ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Braves at Pirates
Kyle Davies was magnificent, though asked to do far too much, and the Braves finally had an extra base hit with two out in the ninth to finally score a run. I can’t take many more of these games.
Davies threw 7 2/3 innings, 119 pitches, 64 of which were strikes. He was very efficient in the early going but his control started deserting him later, and he had to pitch out of numerous jams. To his credit, he did. He was finally lifted after walking Jason Bay on four pitches with two out and a runner on in the eighth. Davies wound up with five strikeouts, six hits allowed, and four walks, and the Braves turned two double plays behind him. John Foster walked the bases loaded after Davies left, but then got a grounder to end the inning.
For 8 2/3, the Braves were held to four hits, all singles, and one walk. The only Brave to reach first was Andruw — who reached on a passed ball strike three and then went to second on a throwing error. It was pathetic. But with two out in the ninth, Julio doubled off the wall off of Mike Gonzalez, scoring Jordan (who’d reached on a fielder’s choice after Marcus broke up the double play on a hard slide Joe Simpson still hasn’t stopped talking about — I didn’t think it was a double play ball anyway) from first. The Braves loaded the bases on walks after that, but Betemit’s chopper was speared by Gonzalez.
Reitsma, however, got three ground ball outs. You know, those things Kolb and Gryboski are supposed to get but never do… Marcus had two hits. Betemit, playing third base for Chipper, had one, and Davies had one. That was it.
Mike Hampton will go on the DL, with Seth Greisinger called up to take his place in the rotation. He gets the start tomorrow against Oliver Perez. I’ll write up Greisinger later tonight. The Natspos are beating the Marlins by one after six innings. The Phillies are tied early, the Mets already won.
I was itchin’ to get into that game tonight. If there’s anyone who can break a scoreless tie, it’s me. Couple of hits, couple of walks, there you go.
btw (hey look at me, I’m a hip computer guy now), I told those guys in the outfield to back up the other night when Vinnie and Gary Bennett were up. I came to throw strikes, and other than those 10 balls I threw, they were all strikes.
Gotta run, me and Raffi are celebrating the big win at the Church Brew House. He’s drivin’, I’m payin’.
Good thing you’re paying. We all know that Raffy likes to have a lot of cash on him when he’s driving around after a night out. You may have to sit in the back seat later.
I can’t say my deep funk has been lifted as a result of this performance, but, hey, we won. I’ll take it. Davies has been better than any of us expected. I would say we should demote HoRam and keep Davies when Thomson and Hampton get back healthy, but I don’t know what kind of angry response this might elicit.
As much as I admire Marcus’s effort in that takeout slide, I wish he’d stop. We all saw what happened last time he pulled something like that, and for a guy who can get hurt opening a window (see 2003’s Stupidest Injuries) it’s crazy. Of course, then we might have lost the game. What to do?
Hasn’t it been so long since we got a 1-2-3 ninth from a closer? How refreshing! I’m still not sold on Reitsma, but a few more of these and I might be. No offensive spark to speak of tonight, but the pitching was very good. Ironically, when Foster was used the way he should be, he nearly blew it. But he didn’t!
Oliver Perez against the Braves. Rarely will better conditions exist for a perfect game.
Vegas has placed the over/under on the number of Brave hits at 2. I’ll take the over, but only because we have Julio.
Looking forward to Skip making the “hitting .053, Bingo!” joke when Kelly Johnson comes up tomorrow.
Perez has a 6.92 ERA. He’s pitched better his last three starts, but still not well.
“Julio doubled off the wall off of Mike Gonzalez, scoring Jordan”
That’s why we love this man!
Also, Last year someone here predicted the East would be won by the team who had the biggest “monster month.” Are the 2005 Braves the kind of team to have a 21-7 month
Perez has a 6.92 ERA. He’s pitched better his last three starts, but still not well.
Well since we made Redman look like Glavine in his prime today, I’m not hopeful against Perez who has approximately three times the stuff of Redman. Of course I would be delighted to be wrong.
We’re not the only ones making Redman look like Glavine in his prime. A 2.82 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP with two complete games don’t happen by accident.
I think last nights game is the kind of game the Braves needed to win to right the ship (like last year when we came back from 7 down to beat Baltimore.) We got a late inning run and a pitcher came in and shut it down in the ninth.
I went to that game! And we were the only Braves fans in a section surrounded by drunk, angry O’s fans. But it was fun. And I don’t think that game is at all similar to last night. Last night we were tied the whole time except for the last 2 innings and were basically hanging on for dear life. In the 8-7 victory, we had to battle our way back and fight. I hope the turnaround is the same, but there’s just no comparison in my mind.
Did anyone see the replays of what happened b/w Marlon Byrd and Joe Brinkman in last night’s Nats game? It made me think, if Hubby hadn’t tackled Marcus last week or whenever it was, he would probably have done something similar and been in HUGE trouble, just like Byrd’s going to be. This may be good news for the Braves, b/c Byrd has been very good for the Nats and if MLB does what they are expected to and suspends him for a protracted period, their offense may suffer. This could provide us with an opening.