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Programming note: In-game blog today. Yes, really. Going to post a short setup blog shortly before today’s 1:10 p.m. first pitch, then add comments and observations throughout today’s tilt. Feel free to jump in and join the conversation as you watch the game. We’ll have our usual recap of today’s game Thursday morning in our standard recap format. BLE.

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

Braves 5, Marlins 4

Top of the Order: Greg Norton’s eighth-inning double drove in the tying and go-ahead runs, and the Braves’ bullpen pitched five stellar innings as Atlanta won just its third one-run decision of the year.

The Good: The Braves rallied to win the type of game they’ve lost so many times in 2008, earning their first victory in a game that they trailed after seven innings. Norton came through with the big blow, his double staying just fair down the first-base line. He also walked twice. Chipper Jones went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, his tops-in-the-majors average up to .409. Everybody will talk about his first-inning three-run homer, No. 399 on his career. But Jones singled leading off the eighth and Mark Teixeira doubled, setting the stage for Norton’s clutch delivery. The bullpen was outstanding: Jeff Bennett, Will Ohman and Rafael Soriano combined for five shutout, lockdown innings with just two hits allowed, one walk and five strikeouts. Bennett was extremely impressive, fanning four in three innings. Soriano FINALLY looked like he felt comfortable on the bump, striking out one and walking nobody in a perfect ninth for his second save of the season (just the ninth by Braves pitchers). Nine pitches, eight strikes as Soriano blew the Fish away at the finish. The Braves again were patient at the plate, drawing eight walks. Ruben Gotay drew one as a pinch hitter in the fourth. AND, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, we have a Mike Hampton sighting (and no, he’s not grabbing any body parts … just yet). Hampton threw 25 pitches during a bullpen session (all fastballs, not at max effort) and felt fine afterward. He even has mentioned the All-Star Break as a target return date. Pardon me if I don’t hold my breath.

The Bad: We all knew Jorge Campillo couldn’t continue to pitch like Cy Young, and Tuesday night he got hit a little bit: six hits, four runs, one walk, three strikeouts in four innings. Take out two missed spots to Dan Uggla that the Florida second basemen hit out of the park, though, and Campillo didn’t pitch too poorly. Jeff Francoeur continues to struggle: 0-for-4 to drop his average to .251. He failed to move Norton to third in the eighth last night, pulling off a pitch and striking out. Speaking of Norton, he made a running catch on Luis Gonzalez’s ball in the sixth, a ball he nearly overran and, to be honest, looked like an elephant on roller skates making the play (I give Norton major love, though, as he laughed as hard as anybody about the catch, leaning over to look at the replay on the gignormous video screen). Corky Miller continues to have a job playing Major League Baseball, which is amazing – the Corkster’s average dropping to .069 after his 0-for-3 (has one team ever had somebody hit .400 and somebody else hit .040 in the same season? Just wondering). The Phillies keep winning, so the Braves remain 3 ½ games out in the NL East. Of course, the Braves can do something about that starting Friday, when the Flying Phils come to town for a three-game set.

View from the Sports Garage: It’d be too easy to jump up and down and scream “it’s about time the Braves won one of these games.” We could moan and groan about how this is the way it should’ve been all season, but no need for that type of negativity here after a win that just might – operative word there: might – get this team going in the right direction on a consistent basis, and in a variety of ways. There was the stellar bullpen work of three guys who totally dominated, especially Bennett and Soriano. Speaking of Soriano, now THAT’s why he got that two-year deal in the offseason. Maybe I was too harsh the other day, but Rafael looked like the type of dude the Braves absolutely have to run out there in the ninth. Fastball was hitting 96, breaking ball was good, dude was hitting his spots. No walks, no pitches to the screen, no looks of “does my elbow hurt?” out there on the bump. We saw a confident, mean-looking Soriano, which is exactly what he is when he’s at his best. The clutch hitting wasn’t there until late, but the Braves were awesome in the bottom of the eighth. How many times has this team needed to start something and come up short? Well, not last night, folks. Jones and Teixeira both hit balls on the outer half of the plate to the opposite field (quick! Somebody DVR those at-bats and leave them at Frenchy’s locker). Norton comes through. Two runs score because the two guys ahead of Norton got on base. One-run deficit becomes one-run lead. Closer slams shut the door. Ballgame. Three games over .500 now for the season and up to a robust (not) 3-16 in one-run games, Atlanta improves to 24-7 at Turner Field as the craziness that is the Braves’ home/road split personality continues.

On deck
Braves vs. Marlins
1:10 p.m. today, Turner Field

The Skinny: Tom Glavine (2-2, 4.56 ERA) rebounded from a rotten outing against Arizona on the previous homestand to pitch well Friday at Cincinnati: five hits and two runs in six innings. He got a no-decision after the Braves blew the game in extra innings, but the good news from that night was Glavine’s location, which was much sharper than it had been against the D’Backs. Glavine’s been on a bit of a roller-coaster his last three outings, so the Braves need a good outing from him. Facing Glavine is lefty Mark Hendrickson (7-2, 5.27 ERA), who stopped the Braves back in mid-April for a victory. Hendrickson allowed 10 runs in his last start, lasting just 3 2/3 innings against the Phillies.

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