May 21 2008
Twice is nice: Braves sweep double-dip from Mets
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
Braves 6, Mets 1
Braves 6, Mets 2
Top of the Order: The only thing better than beating the Mets is doing it twice in one day, and that’s what Atlanta did, sweeping a doubleheader at Turner Field to move three games above .500 and within 1 ½ games of first place in the NL East.
The Good: The starting pitching in both ends of the double-dip was, for lack of a better word, awesome. Tom Glavine survived a 26-pitch first inning, allowing one run but then wiggling out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by retiring the final two hitters of the inning. Then, Glavine retired the next 15 hitters in a row, leaving the game after setting down 17 straight Mets hitters to win his 305th career game. In the nightcap, Jorge Campillo showed all that starting experience in the Mexican League and the minors paid off. Campillo shut out the Mets over six dominant innings, scattering three hits while striking out seven and walking nobody. Super, super, super impressive. Chipper Jones went 3-for-7 in the doubleheader and is hitting .409, still tops in the majors. Mark Teixeira went 3-for-3 in the opener, and had a hit with two walks in the second game. Brian McCann broke open the first game with a two-run homer, finishing with two hits and three RBIs to push his average to .321. Yunel Escobar produced two hits in each game. Mark Kotsay provided insurance late in the second game with a two-run homer. Kelly Johnson had the big blow in the nightcap with a two-run triple. The Braves bullpen continued to do its thing – amaze and impress. In the first game, Will Ohman, Blaine Boyer and Manny Acosta combined for three scoreless innings. Ohman struck out three of the four hitters he faced. Jeff Bennett, Boyer and Acosta finished out the nightcap. And that bullpen may be getting reinforced soon. Rafael Soriano will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Mississippi today. Mike Gonzalez threw three innings at extended spring training and may begin his rehab assignment soon. And John Smoltz said don’t toss dirt on me just yet, telling the media he won’t issue any more updates on his recovery from shoulder problems until he starts pitching on a rehab assignment, but gave indications his bullpen session Tuesday went well.
The Bad: Jeff Francoeur struggled through another rough outing in the opener, going 0-for-3 to drop his average to .258. He did not play in the second game, ending his consecutive-game streak at 370 games. Boyer allowed two runs in the eighth in the nightcap, ending the bullpen’s scoreless streak at 20 2/3 innings. The doubleheader ended with a scary play: Ryan Church slid hard into Escobar’s shin trying to break up a double play. Both players hobbled off the field. Escobar said he would play tonight; Bobby Cox isn’t sure.
View from the Sports Garage: It’s a play that just goes in the record books as a ground out in a four-run game, but it exemplifies what’s starting to happen with this team. With one out in the top of the seventh in the nightcap, Mets’ All-Star David Wright lined a shot deep into the hole in short. Escobar dove to his right, gloved the rocket, hopped to his feet and gunned a strike to first. Now it might not be a play many will remember come October, but I couldn’t help but jump up off my couch and say, “wow, this team may be finding its stride.” Nine hours earlier, I sat in Turner Field with my 5-year-old son and watched Glavine teeter on the brink of disaster in the first, only to steady himself and get out of trouble. From there, Glavine set the tone, a tone Campillo continued despite a two-hour rain delay that delayed the second major-league start of Campillo’s career. No worries. Both Glavine and Campillo totally shut down the Mets with great location, great pitch selection and a confidence on the mound that comes with knowing you’re in control. Campillo was ultra-impressive, needing just 78 pitches to go six innings. I’d say he’s earned another start, huh? The Braves were in control throughout both games, two very important wins against one of the teams they have to beat if they want to return to October. An excellent day and an excellent jumping-off point for the final two games of this series. Atlanta improved its major-league leading home record to 18-5 and played like a team that may be rounding into shape. The Braves hit in the clutch. The bullpen locked down the Mets in the late innings. The defense was outstanding. All in all, a very profitable day. Look back on this one if this team finds itself playing once September concludes.
On deck
Braves vs. Mets
7:10 p.m. today, Turner Field
The Skinny: In his last outing, Jair Jurrjens pitched on three days rest for the first time in his career. The young right-hander gave up two runs, none earned, and eight hits in five innings. For most pitchers, that would be a good start. But Jurrjens (4-3, 2.82 ERA) has set the bar so high, some Braves’ fans were disappointed that the rookie-of-the-year candidate couldn’t do more in a game the Braves eventually won. Still, it’s hard to find fault with the way Jurrjens has ascended to the top of the Braves rotation … yes, the top. As good as Tim Hudson has been at times this season, nobody in the rotation has been more consistent and more stellar than Jurrjens. Going on regular rest tonight, Jurrjens faces Mike Pelfrey (2-4, 4.17 ERA), who the Braves roughed up for five runs in April. Pelfrey has pitched better of late, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh and finishing with just three hits and one run allowed his last time out in a loss to Washington.
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