Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – April 30, 2010 – ESPN.
Wait a minute, let me check that… Yes, it does appear that the Braves actually won a game! This despite spending five innings in Hibernation Mode. Thank you, Tommy Hanson.
It started out like a number of games in the losing streak. The Braves took the lead in the first on a McLouth homer and a run-scoring error. And then gave it right back in the second on a HBP and three straight singles. But then they got the lead back in the third. Weird. Glaus walked, then Heyward hit another homer.
They didn’t do much after that, but the Astros didn’t do anything as Hanson allowed only one baserunner (a leadoff single in the fourth) outside their offensive surge in the second. For the game, he threw just 99 pitches, struck out seven with no walks in eight innings. Of course, it’s just the Astros. Wagner got his old team in the ninth, walking one but erasing him on a DP.
I’m going to let this stand as the game thread.
I’m in Atlanta and heading to the game today. Let’s start a winning streak.
maybe we can get a few back against the Stros and the Nats.
Nice to get in the win column. Oh boy, was Heyward ever robbed of HR #7. Great play, though. Let’s go get another one.
Don’t want to jinx the rest of the series, but the Astros lineup is horrid. The pitching doesn’t appear much better so let’s hope this is the series to give the hitters some confidence.
The pitching matchup for Sunday looks awful.
#2 – Nats are better than us.
Chipper either needs to start swinging just RH or retire at the end of the year. His glove and range are brutal at third, but how does someone go from hitting .365 to .230 in two seasons? If he really thinks its better for him to be a slugger in this lineup, then fine, but Ill take that .300 batting average and a bunch of singles than this swings/misses and pulled obliques.
BMac needs to get going also
Physically, Chipper’s been coasting on fumes since 2004, and I think the bottom may have fallen out last season. At some point, the body just gives out. He really seemed to be swinging the bat well left handed early last week (for the first time in almost a full year), but that was obviously temporary. I’ve got a feeling this is his last season.
@6
Fumes since ’04 is a little absurd. In ’07 he hit .337 with 29 HR. In ’08 he hit over .400 for several months and won the league batting title.
@1: Maybe I’ll bump into you today, Rob, not that I would recognize you anyway! Ha.
Bobby cant get out of his own way sometimes
Braves lineup:
1. Omar Infante SS
2. Martin Prado 2B
3. Chipper Jones 3B
4. Troy Glaus 1B
5. Matt Diaz LF
6. Jason Heyward RF
7. David Ross C
8. Nate McLouth CF
9. Tim Hudson P
8—If you see a guy who looks just like Chipper Jones, but without the neck brace and walking cane, that’s Rob.
didnt bmac just get an off day? what’s the deal?
Day game after a night game. Should be expected by now.
I’m just glad to see McLouth in over Melky.
Crap, I think i am going to get Foxed today and be stuck with the Mets.
I’m not bothered by that lineup … leadoff has been a black hole, so Infante cant be worse than what we’ve had. Almost rather see Heyward at cleanup, or is that too much to ask of a 20 year old?
McClouth responded so well to being put in leadoff last night. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to show continued confidence. At least Infante has hit Wandy Rodriguez well (3 for 7 with 1.000 OPS).
McClouth has more value deeper in the lineup, at least to me, for RBI situations.
Andruw Jones with 2 HRs off Javy Vazquez at Yankee Stadium today.
It’s 3-0 ChiSox. Yes, they’re booing.
I am following the Yankees-ChiSox on Gameday and Andruw has 2 HR and now 8 for the year. Andruw is closing on 400 HRs….
i’m not joking when i say we should offer lowe for vazquez. the yanks might do it.
And now Kotsay has tagged Javy for a 2-run HR. It’s ex-Braves day in The Bronx. He gives up a couple more hits & leaves to another chorus of boos.
I hate that for Javy. He’s a great guy.
19—No way the Yanks would accept that. Those extra 2 years of big salary are a big deal.
Ben — What I mean by fumes was Chipper’s physical fragility, not his performance. 2007 and 2008 were probably two of the three best years of his career, but he was constantly battling injuries. I say “running on fumes” because he was still producing at a high level despite the physical ailments. However, I’m afraid that at this point, his body has just given out on him.
yep, but they may just trade Javy and cover his contract. getting him back ad moving Lowe to the pen or trading KK for mre salary relief, could be an opton. Still doesnt help the horrible offense
Think the Yankees would do Vasquez for Melky Cabrera straight up?
Does Andruw still have a shot at getting in to the HOF? For 10 years he was probably one of the top 3 center fielders of all time. Plus, he still has a good chance at 500 homers. I’d love to see it happen.
McClouth is adequate in center, but the past several seasons have demonstrated how good we had it. With Andruw, anything hit to center was an automatic out.
It’s early, of course, but so far Hudson doesn’t look like he’s got his best stuff, or at least his best command. A lot of balls up so far.
hudson is a notoriously bad first inning pitcher.
For me, and I suspect many others, Andruw will need more than 500 homers to get in, and it’s really doubtful he’s even going to get there. The guy only hit 20 in the last TWO seasons, and somehow he’s going to average 20 per over the next 5 years?
I think the laziness meme is way overdone, but he just doesn’t have the offensive numbers, and needed to stay an elite defender longer.
Hudson has 11 walks and 11 Ks on the season. I’m a little concerned.
Lowe picked OK in Boston, and Javy can’t handle “the big stage.” I guarantee you there are a lot of Yankee fans who would take Lowe right now.
Getting tired of all the “Heyward takes too many pitches” stuff. Apparently Cox, Joe Simpson, Chip Caray and these Fox announcers all agree that being 7th in the NL in pitchers seen per at-bat, 4.7 for Heyward now, is a bad thing?
The thing is that if the Yankees listened to their fans, they would have given away A-Rod years ago and Paul O’Neill would still be playing right field. Yankee fans are idiots.
Oh, and raise your hand if you have any faith in anyone in the lineup besides the 20-year-old rookie right now. I thought so.
Exactly, Mac. The only relevant question is whether Cashman & Co. would be interested. And they’re not stupid, so they wouldn’t be.
@33: Not even a little. Maybe Prado, but right now Heyward’s the only guy hitting the ball hard.
Infante has pretty consistently hit at a .300 clip since he’s been a Brave. Now this year, it’s an even more empty .300 than in years past, but I still think he has a decent shot of getting on base when comes to the plate.
Heck yes!
Troy Glaus?
Who is the FOX “analyst” for this game? He’s absolutely brutal.
Does anyone else think Vasquez and Hudson’s windup look the same?
I’m in Ks and am blacked out for this game on mlb.tv. Is there another place I can watch this game?
Joel,
you should be watching the Lady Larks on the stream from Highland. We’re up 4-3 in the top of the 6th
Joel, there are ways (involving offshore servers and the like) but I don’t understand them.
RJ, I tried to find that. Where do you link on their website?
I got it off the HC softball page from facebook. I’ll link it up to your profile.
@39: Kenny Albert’s doing the play-by-play, Mark Grace doing the analysis.
Don’t have Tim Hudson bunt, I have more confidence in him to get a hit than many of the others on this team at the plate.
I don’t get the game on mlbtv either, even though Mets and Phillis are on fox here in Richmond. It’s kind of a great set up… pay money not to be able to see your favorite team play.
ross’s arm has been the game changer thus far.
New poll.
Fun with closed captioning: they keep referring to Braves second baseman Martin “Prada”.
http://www.firebobbycox.com/
Glaus!!!
Does someone want to explain how:
1) Glaus singles to the shortstop,
2) Infante scores from second on an infield single, and
3) how the CF can make an error on a single to the shortstop?
Wait, is the scorer saying that Infante couldn’t have scored from second on a single without the error?
Nathan, it was singled to center.
RJ, thanks! That was a disappointing 7th!
We found a team worse than us!
Man, the Astros are playing like the Braves this inning.
Mac,
The error got Prado to third.
Okay, a single to center makes much more sense of the whole situation.
I know, but Marv’s dumb brother was saying that the error scored Infante.
on the radio after Heyward’s HBP:
“.. and here comes Porter to check on the baseball. I hope the ball is alright”
You are welcome Joel. Looks like the 8th will be even more disappointing.
While we’re explaining, how did Diaz register a stolen base during a live play that presumably ended with the ball at second base?
M. Diaz grounded into fielder’s choice, M. Prado scored, T. Glaus out at second, M. Diaz stole second
I think Yahoo is getting sloppy.
Yeah, that’s just a screwup, Diaz stole second during the next PA.
Regarding the balk rule — I’d be in favor of enforcing it.
@64
Diaz was on first. Wandy picked him off at first as Diaz sprinted to second as soon as Wandy kicked up his leg. The throw to second to catch the speedy Diaz was high so he “stole” the base.
BTW, Nashville is the new Venice.
Time to break out an oldie but goodie:
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH TROY GLAUS?!?!?
I’m becoming concerned with Tim Hudson’s lack of Ks…maybe not today, but going forward.
That’s just weird, removing the starter at 93 pitches after retiring the first two in an inning with a four-run lead.
70—See 29. Ditto.
Apparently he had cramps.
Heyward is a beast.
Kenny Albert just called him “Jacob” Heyward.
@74: He was talking about Jason’s 14 yr. old brother.
My bad. I guess I’m used to Chip’s idiocy that I assumed he misspoke.
Chipper, 6 runners LOB today
Who thinks Wagner pitches the ninth?
@62
I caught that bit while doing some work outside. Made me laugh out loud. Those Bob Uecker stories were pretty funny too.
Going to the game tomorrow, anyone else going?
Wow the ‘stros are putrid.
Jonny Venters: not the answer.
Joel-are you watching the second game?
The reason you can’t watch MLB.tv on Saturdays is because Fox has a nationwide blackout.
Recapped.
@81: I don’t know. He did a nice job pitching out of the 9th (though the jam was certainly his own fault).
@77 – he hit the ball as hard as you can hit them in 2 of those at bats right at the center fielder and had a hit taken away by a diving stop in the 1st. He actually had a really good day at the plate.
62- Lemmer replied (after Heyward HBP) “I think the baseball is going to have to come out of the game.”
He was just waiting to use that.