Apr 26 2008
Jurrjens overcomes Mets, umpire as Braves take series opener at Shea
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
Braves 6, Mets 3
Top of the Order: Jair Jurrjens overcame a shaky third-inning – assisted by a ridiculous interpretation of the strike zone – to pitch six strong innings, and Kelly Johnson’s two-run homer gave the Braves the lead for keeps as Atlanta snagged the opener of a three-game series with their chief NL-East rival.
The Good: Lots and lots of it on a great night for the Braves. Let’s start with Jurrjens, who continues to pitch like a guy who’s been in the bigs for a lot longer than three months. Jurrjens allowed just two hits, and despite four consecutive walks in the third inning, rebounded to retire the final 10 hitters he faced. Johnson, who cranked a grand slam against the Mets three weeks ago, ripped a two-home homer off Mike Pelfrey in the sixth to break a 3-3 tie. Johnson reached base three times (two hits, one walk) and drove in four runs. Atlanta finished with 13 hits, three by rookie Gregor Blanco. The bullpen was sensational, as Will Ohman, Blaine Boyer, Royce Ring and Manny Acosta took the baton from Jurrjens and rolled unimpeded to the finish line, locking down the Mets over the final three innings. The top six guys in the New York lineup finished the night 0-for-20. And, even more good news down the I-95 Corridor: Mike Hampton pitched three scoreless innings for Triple-A Richmond, allowing three hits and throwing 32 strikes in 50 pitches.
The Bad: Jurrjens threw more than 40 of his 107 pitches in a rough third inning, but give home plate umpire Tim McClelland – who had an awful night – a big assist for that. Jurrjens walked four batters in a row with two outs in the third, forcing in three runs in the process. Jurrjens clearly had Luis Castillo struck out – which would’ve ended the inning with no runs scoring – and the cripple pitch to Mr. Everything (aka David Wright) looked like a strike, too. McClelland got an earful from Bobby Cox, who tossed the skipper for Bobby’s 136th career ejection. Shortstop Yunel Escobar busted his right index finger trying to bunt in the top of the first. Escobar came out of the game before the bottom of the first, and there was plenty of blood visible when he took off his batting glove. X-rays were negative, though, and he’s considered day-to-day … then again, aren’t we all?
View from the Sports Garage: A big victory for the Braves and another statement definitely delivered to the boys from Flushing. Atlanta improved to 3-0 on the season against the Mets and moved one-half game ahead of New York in the East. But despite the offense and the bullpen and Cox getting run and McClelland’s butcher job behind the plate and Escobar getting hurt, Jurrjens was THE story. I think we all knew he was talented when Frank Wren shipped Edgar Renteria to Detroit for Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez in October. But who thought the 22-year-old kid would be the glue of this rotation this soon? I wouldn’t dare compare somebody with 12 major-league starts to a guy with 349 career victories, but you can see some Greg Maddux in the Curaco native. Jurrjens pitches to contact, works the plate as well as any young pitcher I’ve seen in quite a while, and he’s a competitor who can channel his emotions. Visibly upset at the horrendous job McClellan did behind the plate in the third, Jurrjens collected himself and didn’t allow squat the rest of the way. Stellar.
Some guys are throwers. Jurrjens is a pitcher, in every single sense of the word. And he can swing the warclub, too. Jurrjens broke a season-long 0-for-39 slump by Braves pitchers with a sixth-inning single, the first hit by an Atlanta hurler this season. Job well done, kid.
On deck
Braves vs. Mets
1:10 p.m. today, Shea Stadium
The Skinny: We saw Tim Hudson and John Maine hook up three weeks ago in Atlanta, a game the Braves broke open on Johnson’s grand slam. Hudson answered questions about his velocity with a solid performance Monday against Washington. Maine needed 109 pitches to get through six innings against the Cubs his last time out, and the Braves teed off on him in Atlanta earlier this month, giving up eight hits and four runs in four innings. You have to feel good about things if you’re the Braves. With Friday’s series opener in their back pocket, the Braves send co-ace Hudson to the bump today, followed by co-ace John Smoltz Sunday. A sweep certainly is possible, and would really send a clear message to the Mets and the rest of the East.
–30–
