Jul 02 2008
Lifeless Braves run over by Phils, fall five games out in East
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
Phillies 8, Braves 3
Top of the Order: Opening a three-game homestand against the NL East-leading Phillies, the Braves fell flat on their face and only briefly showed any signs of life in dropping four games under .500 and five games out of first place.
The Good: At least the lineup featured some familiar faces, after injuries depleted the list of players available to play last weekend in Toronto. Chipper Jones and his major-league leading average didn’t go on the disabled list, as was expected; Hoss instead started, going 1-for-3 with a double, his average falling to .393. Mark Kotsay returned from the disabled list, going 0-for-4 (Brandon Jones was sent down to Richmond). Gregor Blanco keeps raking, folks, going 2-for-4. That’s 12 hits in Blanco’s last 21 at-bats, boosting the rookie’s average to .274, and he also stole his seventh base. Greg Norton gave the Braves their only real offensive spark, lining a pinch-hit double into the right-center field gap in the seventh to score two runs. Buddy Carlyle pitched three sparkling innings, giving up just one hit and striking out five. Man, he looked good! Manny Acosta didn’t allow a run in two innings, although his second inning was a bit dicey. Will Ohman struck out two of the toughest lefties in the game – Chase Utley and Ryan Howard – to end the eighth and (momentarily) keep it a two-run game.
The Bad: The Braves played from behind most of the night after rookie Charlie Morton endured an ugly start. The lanky right-hander gave up six consecutive hits to start the third, allowed the first two homers he’s coughed up all year (Richmond and Atlanta combined) and left without retiring a hitter in the third: two-plus innings, eight hits, five runs. Tough night for the kid, who left pitches up and never could get it going. But yet again, the Atlanta offense deserves a lot of blame for this one. Four times in the first six innings, the Braves put a runner on third. Four times in the first six innings, that runner stood there as the inning ended. With runners in scoring position in the seventh, Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann combined to bring home just one, that coming on a Tex groundout. The Braves finished with nine left on base. That’s not getting it done, fellas. Blaine Boyer ended a string of four good appearances with an awful ninth: 2/3 innings, three hits, three runs, two walks.
View from the Sports Garage: Perhaps I should’ve known what to expect when – en route to Turner Field – it took the bride and I more than 30 FREAKING MINUTES to navigate through the drive-thru at Church’s Chicken on Cleveland Avenue (seriously, the worst experience I’ve ever had in a drive-thru). Maybe Morton was lost in that line somewhere, too, because he looked lost on the mound, resembling nothing like the kid who impressed in his first three major-league starts. Just one of those nights where he couldn’t spot the fastball, couldn’t keep the curve from hanging, couldn’t work with his change-up. It happens, but it was a pretty crummy time for it to happen to the Braves. Oh, if you think the Phillies own this team, you’re pretty much right: That’s six out of seven the Braves have lost to Philly this season, including all four at Turner Field. That’s not exactly the way to climb back into the race, guys. As bad as Morton was – and he wasn’t good at all – the Braves still had their chances early and often. And yet, as it always seems to be with this bunch, they just can’t cash in. Guys get to third and stay there. The crowd was as lifeless as the team, for the most part. (I will say this: an 80-degree first pitch with no humidity on the opening day of July absolutely rules, though. What? Did we move to San Diego or something?) Sitting in Section 410, we shook our heads in frustration as the Braves plodded along, listened to the annoying sound effects that the powers-that-be at Turner Field think we need to hear after every pitch, watched in horror as the scoreboard operator had the number of outs wrong in the bottom of the seventh, and laughed out loud as a voting contest on greatest Braves’ third baseman listed Chipper as the “1991 NL MVP.” They also had that listed under Terry Pendleton, who by the way, really was the 1991 NL MVP. Of course, perhaps Pendleton doesn’t deserve a whole lot of praise right now. He is, as you know, the Braves’ hitting coach. Perhaps you’ve noticed this team doesn’t hit so well. Apparently, the entire crew at Turner Field – from stadium operations to the inconsistent team taking the field there – needs to tighten things up … quickly.
On deck
Braves vs. Phillies
7:05 p.m. today, Turner Field
The Skinny: Jorge Campillo (3-2, 2.54 ERA) toes the slab for the Bravos tonight, and boy, Atlanta needs another Campillo-esque effort. I mean, something like the right-hander’s last outing: seven superb innings against Milwaukee, in which Campillo gave up two runs on four hits. He’s been one of those unsung heroes of the Braves’ rotation, doing his part to keep this middling team and its inconsistent offense in the race. Adam Eaton (2-6, 4.86 ERA) climbs the bump for the Phillies. Eaton has been hurt by lack of run support, giving up three runs or less 12 times this season but has just two victories. Speaking of victories, the Braves need one tonight to avoid falling a season-worst five games under .500, and six games out of first.
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