Sep 18 2008
0-8 ain’t great: Braves lose again to Phils at home
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
Phillies 6, Braves 1
Top of the Order: A miserable first inning doomed Jair Jurrjens and the Braves, Atlanta dropping to 0-8 this season against the NL-East leaders at Turner Field.
The Good: Well, when Greg Norton has been one of your better performers in the second half of the season, that says a lot, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t bash on Norton, who definitely should be brought back as a pinch-hitter next season. Norton hit a pinch-hit single in the ninth, scoring Jeff Francoeur with Atlanta’s lone run. Frenchy went 2-for-4 on the night. Casey Kotchman is finding his stroke, going 2-for-4 with a double. Chipper Jones went 1-for-3 with a walk, his major-league leading average staying at .365. Albert Pujols went 0-for-3 in the Cards’ loss to the Reds, dropping his average to .354. Kelly Johnson extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single. The Braves did turn three double plays, including Hoss making the turn at second on a ball hit by Ryan Howard … didn’t know the former shortstop could still get in the air like that.
The Bad: Jurrjens looked like he’d found his second wind during his past two starts, but he was brutally off in the first inning, a 43-pitch frame that ended with the Phillies putting four runs on the board and Jurrjens issuing three of his five walks. In five innings, JJJ walked five, struck out two, and allowed the four runs on five hits. Vladimir Nunez and Blaine Boyer each gave up a run in relief work. Johnson appeared to lose all sense of where he was and what he’s supposed to do on what should’ve been an inning-ending double play in the eighth. Instead, he only got the out at first and a run scored.
View from the Sports Garage: So the Phillies remain in first place and sit one game away from a season sweep of Atlanta at Turner Field. Yikes! Jurrjens has put together one of the better rookie seasons by a pitcher in franchise history, but he never gave his team a chance in this one. I don’t care if you’re facing J.A. Happ, who was plenty good for what it’s worth. You can’t fall four runs behind Philly and expect to come back. The Braves finished with just seven hits and never looked comfortable at the plate against Happ or the three Philly relievers who came on and finished out the Phils’ eighth victory in eight tries at 755 Hank Aaron Blvd. this season. Sad, sad. Ten games to go until this sorry season is over. Bravos gotta go 6-4 to avoid 90 losses. With four more with Philly, three with the Mets and three with Houston, winning six of the final 10 might be a tall order.
On deck
Braves vs. Phillies
7:10 p.m. today, Turner Field
The Skinny: OK, I’m looking forward to tonight’s game. Not because Jo-Jo Reyes (3-11, 5.50 ERA) is toeing the slab for the Braves. It’s because I’m going to the yard for the first time in several weeks. It’s been busy around here, and I haven’t had the chance to get to the ballpark (plan on going Saturday, too; hey, the season’s almost over, so gotta get my baseball on while I can). Anyway, here’s hoping Jo-Jo can figure it out and actually act like he has a clue out there. So frustrating to watch a guy who has the stuff – who’s demonstrated he can pitch up here – go out there and act like he doesn’t know what in the heck he’s doing. For the Phillies, Cole Hamels (13-9, 3.11 ERA) comes in having won four of his past six starts with a 2.21 ERA in that span. And as we all know, dude usually is pretty tough on the Bravos. At least I’ll see one hurler who knows what to do when he climbs the bump. And, it’s $1 hot-dog night. Clear me a path to the concession stand!
—30—
It’s typical of this team to get hot very briefly (against the Mets), and then suck so tremendously a few days later (against the Phillies or Cubs). It’s good to see that Chipper has a sizable lead over Pujols, I really hope he can get the batting title.
Have a good time at the game tonight, at least you can look forward to those $1 hot dogs over this team.
Bud, I will just be glad when it is all over.
hey guys! live from turner field, down the line and behind the left field foul pole. sparce crowd on hand for the series finale. let’s see if this will post and if so, i’ll try to drop in during the game.
-30-
Well, it could’ve been worse. Howard nearly made it up to us in the left field bleachers, but Prado, starting in left for the second night in a row, hauled it in. Still, 1-0 Phils going to bottom of the first.
Oops, meant to say 2-0 Phils. Braves got one back in the home half of the first. Chipper walked and scored on McCann’s double to right center with two outs.
Infante in again for Escobar at short.
Man, Ruiz just wears put the Braves. There’s a double down the line in right.
Oh, three dogs for me on $1 hot dog night. man, nothing beats a cheap hpt dog at the ballpark.
-30-
Casey Kotchman’a first homer as a Brave tied the score at 2-2 in the second. In the fourth now and Hampton has settled down aftet his early troubles. Hamels is pitching well for the Phils.
May not be posting much longer. my two little ones and their cousin are getting tired.
Few more folks here now than at first pitch.
Good snag by Infante on Burrell’s ball.
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It’s good that it sounds like you’re having fun.
Do you know if on that sac-fly in the first inning Infante was in cutoff position for Prado who didn’t throw it in?
Ah, back home after (sigh) another one-run loss. Nine more games, and this season is over. Thankfully.
Ben, yeah, it was fun. Work and family has kept me busy and away from the yard for several weeks, but it was good to be back in there tonight. All had a good time, even if the kiddies got tired kinda early. I’ll be there tomorrow night, too — good for me; I get to see Jo-Jo — about 35 rows off the field just off the third-base dugout.
I may have to heckle me a Met or three …
On the Howard sac fly, if memory serves, yes Infante came out to set up for a relay. But Howard just missed that ball and I think it took Prado too far deep to even try. But yes, I believe Omar did come out to cutoff position.
Time to write the latest chapter of this sad, sad story. Oh, and for those wondering about what will happen in this space when this season mercifully ends, I’m going to continue torturing myself by dissecting what went wrong with the Braves in 2008, then snapshot looks at each player’s season and what the future holds (and whether or not they’ll be here), a look at ex-Braves in the playoffs, a review of the minor league seasons, Arizona Fall League, GM Meetings, Winter Meetings, a look at the schedule (which came out yesterday; sorry I neglected to post it; will try to do so tomorrow if anybody hasn’t seen it), and some general commentary on the Braves and baseball in general.
In other words, Braves.Today.Com will be open for business on a daily basis every day this offseason. So stop by and have your say, and tell your friends who may be looking for their Braves’ fix during the winter months. Also, we’re cranking bigtime now on Thrashers.Today.Com for those of you who enjoy a little Yankee flatball (where did that phrase come from? Gotta Google that someday).
That’s enough for one evening. Will try to do some in-game blogging tomorrow night from Turner Field.
Nite, folks.
–30–
Thanks, I was having an argument over that one because I felt that Prado still should’ve put some effort into getting the ball in, regardless of how hard it was hit.