ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Braves at Devil Rays
Miserable Braves Loss Ty–
What?
Are you sure?
Well, how about that.
The Braves actually won a game for the first time in nearly two weeks. Won it even though John Smoltz (having blown a 2-0 lead in the first) left with two out in the third after apparently suffering a muscle pull. The Braves had to turn to Oscar Villareal in long relief. Villareal was terrific, going 4 1/3 and allowing just two hits and one walk, striking out two. For once, he was the guy left hanging because the Braves couldn’t score — couldn’t do much of anything off of the Legendary Casey Fossum after Andruw hit a two-run homer in the first inning.
The Horrible Tyler Yates then allowed a run in the seventh, giving up a two-out single followed by a triple that Andruw apparently thought was out. But the Braves actually responded. First, they got a run, then the bullpen locked down. Giles singled with one out, Renteria doubled to put them second and third. Chipper was semi-intentionally walked, which just shows that the Rays haven’t been paying attention because he hasn’t made good contact this month. Andruw hit a long sac fly to tie it.
McBride got in trouble, allowing a single and a walk, then a sac fly to put them first and third, but got a double play to get out of it. Stockman pitched the ninth, walking two, then left with an injury to his leg. Sosa allowed a walk and a hit in the tenth.
Then — you knew this was the sort of thing that the team needed — Francoeur drew a leadoff walk. Diaz sacrificed him to second, Betemit was intentionally walked. And then they pulled a double-steal to get to second and third. Pratt hit a liner that Lugo couldn’t quite handle (he got Betemit in a rundown) and the Braves had the lead.
Sosa got the first two in the eleventh, then allowed what looked for all the world like a game-tying homer, but it died on the track.
Anyway, nice work from the bullpen. Go figure.
Braves win! Braves win! Braves win!
Like I said in the game thread, the fact that the bullpen came through and we actually got the win has to be a huge mental booster.
I am going to snuggle up to my wife tonight and have a good night sleep. I only didn’t scream because she’s already asleep but I screamed joyfully, on the inside.
Ok,
we temporarily don’t use the girl names for the relievers and Cormier until they lose again.
I want to do whatever it takes to start a new streak…you know, the winning kind.
I screamed plenty of expletatives when Baldelli hit that pitch.. looked like a Hr at first..
Quickly those screams of anguish turned into screams of joy
Ok..lance is my guy (roll tide!) maybe this adoption thing is working…he told me he is ready to go for a 2 hitter
Completely agree. This is getting way ahead of things, but heck, if not now, when?
If Sosa can close, the bullpen can set up nicely from there. Ray in the 8th, throw Remlinger in there for certain situations, and give Villareal/Stockman/Yates the right chances in the 7th. Everyone takes a step down, and when Reitsma comes back healthy, who knows?
If Sosa can close.
I’ll say this. I’ve been following the Braves for almost 20 years, and this is the most excited I’ve been after a Braves victory since that glorious day in 1992. (Well, OK maybe the WS ring too.)
And as much as we whine and complain about our team (hey, we’re Braves fans, it’s what we do), we all kept coming back to TBS/FSN every night during this god awful stretch, and that’s saying something.
Sounds reasonable, but I have a few suggestions.
The “certain situations” for Remlinger are never. Cox’ brain just resets every time he sees Remlinger and he figures, “Hmmm. He can get lefties out.” He can’t, and he also gives up a .289 average to righties. Release him. Ditto Reitsma if he gets healthy.
Send Yates to Richmond. He missed all of 2005 with a torn rotator cuff and needs to get back to speed in the minors.
That leaves Villareal, Paronto, Stockman, and McBride to fill out the rest of the ‘pen. We don’t really need a 12-man staff, especially when that 12th man is as bad as Yates or Remlinger.
As for the offense, hopefully just getting them to stop trying to hit grand slams with the bases empty will be enough. Even after the recent disasters, the Braves are 6th in the league in runs scored. Junk Pratt, bring up both the Penas as backup catcher and Belliard impersonator, and you’ve got a good offense.
a win is a win, especially with our “first to worst” mental game. But this is St. Petersberg-oops Tampa Bay. This is a serious cellar team. Maybe at this point it does not matter who we play cuz we just simply beat ourselves, cannot beat the odds, etc., Still hard to feel good. At least we got a closer-what is Sosa’s era?
Sosa’s ERA is 5.25. Not great, but it’s not much different than McBride (4.91) or Yates (4.70) and far better than Reitsma’s Disaster ERA (9.11).
Remember, if the Braves don’t double-steal there in the 11th, 1st and 2nd for Pratt with the infield at DP-depth. The hot shot by Pratt is scooped up by Lugo, who would then have all day to turn two with Pratt running.
Instead of the inning ending DP, the Braves get the FC RBI and the win.
Sosa’s era is 5.40
Uncle Charlie.. I like your suggestions but..I don’ think there’s any situation that Remlinger is suited for… atleast not on a baseball team
And Reitsma also strikes fear into me…
oh..my bad.. Yahoo probably hasn’t updated Sosa’s E.R.A yet then
I knew the adoption thing would work. We were getting closer every game.
hey if we win tomorrow is that a streak?
No, if we win tomorrow that is tw in a row, if we win the next one, that is called a winning streak. we have had them before we can have them again
Zalright, Davey.
I had this whole “Spinal Tap” theme worked out for our loss tonight, Mac. I’ll save it for when we win 11 straight.
Hell yes, that’s a streak. It’s a streak now! A streak of one.
classic quote I couldn’t remember all of it
But I feel like we are living that movie
Minus Uecker
The Karate Kid is on
You’re the best around…
Skip
Here is the pitch from Hudson…Just a bit outside
hats for bats keep bat warm
Andruw feed jo bu!
A couple other quotes from Mr. Uecker, with names changed to incriminate the guily:
“Well, you can close the book on Paronto. Thank God!”
“That’s all we got, one goddamn hit? … Don’t worry, nobody is listening anyway.”
“Well he’s gonna walk Johnson to pitch to Rios. Obviously Cox’s thinking… I don’t know WHAT the hell he’s thinking.”
“Well, the Braves have a runner. I think I’ll wet my pants.”
“You know I used to hate Reitsma when he was with the Reds. It’s amazing how a new uniform can change your attitude about a guy. … He’s still a dick.”
“It looks like Jeff Francoeur is trying to hit Horacio Ramirez, and why not, everyone else in the league is.”
HAHAHAHA @ Brian… That was classic
Who would be the “Wild Thing” character on the Braves??
“It looks like Jeff Francoeur is trying to hit Horacio Ramirez, and why not, everyone else in the league is.”
Is the best line in the movie
Sosa gets my vote
I’m with Smitty.
Thanks, guys. The sad part was that finding analogs for the situations in the quotes- like an intentional walk that bites us in the butt- wasn’t hard at all…
Yesterday I wanted to kick Sosa in the knee caps..but now I’m imagening him in a movie..and I want to buy the kid a beer.
A win really does wonders..
This was my favorite Braves win in about three years
oh my god you guys won! maybe you wont be 20 games out by the all star break after all
Go to hell danny kolb, and take your Mets with you!
You can’t ruin our night!
Burbon on the Rocks
-Ice
-Burbon
smoooooooth!
In Yahoo’s game article..
“I think it was more exciting than when we clinched last year,” said right fielder Jeff Francoeur after the team stop its longest skid in 18 years.
Damn skippy Jeffrey..
I guess it is good to loose, just to remember what winning was like
Sorry guys Smoltz was my guy and I got him hurt. Anyways I took him because I would guarantee a victory. Come on guys lets win one more tomorrow! Too all – sleep well!
Is Smoltz going to be ok?
Starter John Smoltz left Friday night’s game against the Rays in the second inning with a strained right groin, but he remained upbeat afterward, saying that the injury might not keep him from his next start.
“I was not really optimistic when I walked off the field, but as the game went on, I could do just about everything I wanted to do, except for probably pitch,” Smoltz said. “I’m encouraged to think in two days-ish I’ll wrap it and I’ll throw, and then I’ll let [manager Bobby Cox] know, because we’re in a little bit of a pinch from all the guys we’re using.”
He’ll be fine, let me talk to him
Who strained Smoltz’ groin?
i went to the game. i’ll go ahead and take credit for the win.
I had to leave in the 2nd, so this is a wonderful post to come home to (except for the part about Smoltz leaving, that’s not cool). Alright, maybe we can keep this up for a couple of games. That would be nice. I’m just asking for a couple, not a miracle.
Excellent!
I’m going to be at the game tomorrow (and maybe Sunday, too. It’d be great to see James pitch), so I’m really hoping they can build on tonight.
Great to see some smiles on everyone’s face!
So I’ve hated the Phillies for a long time for one reason or another…John Kruk, “Wild Thing,” players that beat their wives. In addition to this, their fans aren’t very smart. Came across this comment on a Phillies fan blog and it made me laugh.
ryan howard with a walkoff 2 run homerun in the bottom of the 9th in game 7 of the nlcs at shea
we can dream, can’t we?
They’re a formidable team and all, but their fans aren’t the brightest.
Yay a win! Who thinks Smoltz faked the groin injury so he wouldn’t be traded?
How ironic is it that the Braves win because of their bullpen and a walk to Francoeur. ONly the Devil Rays.
I just hope Smoltz pitches on Wednesday afternoon.
FWIW, we’re gonna get about 5 days of heavy rain starting today. The games in The Bronx could get soggy.
Hmm… Mississippi finally updated transactions…
RHP Dave Coggin was released from the Braves rganization.
RHP Carlos Almanzar was promoted to AAA Richmond.
RHP Clint Sodowsky was signed and placed in AA Mississippi.
still nothing about Esquivel nor Burrus
they updated the roster on their page and those 2 still aren’t back on it so who knows what’s going on
I found this article…
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=235&p=2&c=541853
I wonder what happened?