ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Braves at Giants – 05/16/2002

Well, back to .500. The Braves erupted for four runs in the eighth, three scoring on a Chipper Jones double, and wound up splitting a four-game series with the Giants. Jason Marquis was excellent for the second game in a row after coming off the DL; he’s lowered his ERA to 4.40 from 6.75.

John Smoltz pitched the ninth, in a non-save situation, and almost blew it anyway. He’s got the highest ERA on the staff, 5.32. A normal pitcher would probably have been losing save situations (though he’s actuall 11-for-12 in those) but they can’t do that to Smoltz. For one thing, he’s John Smoltz, but for another he’s getting more than $8 million a year, and he’s not going to middle relief with that salary.

The Braves now go to Colorado, where it hasn’t been quite as hard to pitch but it’s still no picnic, for three.