Toronto Blue Jays vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – May 22, 2009 – ESPN

Unexpected. Kenshin Kawakami looked like a completely different pitcher tonight, with probably the best start a Brave’s had since Lowe on opening day, and certainly the best of his American career. He went eight innings, striking out seven, and allowing just three hits; the only extra-base hit was a leadoff double in the eighth, which he pitched around. He threw 106 pitches, 71 of which were strikes, and didn’t walk a batter. All of this came against a team that came into the game averaging 5.43 runs a game and leading the majors in batting average.

Of course, the Braves were facing Roy Halladay, so any crack in Kawakami’s armor could have lost the game. The Braves couldn’t score against Halladay, but had a couple of chances. KJ, hitting in the fifth spot, struck out in a first-and-third, two-out situation in the first, and couldn’t get ACHE and McCann over after they got on base leading off the fourth, and nobody picked him up.

The Jays hit for Halladay with two out and a runner at second in the eighth, and Diaz led off against the reliever with a pinch double. Escobar got him to third with a groundout that almost turned into a hit, and Kotchman brought him home with a flyout. Gonzalez got the first man in the ninth, then allowed a double. The next batter hit a little swinging bunt that Gonzalez had to make a close play on. Finally, the last batter hit a little chopper to third, which Prado bobbled but recovered to make the throw on, winding up a victory.