ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Braves at Expos – 07/26/2003
See, score enough runs and the other team gives up, and even the Braves’ bullpen can hold an 11-run lead. The Braves had 18 hits, led by Andruw with four and Sheffield with three (including his 25th homer) and Shane Reynolds managed to get the Expos to hit the balls at the defenders. It works, sort of.
The Braves popped open the game with five runs in the first, the big blow a bases-loaded triple by Javy that actually was a single misplayed by Vlad Guerrero. Zach Day pitched like the pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery he is, with two HBPs, a walk, and a wild pitch; the impressive hitting would come later in the game. The Braves put the game out of reach of even their bullpen with six runs in the eighth, all off of one pitcher. I don’t know what Frank Robinson was thinking; did he see yesterday’s game?
Reynolds really was giving up bullets, but most of them were hit right at someone. The good news is that he didn’t walk anyone in seven innings. The bad is that he gave up nine hits and a homer. Still, this will easily get him five more starts. Trey Hodges was roughed up again, allowing a run in the eighth to move his ERA above 4, and Darren Holmes — the only reliever other than Smoltz I have any faith in right now — pitched a perfect ninth. Ray King is the only reliever other than Smoltz with an ERA below four, and the way he’s pitching that won’t last. (Also, he’s allowed six unearned runs that are at least partially his fault.)
Darren Bragg ran for Sheffield late and wound up getting a double in the ninth, pulling himself above the Mendoza line… The Phillies lost to the Marlins, and trail by 10 1/2. They’re now only three up on Florida in the wildcard… The Braves and Expos play a day game tomorrow and a night game on Monday. Great scheduling, MLB. Nothing like having to spend a day in a city where French-speaking is enforced by law, followed by a night game, then having to go through customs and then fly all the way to Texas.
(a) Montreal is one of the best cities in North America to go out as a young guy. Beer, strippers, etc. are everywhere and a rare combination of high quality and cheap. Ask an MLB player off the record and they will tell you Montreal is a great place for a road trip (and the 2 times I’ve been there almost everyone spoke English to me).
(b) Customs from Canada is still basically a joke.
I just hate the wraparound series, and they shouldn’t end on night games if the team has to play the next day. Ever.
Setting aside the intrigue of Montreal’s red light district (I grew up 90 miles from New Orleans, so I get the picture), I’m sure the game is during the day tomorrow so that it can be televised in Atlanta. ESPN has exclusive broadcast rights for all Sunday night games, and it’s not like they would show the Braves and Expos when the Yankees and Red Sox are playing the same weekend.
As to why the Monday game is at night … I assume Bud Selig and Co. are trying to maximize the “crowd” at Olympic Stadium. Not that a couple thousand makes much difference…
Monday is a night game because of ESPN.
According to the Braves schedule I printed out before the season, Monday’s game was not originally set for ESPN, but it was originally scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern.
Unlike its Sunday games, ESPN does not manipulate the start times for its Monday, Wednesday and Thursday games. They simply pick a game that is being played at a particular time and show it then. Hence, sometimes you get two games at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (one on ESPN and one on ESPN2) and sometimes you get one at 7 p.m. followed by a West Coaster at 10:30 p.m.
Oh, and just great, now we learn that the WTO is meeting in Montreal, and the anti-globalization nuts are going to be in town all week. Just dandy.
Let’s just switch out Richmond’s bullpen with ours and see what happens. Can’t be any worse, can it?
Pretty good call by Mac re: King’s ERA. I would imagine that 3 earned runs in 0+ IP would put him comfortably in the 4s now.