ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Marlins at Braves

At long last, the Braves are over .500. A four-game series over Miguel And The Minnows, who are so bad they make Jorge Sosa look good, will do that for you.

As usual, the Braves fell behind early (though it’s the first first-inning run Sosa’s given up, I think) this time on a solo homer by Reggie Abercrombie — who seems like he should have played in the early eighties — but cruised from there. Sosa was really never in trouble after that, allowing six hits, striking out eight, in 6 2/3. As soon as he did get into a little trouble, Bobby yanked him, Paronto getting out of the seventh on a long flyout. He then allowed two hits in the eighth, while McBride needed just nine pitches in the ninth. It would all be more impressive, except… well, you know. The Marlins are now on pace to lose 116 games and will be lucky if that’s all they lose.

The big bat today was Francoeur, who had three hits, including his ninth and tenth homers, and whose line for the year is now .269/.279/.491, which definitely looks like something from another era. Marcus and Diaz each had two hits. Chipper drove in three, two on a fifth-inning double (coming right before the Francoeur homer) that really opened the game up. Held hitless was Andruw, whose back is acting up again.

Lerew was briefly up, but has now been replaced by the reactivated Cormier. Moylan, probably, will be sent down on Saturday to make room for Travis “The Human Pitching Machine” Smith, who in turn will go down for Horacio when he’s ready. Smith will make you miss Horacio.