Apr 15 2009
Shoddy defense, Fish sticks send Braves to second loss
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
Marlins 5, Braves 1
Top of the Order: Javier Vazquez struck out 12 in six innings, but the Braves couldn’t back it up offensively or defensively in losing for just the second time this season.
The Good: Vazquez surrendered three runs in the top of the third, but otherwise was solid. His 12 strikeouts are the most since John Smoltz fanned 12 in August 2007. Vazquez allowed five hits in six innings with one walk. Peter Moylan posted his second consecutive solid outing, striking out one in a perfect seventh. Eric O’Flaherty stranded two inherited runners, getting an inning-ending double play in the eighth. Blaine Boyer pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit but striking out one. Kelly Johnson hit his third homer of the year, a solo shot in the fourth. Jeff Francoeur threw out a runner at home plate.
The Bad: Hadn’t had a lot to say here the first six games, but there’s plenty to mention on this night. The Braves’ defense was shoddy, and that’s putting it mildly. Garret Anderson dropped not one, but two foul balls down the left-field line. Vazquez uncorked a wild pitch, allowing a run to score. Yunel Escobar couldn’t hold onto a throw from Brian McCann on a stolen base attempt. Offensively, give Florida starter Chris Volstad credit for stuffing the Braves on three hits over seven innings. The Braves had two runners on with one out in the sixth but couldn’t get the big hit from Chipper Jones or McCann. Jones, by the way, looked to really be bothered by that bruised right hand in his final at-bat in the ninth. Jeff Bennett looked brutal in his 1/3 inning: four hits, two runs (only one was earned). Off the field, Tom Glavine will rest for two weeks with inflammation of the rotator cuff. It’s looking more and more to me like the only active 300-game winner in the game may not be active much longer. It’ll be Jo-Jo Reyes on Saturday in Pittsburgh (not saying that’s bad, unless we get the Reyes we saw after mid-June last year).
View from the Sports Garage: So we all knew the Braves weren’t going to go 161-1. We all knew at some point, they would lose a game at home. Still, you’d like to do it while playing your level best. The offensive shutdown? I can live with that. It happens. Volstad really impressed me with the way he worked both sides of the plate, the way he had good command, his mound presence. They’ve got some darn fine young pitching in Florida. But the Atlanta defense? Nope, not too thrilled about what I saw Tuesday night. Dan Uggla’s base hit that scored two runs for the Fish in the top of the third just barely got under Escobar’s glove at short. I thought he could’ve made the play, but it was hit hard. The wild pitch hurt Vazquez, who otherwise looked good – lotta movement on his pitches. Anderson? What the heck? Not an impressive return to the lineup at all. Guess we should’ve known how this night was going when McCann dropped down a bunt in the second, beat the throw to first … and was called out.
On deck
Braves vs. Marlins
7 p.m. today, Turner Field
The Skinny: Derek Lowe makes his second start before the home folks, and this time he’ll hope to pitch beyond the fourth inning. His first Turner Field outing cut short by a two-hour rain delay Friday, Lowe (1-0, 0.82 ERA) climbs the bump having been everything the Braves could’ve hoped from a No. 1 starter so far in 2009. The right-hander has allowed just six hits and one run in 11 innings, walking two and striking out 10. For the Marlins, lefty Andrew Miller (0-0, 3.86 ERA) makes his first start after logging 2 1/3 innings of relief work in two games so far. In his last outing, Miller gave up four hits and one run in two innings Saturday against the Mets. If you’re going to the game, be mindful there is a tax protest at the state capitol … stop by and protest for me, will ya? I’ve got to go write some checks to the government now.
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