ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Nationals at Braves
At last, a comfortable win, but after all the Nationals are the Expos. The Braves pounded out fifteen hits — even Mondesi had two, and every starter but Jordan had at least one. Furcal and Andruw hit two-run homers in the fifth to blow the game open to 7-0. Andruw wound up going 2-3 with a walk, two runs scored and three RBI. LaRoche was 3-5 with three RBI, Furcal drove in two and scored three. Mike Hampton went 2-4 and scored twice.
On the mound, it was a vintage Good Hampton performance. He went eight, allowing just one run on a solo homer to Jose Guillen. Hampton didn’t walk anyone, allowed seven hits, struck out just two (normal) and got a double play. Gryboski pitched the ninth, allowing an unearned run; Betemit, in at third for Chipper with the big lead, tried to field a line drive with his forearm or something. It’s not really Betemit’s bat that’s the problem, it’s his glove.
The crowd was the smallest in Turner Field history, but then again, Washington is Montreal. Esteban Loaiza versus Hudson tomorrow on Turner South.
I think Hampton’s 0 walks are the best thing to take out of that game. When he keeps his walks down he’s succesful.
I don’t know what was up with that line drive to betemit, but those can be alot harder to field than they look. Especially if it “knuckles”. He should have had it though.
The ground balls help too.
We’ve played Montreal every year, though. I’m thinking attendance isn’t going to be saved this year by the big screen, or by anything really.
If Hampton, Thomson and Ramirez can continue to pitch like they have up to now, I doubt anyone is going to catch us.
maybe everybody was @ the hawks game…
or maybe not.
Maybe the job Marte is really auditioning for is Betemit’s. Perhaps the latter, ex-hotshot prospect is auditioning now for a trade? Then again, i’m kinda pulling for him too…
You’re right KC, our pitchers have carried us to about 4 of our 5 wins. The offense seems to be waking up now too. I didn’t think our start would be this good. Sometimes the pitchers need to time to find their mark, like our staff last year. Our pitchers have been on point since ST, except for Hudson maybe, and they all seem to be on point now. The team seems so much stronger and confident than last year.
Other than Bet-he-miss, it was a textbook game for the Braves. I’ve never seen anyone get caught so flat-footed that him. His first move was to the left, and he was a sitting duck after than. He actually looked afraid of the ball.
Mondesi hit 2 rockets in about the same place, orr hit a gapper and got into thrid standing up. Even though he got thrown out at home, it showed agressive baseball by the Braves.
Even though Andruw isn’t off to the start many thought, he has at least one hit in all but one game so far and has been on base in every game. Chipper can’t even make that claim.
The game was blacked out on TBS in my area, a first for me in the 24 years I have been watching the Braves. I live 2 and a half hours from DC, it’s not like I can just pop over to RFK to catch the game. Anyone know what the blackout radius is?
Good pitching by Hampton. It looks like this year he’s shrugged off the slow starts as in years past.
Laqfish-
I’m curious. Did Baltimore’s Angelo of death allow the Nats’ version to be broadcast, or were you forced to watch an Orioles game?
The game was broadcast in the Washington area on Channel 20, a over-the-air broadcast station. I live in the immediate DC suburbs, I guess the station doesn’t reach to where lagfish lives.
The Nats have some sort of TV package but it’s largely piecemeal, with about half the games being shown on over-the-air channels. There is no cable deal yet; eventually, there will be a sports network (controlled by Angelos) that will show both teams.
lagfish,
You may be getting TBS blackouts b/c the Nationals were broadcast on WDCA. Samething again tonight.
I am still trying to figure out all the blackout rules. I travel full-time and I wanted to buy MLB video casts, but I think I would be blacked out regardless of my location based on my home zip is in the TBS viewing area.
I wasn’t a big fan of the Kenny Albert/Ron Darling combo that WDCA trotted out last night. Apparently the regular PBP guy had somewhere else to be. It was a fun game to watch, though.
ASG, they showed a wizards game so no broadcast of braves/nats at all. I just found out the game was in Atlanta so the now I am really confused about the blackout. I live in williamsburg which is southeast VA.
Just curious, what was the crowd of last night’s game? And does MLB post crowd numbers for individual games? Thanks.
16,584 was in attendance last night according to ESPN.com.
Interesting on the black outs. I was able to watch it and I am on business in Norfolk. Williamsburg is not that far away.
Smallest crowd in the history of Turner Field. Mainly it was a combination of school starting back in the Atlanta area and the team the Braves played. Aren’t they technically Triple AAA with a waiver to play major leagues teams?
The blackout on TBS also covered Richmond, VA. It has to do with the whole cable thing; apparently, until the the joint O’s-Nationals network is running, you can’t watch Nationals games on TV if you could be attending Orioles games.
I have to defend the Nats some. I don’t think they are going to be that bad. They will probably finish last, but they will be much better than the other last place teams in my opinion. They have some talent but are in a rough division. Obviously, they got clubbed last night, but I think by the end of the season, they won’t be such a fun team to play.
As far as the attendence, I understand the reasoning, but it’s still an embarrassment. Lots of teams would have drawn a lot more than 16,000 regardless of the opponent. It sounded a little like they were playing in Olympic Stadium again.
Thanks for the info jlp. I am just glad I didn’t tivo a 3 hr blackout screen.
The Marlins drew 11,416 with the Phillies in town last night, the Reds drew 16,000 against the Mets last Thurs., the Astros only 28,000 against the Cards in the 2nd game of the season with Pettite pitching, the White Sox drew just over 10,000 against Cleveland 2 games in a row. The Marlins opener against the Braves was the highest attendance in Marlins history, but the next two games only drew 19,000 and 20,000+.
The Braves averaged almost 43,000/game against the Mets (with the Smoltz/Martinez matchup being the lowest attended of the 3), so I think the opponent and school being back in were a factor.
As for the Ex-pos, they aren’t as bad as the Royals, but that’s about it.
Isn’t it amazing that Burrell has knocked in 17 of the 47 runs the Phillies have scored this season? Funny things is in spite of his great stats, he has struck out more than Andruw and walked less. Plus he has played the Cardinals and Nats in 6 of the games.
will there be over 30 thousand there tonight to see hudson?
I’d guess 25. That may be optimistic.
Threat of rain in the area and we have yellow-out conditions from the pollen in some areas of town. It’s about the worst I’ve seen it in 10 years here. Half the fans will be from Auburn Alumni and their families.
It’s about the worst I’ve seen it in 10 years here. Half the fans will be from Auburn Alumni and their families.
Wow, that is bad.
It is the smae deal every spring. Who wants to take their kids to a week night game when they are in school when the Expos/Nats are in town?
My wife, who is Canadian, is taking our son tonight. I think she’s hoping they’ll play the Candaian Nat’l Anthem for old times sake 😉
So at least one kid is getting to go on a school night to see the Nat-spos (but that’s only because his grades are good enough dag nab it!)
Don’t get me started, Mac. Whuch reminds me, I was listening to Louis Jordan the other day, and the line about “hang around with democratic fellows named Mac” took on a whole new meaning.
How long do we have to live with Kolb?
I think you mean D*nn* K*lb.
D*n K*lb
Thank God for rain…
A perfect home debut is ruined. Tough break Hudson.
What we need is a natural disaster! Unfortunately, it’s a fast moving storm, so they’ll finish this game. Let’s hope Cordero repeats his last game and gives up a run (or two).
I just came on to ask Mac what Kolb’s * nickname will be and you guys beat me to it. Good thinking…
D*mn Th*t F*ck*ng K*lb?
f*cking J*rd*n! Marte LF April 27
I think we’re being a little rash here. Maybe we should give it more time. He needs to quit walking hitters, though. I was watching the dreaded ESPN game cast for this one, but I assume his control was like his first save. He cost our ace big time tonight.
4 pitch walk, single, 5 pitch walk, topper to Chipper (out at home), fly out to Andruw (throw to cutoff man), double in RF gap. The walks were not close calls. I do wonder if Andruw ca. 1998 would have made the play in right center. Probably not, but it would have been interesting to see.
Yes, maybe we are rushing to judgment. I would love to see Kolb pitch brilliantly for the rest of the season. However, it appears to me that he has only been sharp once. Last year his second half was terrible and he did nothing to impress in the spring. At this point, the best that can be said is that he has the potential to be a competent setup man.
Well, blown saves are part of the game and they happens all the time. We can just hope the number of times happening can be reduced to the minimum level. Reading the following article will put us all back into perspective.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-strugglingclosers&prov=ap&type=lgns
So, andruw of four years ago gets to that ball in the ninth, right?
Didn’t that one just cry out for a patented jones dive?
Was he not moving slowly towards it in anyone else’s opinion?
Ah, I see Kyle thougt the same.
Jones missed a couple of playable balls, atleast playable for him. He is still getting good jumps though, just that there is too much grease in his wheels right now!
No way Andruw gets that ball. He was shaded towards right and it was hit hard. He wasn’t even that close to it when it landed.
Dan Kolb doesn’t walk two guys in an inning. He clearly didn’t have his stuff. Bobby should have yanked him, especialy after he loaded the bases.
Kc-
Thanks for the article. It definitely helps. I’ve put away my feather pillow and bucket of hot tar.
Err, I meant AJ was shaded towards left. Oops.