ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Reds at Braves
For 6 2/3 innings, the Braves couldn’t do anything on offense, and it looked like Smoltz would have yet another great outing go to waste. But with two out in the seventh, they broke through, and Smoltz got a win.
He was great, striking out ten in eight innings and walking only one. He needed 120 pitches to get that far, so there wasn’t much chance of him going any further, but 85 of those pitches were strikes. The Reds got their lone run in the fourth when Griffey scored after a leadoff double; they got three hits in that inning, half their total off of Smoltz.
In the middle innings, the Braves looked like they were drifting and another loss was coming quickly. But McCann, after falling behind with two out in the seventh, worked his way into a single. Francoeur followed, and hit a long fly that bounced on the edge of the centerfield fence and over. LaRoche reached on a popup that dropped for a double, Langerhans was walked intentionally, and Smoltz singled in the third run of the game with his second hit.
Chipper tripled off the top of the wall with one out in the eighth, but Andruw couldn’t get him home. McCann then laced a double off the wall to score him and reach the final score. Ray pitched the ninth, giving up a hit but striking out two.
Last game before the depressing break tomorrow. Thomson is supposed to start for some reason.
We might as well let LaRoche try and pitch tomorrow.
I’ll be happy if Thomson makes it through the 3rd inning, and we’re not down by 12 already
Great game for Smoltz, and Francouer! Both the Heros tonight.
Well be prepared to see Kevin Barry for long-relief tomorrow.
Very nice game. Fabulous outing by Smoltz. Oh, and nice hitting, too, John :-D.
I couldn’t believe nobody went out to check on Ray when he rolled his ankle. Somebody should have at least ambled most of the way out of the dugout and yelled at him.
And watching McCann round first base on that double gave me the heebie-jeebies. His running is just awful to watch right now. I hope it heals at some point, because it’s been almost 2 months.
You huys already know this probably but I just thought I’d mention it again.
According to Yahoo…
Chipper has hit an extra base hit in 10 consecutive games now, an Atlanta record..
And Smoltz has passed David Cone for 20th on the All-time strike-out list..
Good for them
The above post should obviously start with “you guys”… but since my reading and writing skills are very poor, I typed crap..
Jenny when Ray rolled his ankle the Braves staff ran to the top stair but he singled that he was fine when BMAC came out to the mound.
We spell like our bullpen pitched last month, Davey. Don’t worry about it.
Oh, okay, I must have missed that.
Brian, I don’t think you can call it “pitching” what our bullpen did last month..
It’s all hands on deck tomorrow, so if Thomson runs into his usual early trouble, everyone (basically besides Smoltz) is available.
Not that the world should notice, but that’s 6 out of 9.
I hope he pitches like he was earlier, not likely but it is something to look forward to.
5 IP and we are still in it then that is a success.
McCann is quickly becoming a hero on this team, gutty, clutch I love this guy.
On the other side wazzup with Andruw? c’mon man, we need you in the worst way.
As much as I wanted BMac to start the All-Star game, I now hope he does his inning or two and then let him sit. I want him to rest that ankle as much as possible.
better still pinch hit, bang another single off the wall and get stranded.
I still debating if I will watch the whole thing I am still so mad about the voting and the dumbass rules. I really tired of players geting to play when they clearly don’t deserve it. All it is a popularity contest and if things don’t change then it is always going to be Yanks/Red Sox/Mets/Cardinals taking all the positions that players having great seasons deserve.(LIRIANO)
I’m going to be out on Tuesday night, so I think I’ll tape it and then watch it if anything of note happens. The AL is going to win anyway. And I can’t stand watching White Sox Assclown Duo (Guillen and Pierzynski) for more than 2 minutes at a time.
Jay, I am pretty much with you on the All-Star game. Another thing that irks me is how the Home Run Derby is on track to turn into the same type of event as the NBA’s Slam Dunk contest, where your premier sluggers (or dunkers) won’t participate, or aren’t even on the team. A lineup of Lance Berkman, Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Ryan Howard, Troy Glaus, David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera and Jermaine Dye don’t sound too bad, that is until you think about who’s NOT participating: Manny Ramirez, Albert Pujols, Jim Thome, Andruw Jones, Derek Lee, Barry Bonds, Travis Hafner, Carlos Delgado, Alfonso Soriano, Adam Dunn and Jason Giambi. Now, some of those guys aren’t having AWESOME home run years, and some of them have legit reasons not to participate. But when I think about the Home Run Derby, I think about premier names and/or guys who are synonomous with homers. This year, I just don’t feel like that’s what we’re getting.
On a side note, I think it would be cool if they would have some sort of skills challenge for the players. I guess it’ll never happen since everyone is so afraid of getting injured, but I think it would be cool. For instance, the pitchers could have an accuracy challenge, where they set up a plate at different locations in the strike zone, and pitchers have to hit and break the plate. Maybe that sounds dumb, but I think it would be pretty cool.
I used to love the all-star game & now I’m completely indifferent to it, other than to say that the home-field advantage thing is almost as stupid as the DH.
I’ll be at the Beacon Theater Tuesday night for Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint.
Absolutely Tennessee, I wish there was a skills comp. that would be awesome but like you said everyone is afraid of getting hurt. I would like to see who is the fastest person in baseball. Carl Crawford, Jose Reyes, Rafael Furcal, Scott Podsednik. Now come on that would be some entertainment, also feilding skills.
I still like to watch the game, no matter who is in it. All I care about is that the National League wins. I watch the Home Run Derby, because I dont REALLY care who is in it. All I care about is seeing some bombs.
Ububba, enjoy that show. Color me with envy.
I am glad that we get an extra day off on the break. I think quite a few guys could stand to chill an extra day, even though they have to fly to SD. But, it is a small token against the horrible scheduling we got this year.
/the pen makes baby cry
Another great skills challenge that’ll never happen: outfield throwing arms, for speed and accuracy. Does Frenchy or Ichiro have the better cannon?
I’m going against the grain here, but I like the All-Star Game and even like the representation rule. (Making home field depend on it, not so much.) I think every team should have a player honored for his performance, even if he is surrounded by dreck like our bullpen, the Cubs’ offense, or Kansas City’s everything.
Flying to San Diego right after the break sucks rocks, though. We open the season on the West Coast, now we have to open the second half doing the same after going out there in May? Why not take care of the West on two road trips? At least the weather won’t be as lousy as it was in April.
I hate the All-Star break. Whoever decided to give us three days off from sports in July is a moron. There’s no baseball, the World Cup will be over, and I can’t even watch any of the other garbage that passes as pro sports these days. What in the world am I supposed to do for three days?
Time to break out those old TiVo episodes of World’s Strongest Man…
I’d suggest that anybody here who remotely likes soccer watch the World Cup final today instead of another classic John Thompson flop.
Smoltz was absolutely awesome last night. I love watching him pitch when he is on top of his game. It worries me that Bobby has to make him throw so many pitches because of the entirely justified lack of confidence in the bullpen. Postseason or no, you don’t want to break your best pitcher late in the year.
I was very glad to see Ray get the chance to close although it just may have been because Sosa was unavailable.
I think in a previous year they tried having a bunting skills contest for the pitchers. If I remember correctly they had three target areas for the pitchers to bunt into with various point values for the targets. I thought then maybe it was a sign of more skills contests to come…. but apparently not.
The Nba has certain “skills challenges”, the NHL also (I’m not sure if they still do)… so it would be great to see the MLB also have some skills challenges at the All Star game..
Obviousle there’s the fear of players getting hurt, but they could just as easily get hurt during the game itself, or during the home run derby when they’re swinging for the fences…
Or, if you’re Pedro Martinez, you can get hurt walking up the steps during player introductions…
The Nfl also has skills challenges but I didn’t really count that since the Pro Bowl is after the season and a fear of injury is somewhat less then.
But seeming how Robert Smith all but ended his career playing flag football, the fear of injuries will always remain i guess
I meant to type Robert Edwards…
That’s what happens when you try and type when you’re half asleep