santana
(W, 7 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K) vs. Braves

Braves MiL Notables:
AAA Gwinnett lost the first game of a doubleheader with Scranton/WB, 3-1, but cruised to a 10-2 win in the second game. Reid Gorecki hit a homer and drove in four. Chris Burke added two hits and two RBIs. Kelly Johnson went 2-5 and is hitting .257. Bobby Brownlie allowed two runs on three hits in six innings, striking out eight.

A- Rome defeated West Virginia, 3-2, in 12 innings. West Virginia committed five errors, resulting in zero RBIs for the Braves despite three runs and a win. Zeke Spruill allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, striking out seven.

Rk Danville breezed by Bristol, 8-2. Cory Harrilchak went 3-4 with three RBIs. Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg added three hits and an RBI. Matthew Crim allowed two runs in seven innings, not walking any and striking out four.

Notable Lines:
AAA - Wes Timmons (3-4, RBI)
AAA - Reid Gorecki (2-4, HR, 4 RBI)
AAA - Chris Burke (2-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI)
AAA - Bobby Brownlie (6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K)
AA - Freddie Freeman (2-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI)
A- - Zeke Spruill (5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K)
Rk - Cory Harrilchak (3-4, 3 RBI)
Rk - Matthew Crim (7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 4 K)

Top Performer:

Freddie Freeman
(2-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) vs. Huntsville