Jun 28 2008
Three games out: Jurrjens, Teixeira lead undermanned Braves past Jays
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
Braves 4, Blue Jays 0
Top of the Order: With only one healthy player on the bench, Atlanta cruised behind super pitching from Jair Jurrjens and a three-RBI night from Mark Teixeira to win the opener of a three-game series north of the border, pulling within three games of first place in the NL East.
The Good: Jurrjens was outstanding, spinning the best start of his brief, yet stellar career. The right-hander set down the first 13 hitters he faced and finished with just three hits allowed in eight innings. Teixeira manned up and led the way for the undermanned Atlanta lineup, blasting a two-run homer in the first and doubling home a run in the third. Gregor Blanco may be turning things around; hitting leadoff, Blanco finished 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI. Seven Braves finished with hits. Mike Gonzalez worked a perfect ninth inning. The best news of all: Philadelphia blowing a 5-1 lead and losing for the eighth time in nine games, moving the Braves to just three games out of first place. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and yes Virginia, the Braves are IN the pennant race.
The Bad: The Braves somehow won even though they had the formidable (not) Corky Miller as the only player available for full-time duty off the bench. Chipper Jones (quadriceps muscle) could pinch hit, but still cannot run well and probably won’t be able to DH during the weekend series as hoped. Yunel Escobar’s shoulder still hurts, and while he could have played defense in a pinch, dude can’t swing the bat. Omar Infante and his hamstring was too sore to even be an option. The only two starters not to get a hit – Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur – combined to leave nine runners on base. Frenchy’s struggles continue: he struck out twice, lowering his average to .244.
View from the Sports Garage: So this absolutely dizzying ride the Braves have put us on since opening day continues to make us scratch our heads. How else to explain a team that was 11-27 on the road winning with just one healthy player (the Corkster, the backup catcher) winning a road game? Actually, Jurrjens and Teixeira were the reasons on this night. First, Jurrjens. Think that missed start at Wrigley Field due to the injured ankle worked out OK? I’d say so: JJJ has not allowed an earned run in 23 2/3 innings since. Dude was absolutely brilliant on this night, facing the minimum through 6 2/3 innings, throwing strikes and displaying absolute impeccable command of all his pitches. Outstanding, and remember, this guy is just a 22-year-old rookie. Sky’s the limit for Jurrjens, who improves to 8-3 and sports a 2.94 ERA. Now, Teixeira has been grilled by the good denizens of Braves Nation – and this observer – for not stepping up and doing his part in the middle of the order. Well, look-e here: Tex has hit five homers in the past five games, and on a night where the Braves for all intents and purposes only had 11 players who could swing a bat, the cleanup hitter cleaned up offensively. At the halfway mark, Tex is on pace for 30 homers and 120 RBIs, and I don’t think any of us would complain about that. If we are seeing one of those Teixeira streaks where he carries the team offensively for a couple of weeks, then it’s reasonable to think the Braves will hit the All-Star break in a place that just two weeks ago seemed a million light years away: First place in the NL East.
On deck
Braves at Blue Jays
1:07 p.m. today, Rogers Centre
The Skinny: Well, I wrote Thursday the Braves needed Jurrjens to set the tone for this series. Check. Next up, time for the one guy in the rotation with more than one year’s major-league experience to pitch like an ace today. Tim Hudson, you’re on the clock, bro. Huddy (8-5, 2.96 ERA) toes the slab after firing seven shutout innings Sunday in a victory over Seattle, Hudson’s first interleague victory as a Brave. And dude has owned the Blue Jays in his career, with 10 victories and a 2.61 ERA. For the Blue Jays, Toronto promoted lefty John Parrish (10-1, 2.74 ERA at Triple-A Syracuse) for the injured Shaun Marcum. Parrish has pitched in the majors before, with Baltimore and Seattle, going 12-12. Time for the Braves to continue building the momentum from Friday night and continue to put more pressure on the collapsing Phillies, especially with Philly coming to Turner Field for what should be three rocking nights next week.
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