Braves 4, Phillies 3

Brad Lidge is the biggest headcase I've ever seen. Lidge blew his eighth save by giving up the tying and winning runs in the ninth, resulting in a 4-3 Braves win.

Omar Infante (AP - Gregory Smith)

The Braves started the scoring in the third on a two-run home run by Brian McCann. The Phillies scored their first run in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Ryan Howard. They tied it in the fifth on an RBI triple by Pedro Feliz, and took the lead in the seventh on a solo homer by Jayson Werth.

The Phillies remained on top 3-2 until the ninth, when Lidge took the mound. Garret Anderson led off the inning with a single. Matt Diaz attempted a sac bunt that was botched by Lidge, bringing Anderson all the way home and putting Diaz in scoring position. Adam LaRoche was intentionally walked and Greg Norton walked to load the bases with no outs. After Ryan Church struck out (seriously put the ball in play), Omar Infante singled in the winning run.

Kenshin Kawakami: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, K
Eric O' Flaherty: 0.2 IP, K
Mike Gonzalez: 1 IP, 2 BB, K
Peter Moylan: W (5-2), 1 IP, K

Kenshin Kawakami had a solid outing. He allowed one hit through three, gave up a triple in the fourth that resulted in a run, gave up a couple extra base hits in the fifth that resulted in a run, had a perfect sixth and ran out of gas in the seventh. It's understandable after his last outing. He got into trouble in the seventh but Eric O' Flaherty bailed him out with two in scoring position by getting two straight outs. Mike Gonzalez walked two in the eighth but didn't allow a run. He more than likely won't pitch tomorrow, unless he wants his arm to fall off. Peter Moylan pitched a perfect ninth for the win.

Brian McCann: HR, 2 RBI
Omar Infante: GW RBI

Both teams had seven hits and three RBIs apiece. Nate McLouth left in the fifth due to hamstring problems again. He will be out another week I'm sure. Martin Prado also left due to heat problems. I find it funny that Bobby Cox said he needs to drink more water and less energy drinks. Now I know why Prado is always high strung. Chipper Jones added two hits.

Notable Phillies:
Cole Hamels: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Notable Stat:
Matt Diaz has eight stolen bases, most on the team with the exception of Nate McLouth.

Next Game:
8/16: Phillies, 8:00 (J.A. Happ vs. Javier Vazquez)

8/15: Phillies @ Braves Game Preview

August 15, 2009 - 4:10 (FOX)
Phillies (65-48) vs. Braves (60-55)
vs.


Cole Hamels
(7-7, 4.77 ERA, 27 BB, 111 K, 1.33 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 7-4, 4.01 ERA in 13 starts
vs.

Kenshin Kawakami
(5-9, 4.12 ERA, 49 BB, 84 K, 1.36 WHIP)
Career vs. Phillies: 1-0, 3.00 ERA in 1 start

Braves vs. Hamels:
Brian McCann: 31 PA, 10-27, 8 RBI
Ryan Church: 25 PA, 6-21, 3 RBI
Matt Diaz: 23 PA, 6-23, HR
Chipper Jones: 23 PA, 8-20, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Adam LaRoche: 6 PA, 2-6, 2 HR, 4 RBI

Phillies vs. Kawakami:
Pedro Feliz: 3 PA, 1-3, RBI
Ryan Howard: 3 PA, 2-3, 2 2B
Matt Stairs: 3 PA, 2-2, RBI

Season Series:
7-3 (Last Game: 8/14, L 3-2)

What to Look For:
How Kenshin Kawakami responds after throwing 125 pitches in his previous start. He should have tons of confidence after one of his best starts as a Brave against the Dodgers in his last start. Cole Hamels has had one good outing and one terrible outing against the Braves this season, which is pretty much how his entire season is going. The Braves should have the advantage with Hamels struggling, but he is still capable of going seven or eight strong innings.

NL East Roundup (8/14)

The Phillies and Marlins both won Friday night, knocking the Braves back down a game.

Rockies vs. Marlins:
Josh Johnson flirted with a no-hitter in a 6-5 Marlins win. He didn't give up a hit until two outs in the seventh, when a Garrett Atkins homer broke up the bid. He pitched 7.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit, walking three and striking out 11. Dan Uggla hit a two-run home run, Nick Johnson drove in two, and Hanley Ramirez and Jorge Cantu each had two hits. The Marlins remain 4.5 games behind the Phillies in the East, two back in the Wild Card.

Giants vs. Mets:
The Mets helped out the Marlins and Braves in the Wild Card standings, beating the Giants, 3-0. Bobby Parnell pitched six shutout innings, giving up just three hits while not walking any and striking out seven. Angel Pagan hit a solo homer and Jeff Francoeur drove in a run. For the Giants, Barry Zito allowed three runs on five hits in five innings for his 11th loss.

Nationals vs. Reds:
The Nationals also dealt a shutout, beating the Reds, 2-0. Garrett Mock pitched six shutout innings on six hits, walking four and striking out six. Wil Nieves had a homer on two hits and Ronnie Belliard added a solo homer. For the Reds, Aaron Harang allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings.

The Braves are now six out in the East and 3.5 out in the Wild Card.

Braves MiL Lines:
AAA - Brooks Conrad: 2-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI
AAA - John Halama: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K
AA - Willie Cabrera: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
AA - Kyle Cofield: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
A+ - Donell Linares: 5-5, 2 2B, 5 RBI
A+ - Gerardo Rodriguez: HR, 3 RBI
Rk - Cory Harrilchak: 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI
Rk - Ty Stovall: 5 IP, 2 H, R, 4 BB, 3 K

Phillies 3, Braves 2

Why must the Braves do these things? At least I wasn't expecting anything this time.

Ryan Howard (AP - John Bazemore)

The Braves started the scoring in the first on an RBI single by Chipper Jones. The Phillies took the lead in the fourth when Chase Utley hit a two-run home run. But the Braves quickly answered in the home half on an RBI double by Ryan Church to tie it at two.

The game remained tied through eight but the deciding blow came in the ninth on a solo homer by Ryan Howard, giving the Phillies the 3-2 win.

Jair Jurrjens: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K
Mike Gonzalez: 1 IP, H
Rafael Soriano: L (1-4), 1 IP, H, ER, 3 K

Jair Jurrjens pitched a great game, his only mistake coming on the Utley homer. He allowed just one single through three, gave up the homer in the fourth, and gave up one more hit after that. He also had great control, walking only one and throwing 75 strikes over 103 pitches. Rafael Soriano gave up another deciding home run, serving up the Howard homer in the ninth.

Chipper Jones: 2-4, RBI
Ryan Church: RBI

Jones and Church picked up the RBIs tonight. Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche recorded two hits each. The Braves left eight on base and had three doubles. They left runners on third in the third and fifth, and left runners on first and second in the ninth when McLouth flew out to the warning track to end the game. The Braves had several hard hit balls that were tracked down by the outfielders of the Phillies.

Notable Phillies:
Joe Blanton: 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 2 K
Chase Utley: HR, 2 RBI
Ryan Howard: HR

Notable Stat:
Ryan Howard's HR was his 25th career HR against the Braves.

Next Game:
8/15: Phillies, 4:10 (Cole Hamels vs. Kenshin Kawakami)

8/14-8/16: Phillies @ Braves Series Preview

Philadelphia Phillies (64-48, 1st NL East)
vs.
Atlanta Braves (60-54, 3rd NL East)
@

The Braves look to keep their hot streak alive as they enter a crucial series with the Phillies.

The Phillies Lately:
After falling victim to a sweep by the Marlins, the Phillies rebounded to sweep the Cubs in Chicago. The division lead did not change much, however, as they still lead by 4.5 games over the Marlins and five over the Braves.

The Braves Lately:
The Braves have won five in a row and are six games over .500 for the first time since 2007. After taking three of four from the Dodgers in Los Angeles, the Braves came home and completed a two-game sweep of the red hot Nationals. They are five games behind the Phillies and 3.5 back in the Wild Card.

(2009 stats followed by career stats vs. opposing team)
8/14 - 7:30
Joe Blanton (7-6, 4.02 ERA...0-1, 8.53 ERA in 4 starts)
vs.
Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01 ERA...3-2, 2.27 ERA in 6 starts)

The Braves have had Joe Blanton's number in four career starts, with three of those coming this season. He has given up seven runs, six runs, and three runs in his three starts against the Braves this season. However, Blanton had a solid July and it has continued into August, giving up a total of four runs in four starts in July and allowing five runs in two starts so far in August. The Phillies are a welcomed sight for Jair Jurrjens after two straight rough starts against the Dodgers, raising his ERA above three for the first time this season. Jurrjens has had the Phillies' number this year, not allowing a single run in two starts.

8/15 - 4:10
Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77 ERA...7-4, 4.01 ERA in 13 starts)
vs.
Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.12 ERA...1-0, 3.00 ERA in 1 start)

Cole Hamels continues to struggle this season and he did so in his last start against the Braves, giving up seven runs on July 1. Hamels allowed four runs in 5.1 innings in his last start against the Marlins, getting tagged with his seventh loss. Kenshin Kawakami rebounded from consecutive rough starts to pitch seven shutout innings against the Dodgers in his most recent start, throwing a total of 125 pitches. He allowed two runs in six innings against the Phillies back in May.

8/16 - 8:00
J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.75 ERA...1-0, 2.49 ERA in 3 starts, 4 total games)
vs.
Javier Vazquez (10-7, 2.90 ERA...11-7, 4.41 ERA in 26 starts)

Perhaps the best matchup is being saved for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. J.A. Happ continues to mow through offenses with ease, allowing two runs in six innings against the Cubs in his last start. He ranks eighth in the league in ERA and WHIP. Happ allowed two runs in seven innings in a start against the Braves back in early July. Javier Vazquez has been arguably the hottest pitcher in the game for much of this season. In his last six starts, he is 5-0 with a 2.49 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 41:9 K:BB ratio. Vazquez has allowed a total of seven runs in three starts against the Phillies this season.

Key Phillies Relievers:
CL - Brad Lidge (42 IP, 7.29 ERA, 21 SV...31 IP, 5.81 ERA, 12 SV)
SU - Ryan Madson (55.2 IP, 3.07 ERA, 18 HLD...43.1 IP, 3.53 ERA, 9 HLD)
MR - Scott Eyre (25 IP, 1.80 ERA, 10 HLD...19.1 IP, 4.66 ERA, 2 HLD)

Key Phillies Hitters:
1B - Ryan Howard (.266, 27 HR, 85 RBI....330, 24 HR, 73 RBI in 75 games)
2B - Chase Utley (.299, 23 HR, 74 RBI....291, 14 HR, 55 RBI in 98 games)
LF - Raul Ibanez (.296, 27 HR, 78 RBI....286, 2 HR, 5 RBI in 9 games)

Key Phillies Injuries:
SP - Brett Myers (60-day, torn labrum, right hip)
RP - Clay Condrey (15-day, oblique strain)
RP - J.C. Romero (15-day, forearm strain)
SP - Antonio Bastardo (15-day, shoulder strain)

Braves 6, Nationals 2

Adam LaRoche hit two homers and Derek Lowe performed more tight-rope pitching to lead the Braves to a short sweep of the Nationals, 6-2.

Adam LaRoche (AP - John Bazemore)

Once again the Nationals scored first when Adam Dunn singled in a run in the first inning. The Braves answered in the second on solo homers by LaRoche and Garret Anderson. The Braves remained on top 2-1 until the seventh, when Ronnie Belliard singled in a run to tie it at two.

The tie didn't last long, however, as LaRoche launched his second home run in the home half and Martin Prado added a solo homer in the eighth for a 4-2 lead. Bases loaded walks by LaRoche and Greg Norton added insurance runs in the eighth.

Derek Lowe: W (12-7), 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
Peter Moylan: H (18), 1 IP, H, BB, K
Mike Gonzalez: 1 IP, H, BB, K

Lowe allowed seven hits and four walks but only two RBI singles. He only gave up one extra base hit. He induced double plays in the first, third, and sixth, and loaded the bases in the seventh before getting out of it by getting Nyjer Morgan to ground out, but not before allowing the tying run to score. Both Peter Moylan and Mike Gonzalez put two runners on but pitched a scoreless inning each.

Adam LaRoche: 2-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Garret Anderson, Martin Prado: 2-4, HR each

The entire offense came from the three above. The Braves also had three doubles as a team.

Notable Nationals:
Adam Dunn: 2-4, RBI
Craig Stammen: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K

Notable Stat:
Braves w/RISP: 0-8

Next Game:
8/14: Phillies, 7:30 (Cole Hamels vs. Jair Jurrjens)

8/12: Nationals @ Braves Game Preview

August 12, 2009 - 7:10 (SportSouth)
Braves (59-54) vs. Nationals (40-73)
@


Craig Stammen
(3-6, 5.40 ERA, 16 BB, 37 K, 1.33 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: First start
vs.

Derek Lowe
(11-7, 4.15 ERA, 45 BB, 74 K, 1.40 WHIP)
Career vs. Nationals: 5-3, 3.29 ERA in 9 starts, 15 total games

Braves vs. Stammen:
Adam LaRoche: 3 PA, 2-3, HR, 2 RBI
Ryan Church: 2 PA, 1-2, 2B
Nate McLouth: 2 PA, 0-2

Nationals vs. Lowe:
Cristian Guzman: 31 PA, 11-29, 5 RBI
Josh Bard: 27 PA, 4-24, HR
Ryan Zimmerman: 27 PA, 6-26, HR, 3 RBI
Adam Dunn: 21 PA, 2-19
Josh Willingham: 16 PA, 3-14, 2 HR, 5 RBI

Season Series:
6-4 (Last Game: 8/11, W 8-1)

What to Look For:
Taking advantage of Craig Stammen. The rookie has allowed at least five runs in his past three starts and already has six losses despite getting called up in May. However, the Braves are known to struggle against new pitchers. Adam LaRoche has success against Stammen but in only three at bats, the most of any Brave. Derek Lowe has struggled against the Nationals in three starts this season and isn't exactly pitching his best baseball lately.

NL East Roundup (8/11)

The Phillies got back on the winning track and the Marlins remained on it, meaning the top three teams in the division all had wins Tuesday.

Phillies vs. Cubs:
It took getting away from the Marlins for the Phillies to return to the win column, beating the Cubs, 4-3, in 12 innings. Jimmy Rollins had a homer and two RBIs and Ben Francisco hit his second home run as a Phillie. J.A. Happ allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings. Rich Harden matched him with two runs on two hits in seven innings but the Cubs offense couldn't back him up. (Phillies: 1st)

Astros vs. Marlins:
The Marlins won their fifth straight, taking a win from the Astros, 9-8, in 11 innings. John Baker recorded three RBIs, and Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla had two each. Chris Volstad allowed six runs in 4.2 innings but they were able to hold a lead until the ninth, when Leo Nunez blew a save by giving up the tying run on a Geoff Blum RBI single. Roy Oswalt gave up six runs in five innings for the Astros. (Marlins: 2nd, 3.5 GB)

Mets vs. Diamondbacks:
The D-Backs beat the Mets, 6-2. Jeff Francoeur had a triple and homer but he was almost the entire offense. Alex Cora also picked up an RBI. Livan Hernandez allowed five runs in four innings. For Arizona, Max Scherzer allowed two runs in 6.2 innings, striking out eight. Gerardo Parra and Alex Romero each had two RBIs, and Trent Oeltjen (I hate typing his name) went 4-4; he is now 12-24 as a major leaguer. (Mets: 4th, 52-61)

The Braves are three games out in the Wild Card, now tied with the Cubs after their loss to the Marlins, who are now two games out. The Rockies and Giants both lost.

Braves MiL Lines:
AAA - Reid Gorecki: 4-5, 9th inning HR
AAA - Brandon Jones: GW HR
AAA - Chris Burke: 2 RBI
AAA - Jonathan Venters: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Rk - Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg: 4-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI
Rk - Cory Harrilchak: 3-4, 2 RBI
Rk - Cory Rasmus: 7 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 9 K
(Seven inning game, it goes down as a no-hitter)

Braves 8, Nationals 1

Need a hot streak stopper? Tommy Hanson can do the job. Hanson owned the Nationals for a second time to take the first game of the series, 8-1.

Tommy Hanson (AP - John Bazemore)

The Nationals started the scoring in the first on an RBI single by Ryan Zimmerman. It would be the only run they would score. The Braves tied it in the second when Matt Diaz grounded into a bases loaded double play to score a run. A runner was left on third. Martin Prado doubled in a run and an error brought home Prado in the third.

In the fifth, Ryan Church doubled in a run and Brian McCann added an RBI single for a four-run lead. Yunel Escobar also added an RBI double in the inning for a five-run lead, but Garret Anderson failed to break it open by flying out with two in scoring position to end the inning.

Chipper Jones hit a long solo homer in the seventh that pretty much sealed the deal. They added another run in the eighth on an error.

Tommy Hanson: W (7-2), 6.2 IP, 7 H, ER, 9 K
Eric O' Flaherty: 1.1 IP, 2 K
Manny Acosta: 1 IP, H, BB, 2 K

Hanson was a model of efficiency over 6.2 innings, giving up seven hits but only one extra base hit, only allowing one run and not walking any. Not to mention he struck out nine. He threw 101 pitches, 69 for strikes, and threw first pitch strikes to 19 of 26 hitters. This is what happens when Hanson doesn't walk people.

Chipper Jones: 2-4, HR
Ryan Church: 2-3, RBI

The Braves spread out their production very well, with every hitter recording a hit and the top five batters all picking up an RBI each. Prado, Church, and Escobar all had doubles, and Jones launched a home run. Omar Infante went 1-4 in his return to the lineup.

Notable Nationals:
John Lannan: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, K

Notable Stat:
Nationals had four stolen bases.

Next Game:
8/12: Nationals, 7:10 (Craig Stammen vs. Derek Lowe)

8/11: Nationals @ Braves Game Preview

August 11, 2009 - 7:10 (Peachtree TV)
Nationals (40-72) vs. Braves (58-54)
@


John Lannan
(8-8, 3.39 ERA, 44 BB, 64 K, 1.33 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 3-2, 3.32 ERA in 6 starts
vs.

Tommy Hanson
(6-2, 3.22 ERA, 29 BB, 46 K, 1.33 WHIP)
Career vs. Nationals: 0-0, 1.29 ERA in 1 start

Braves vs. Lannan:
Chipper Jones: 19 PA, 4-17, 3 RBI
Yunel Escobar: 17 PA, 3-15
Kelly Johnson: 15 PA, 6-15, HR, 3 RBI
Brian McCann: 15 PA, 4-14
Matt Diaz: 14 PA, 6-13
Nate McLouth: 13 PA, 4-9, RBI
Ryan Church: 12 PA, 4-11, 2 HR, 5 RBI

Nationals vs. Hanson:
Adam Dunn: 3 PA, 1-2, HR

Season Series:
5-4 (Last Game: 7/5, L 5-3)

What to Look For:
This same matchup appeared on July 4, with Tommy Hanson outpitching John Lannan over seven innings. However, Mike Gonzalez gave it up in the eighth. After a sweep of the Nationals in early April, the Braves have lost the past two series against the Nationals, including a disappointing three-game set in Washington in early July that followed a sweep of the Phillies. Both teams are riding hot streaks, but the Nationals have the edge with eight straight wins.

News of the Day:
Omar Infante has returned and is in the lineup tonight at second base. Martin Prado is at first and Chipper Jones is returning at third. Nate McLouth continues to sit with hamstring problems, but both Ryan Church and Matt Diaz have good career numbers against Lannan.

8/11-8/12: Nationals @ Braves Series Preview

@
Washington Nationals (40-72, 5th NL East)
vs.
Atlanta Braves (58-54, 3rd NL East)

After a satisfying trip out west, the Braves head home for a quick two-game stand against the hottest team in the league, the Nationals.

The Nationals Lately:
Washington has one loss in the month of August and they are currently riding an eight-game winning streak. They most recently swept the D-Backs three straight.

The Braves Lately:
Atlanta is coming off a 5-2 road trip, including four games against the Dodgers in which they took three. They are currently riding a three-game winning streak.

(2009 stats followed by career stats vs. opposing team)
8/11 - 7:10
John Lannan (8-8, 3.39 ERA...3-2, 3.32 ERA in 6 starts)
vs.
Tommy Hanson (6-2, 3.22 ERA...0-0, 1.29 ERA in 1 start)

Nationals ace John Lannan faces the Braves for the fourth time this season. He has had success against them, pitching seven shutout innings in a late April start and going eight innings while allowing three runs on July 4. Lannan knows how to spell the bullpen for a day, logging 148 innings, compared to 155 by Javier Vazquez. Tommy Hanson returned to his winning ways against the Padres in his last start, allowing two six-inning runs, his only two of the day. He allowed one run on three hits over seven innings in a battle with Lannan on July 4.

8/12 - 7:10
Craig Stammen (3-6, 5.40 ERA)
vs.
Derek Lowe (11-7, 4.15 ERA...5-3, 3.29 ERA in 9 starts, 15 total games)

Craig Stammen has made 15 starts in his rookie campaign but has yet to face the Braves. He didn't make the team out of Spring Training but was called up in mid-May to replace Garrett Mock (so many of these blasted Nationals pitchers). Stammen hasn't allowed less than five runs in any of his past three starts. Derek Lowe continues to cruise with his usual six innings of tight-rope pitching. He allowed three runs in six innings and two runs in six innings in his last two starts, both against the Dodgers. Lowe has made three starts against the Nationals this season, giving up one run in three innings, three runs in six innings, and four runs in 5.1 innings.

Key Nationals Relievers:
CL - Mike MacDougal (28.1 IP, 2.54 ERA, 11 SV...1.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 SV)
SU - Sean Burnett (15.2 IP, 1.72 ERA, 2 HLD...4.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 2 HLD)
MR - Ron Villone (34.1 IP, 3.93 ERA, 5 HLD...37 IP, 3.16 ERA, HLD)

Key Nationals Hitters:
LF - Adam Dunn (.281, 30 HR, 84 RBI....273, 15 HR, 47 RBI in 58 games)
3B - Ryan Zimmerman (.306, 24 HR, 75 RBI....273, 10 HR, 44 RBI in 60 games)
RF - Josh Willingham (.309, 18 HR, 46 RBI....235, 2 HR, 23 RBI in 56 games)

Key Nationals Injuries:
RF - Austin Kearns (15-day, bruised thumb)
SP - Jordan Zimmermann (15-day, elbow discomfort...will need TJ surgery)
SP - Scott Olsen (15-day, shoulder surgery)
C - Jesus Flores (15-day, shoulder contusion)

NL East Roundup (8/10)

It was a slow Monday for the NL East but the Marlins and Mets took the field in an attempt to gain a half game back on the Phillies.

Astros vs. Marlins:
The Marlins won their fourth straight with a 8-6 win over the Astros. John Baker went 2-4 with two RBIs. Hanley Ramirez added two hits and an RBI. Rick VandenHurk went five, allowing two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out four. For the Astros, Darin Erstad went 2-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Carlos Lee added two RBIs. (Marlins: 2nd, 3.5 GB)

Mets vs. Diamondbacks:
The D-Backs beat the Mets, 7-4. Anderson Hernandez went 2-3 with an RBI and Fernando Tatis added two RBIs. Mike Pelfrey allowed five runs in six innings, getting tagged with his eighth loss. For Arizona, Miguel Montero had three hits and two RBIs. Chad Tracy and Doug Davis each drove in two. Davis went seven, allowing two runs on four hits. (Mets: 4th, 10.5 GB)

Braves MiL Lines:
AAA - Gregor Blanco: 2-3, 2 RBI
AAA - Omar Infante: HR, 2 RBI
AAA - Todd Redmond: 5.1 IP, 5 H, ER, 3 BB, 2 K
AA - Brandon Hicks: 2-3, 2 2B
AA - Jason Heyward: 1-4, 3B, RBI
A- - Adam Milligan: 2-4, 2B, RBI
A- - Yoel Campusano: 3-4
A- - J.J. Hoover: 6 IP, 7 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K

NL East Roundup (8/9)

The Phillies took a step backward in a big division series with the Marlins, getting swept three straight, including a 12-3 drubbing on Sunday.

Marlins vs. Phillies:
The Marlins scored six in the seventh in route to a 12-3 win over the Phillies. Hanley Ramirez had four hits and three RBIs. Wes Helms picked up a homer and three RBIs, and Chris Coghlan went 4-6 with two RBIs. Josh Johnson earned his 11th win with six innings of one-run ball, giving up four hits and striking out six. For the Phillies, Jamie Moyer allowed two earned runs on 11 hits in five innings. Pedro Feliz had a homer and two RBIs.

Mets vs. Padres:
The Mets scored three in the fifth to lead them to a 5-1 win over the Padres. Johan Santana allowed one run on five hits in eight innings to earn his 13th win. Daniel Murphy had two hits and an RBI. For the Padres, Tim Stauffer allowed one run on five hits in five innings.

Diamondbacks vs. Nationals:
The Nationals won an eighth straight with a 9-2 win over the D-Backs. Adam Dunn hit his 30th homer, a two-run shot in the first inning. Elijah Dukes added two hits and three RBIs. Nyjer Morgan and Cristian Guzman each had two hits and an RBI. J.D. Martin allowed one run on five hits in five innings.

The Braves sit 4.5 games behind the Phillies in the East, and the Marlins remain a half game ahead of the Braves. The Giants and Rockies remain tied for first in the Wild Card, the Cubs are two back, the Marlins three back, and the Braves 3.5 back.

Braves MiL Lines:
AAA - Brandon Jones (3-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 3B)
AA - Jason Heyward (1-5, HR)
AA - Concepcion Rodriguez (4-5, 2 RBI)
AA - Greg Creek (HR, 2 RBI)
AA - Jose Ortegano (W, 7 IP, 8 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 8 K)
AA - Craig Kimbrel (SV, 1 IP, 2 K)
Rk - Cory Harrilchak (4-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI)
Rk - Matt Crim (W, 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 7 K)

Braves 8, Dodgers 2

The Braves did what they've been unable to do all season, finish off a series with a big win against a good team. They cruised past the Dodgers, 8-2, to take three of four.

Martin Prado (AP - Keith Birmingham)

The Braves started the scoring in the second on a solo homer by Matt Diaz. They added runs in the third and fourth on an RBI single by Martin Prado and a double play that scored a run. The Dodgers got a run back in the fourth when Casey Blake sac flied a run in to make it 3-1.

The Braves remained on top 3-1 until the ninth when they added five insurance runs. Diaz singled in a run, Adam LaRoche sac flied a run in, Ryan Church doubled in a run, and Prado capped it with a two-run single.

Javier Vazquez: W (10-7), 8 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Manny Acosta: 0.2 IP, 3 H, ER

Javier Vazquez did just what the Braves needed, go deep into the game and pitch well enough to keep them on top despite facing a new pitcher. Vazquez struck out the side in the first inning and was well on his way, totaling seven with two walks. He also had a no-hitter through three. Manny Acosta did his best impersonation of a pitcher who should be demoted, giving up three hits and a run while not finishing the game with a seven-run lead. Peter Moylan was brought in for the last out.

Matt Diaz: 3-4, HR, 2 RBI
Martin Prado: 2-5, 3 RBI
Ryan Church, Adam LaRoche: RBI each

The Braves were 5-12 with runners in scoring position and only left four on base. Everybody had a hit except LaRoche and Garret Anderson, though LaRoche sac flied a run in. Yet another double digit hit game for the Braves.

Notable Dodgers:
Eric Stults: L (4-3), 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K

Notable Stat:
Braves are four games over .500 for first time since April 12.

Next Game:
8/11: Nationals, 7:10 (John Lannan vs. Tommy Hanson)

8/9: Braves @ Dodgers Game Preview

August 9, 2009 - 4:10 (Fox Sports South)
Braves (57-54) vs. Dodgers (67-44)
@


Javier Vazquez
(9-7, 2.99 ERA, 30 BB, 164 K, 1.05 WHIP)
Career vs. Dodgers: 4-6, 4.17 ERA in 14 starts
vs.

Eric Stults
(4-2, 4.80 ERA, 25 BB, 30 K, 1.58 WHIP)
Career vs. Braves: 0-1, 3.00 ERA in 1 game

Braves vs. Stults:
Chipper Jones: 1 PA, 1-1, HR

Dodgers vs. Vazquez:
Rafael Furcal: 48 PA, 14-46, 5 RBI
Mark Loretta: 37 PA, 11-35, 2 RBI
Casey Blake: 31 PA, 7-27, 3 RBI
Juan Pierre: 28 PA, 8-26, 2 RBI
Manny Ramirez: 19 PA, 6-19, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Orlando Hudson: 15 PA, 4-15, HR, 3 RBI

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

What to Look For:
If the Braves can take advantage of the pitching matchup. Eric Stults hasn't pitched in the majors since May 30 and has only nine starts this season. On the other side, Javier Vazquez continues to prove his worth as one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. A win means taking three of four from the best team in the National League before going home.

Stat to Consider:
Eric Stults at AAA: 4-2, 3.74 ERA in 9 starts

News of the Day:
Braves.com Preview: Chipper Jones sits again today. Maybe looking to return Tuesday. ... Jason Heyward turns 20 years old today. ... Tim Hudson throwing side session Monday. Aiming for start at Gwinnett Thursday.

Braves 2, Dodgers 1 (10 Innings)

I guess if you're going to lose a heartbreaker, the best thing to do is come back with two wins even bigger than the loss. The Braves won an intense game in 10 innings, 2-1.

Kelly Johnson (AP - Gus Ruelas)

Clayton Kershaw and Kenshin Kawakami had a major duel through seven innings and both showed what they were made of in different ways. Kawakami cruised through six innings and entered the seventh at 100 pitches. He fought hard after Matt Kemp led off the inning with a single. Kemp stole second and advanced to third after Yunel Escobar committed another lazy mistake by not getting to the ball (David Ross wanted to tear his head off, I'm sure. He yelled plenty at Escobar). Kawakami recorded a groundout that kept Kemp at third, then walked the next two to load the bases. But he then battled back and struck out the next two to complete seven innings.

Kershaw dominated the Braves through seven innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 10. But perhaps his greatest stat was only one walk allowed. He left due to the situation in the bottom of the seventh that required him being pinch hit for.

Kelly Johnson broke the tie in the 10th with a two-run home run, his second in as many days. Andre Ethier doubled in a run in the home half but the Dodgers fell short.

Kenshin Kawakami: 7 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Kris Medlen: W (3-3), 2 IP, BB, 4 K
Rafael Soriano: S (17), 1 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, K

Kris Medlen pitched two scoreless innings behind Kawakami, including striking out Ethier, Ramirez, and Kemp after giving up a leadoff walk in the eighth. Rafael Soriano allowed a leadoff single to Juan Pierre in the 10th, and he scored on a two-out RBI double by Ethier. After they walked Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp grounded one up the middle, which was speared by Escobar on a diving stop and gunned to first to end the game. The stop saved the game for the Braves.

Notable Dodgers:
Clayton Kershaw: 7 IP, 2 H, BB, 10 K

Notable Stat:
Clayton Kershaw in last 10 starts: 6-1, 1.06 ERA

Next Game:
8/9: @ Dodgers, 4:10 (Javier Vazquez vs. N/A)