Defense Costs Braves Game; Lead Cut to One

The Braves followed the same blueprint from the previous night by hitting two solo home runs and getting a strong effort on the mound. However, the result wasn’t the same as defense cost them the lead in the ninth and more bad bullpen management cost them the game in extra innings.

For the second straight night, the Giants jumped to a lead in the first inning when Andres Torres led off with a single, stole two bases, and scored on a groundout. Both teams exchanged doubles in the second but neither scored. An excellent pitching duel ensued for the next several innings until the Braves broke open with the long ball again. Alex Gonzalez homered in the fifth and Chipper Jones homered in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.

The lead remained the same until the ninth, when Billy Wagner began the inning with a hit batter. Gonzalez muffed a grounder to put two on. After Juan Uribe flew out and moved the leading runner to third, Jones muffed a grounder in an attempt to throw home, scoring the tying run. Wagner then induced a double play to end the inning.

The Braves were dead on offense so it was a matter of when they would mess up a bullpen decision, and it came in the 11th. Moylan was left in for a second inning and promptly walked the first two. Uribe grounded into a fielder’s choice to move the leading runner to third. After going 2-0 on Pablo Sandoval, Moylan was given the order to intentionally walk him to get to Pat Burrell, who hit a sac fly that brought home the eventual winning run.

First of all, Tommy Hanson will be forgotten when this game is talked about, but he was dominating for seven innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking two and striking out three. After Burrell doubled in the second, Hanson didn’t give up another hit until Burrell singled with two outs in the seventh. Hanson allowed five baserunners and four times it was Burrell (you’ll hear this again in a second). He was outstanding again for the Braves and excites me more with each start now.

Jonny Venters pitched again and pitched a scoreless eighth, recording his 16th hold. Obviously Wagner’s run was unearned in the ninth. His only mistake in the entire inning was the leadoff hit by pitch, but he induced three ground balls in the inning. You can’t ask for much more than that. Moylan was ineffective, yet was allowed to pitch a second inning. Control did him in in his second inning, but the decision to walk Sandoval to get to Burrell was not his fault. Burrell reached base four times off Hanson so naturally you walk the lost hitter who had barely touched the ball all night with the game on the line to get to him, right? (Told you I’d get back to it).

Jones went 3-5 with a double and homer, and has a homer in three of his past five games. Gonzalez hit a homer for a second straight game. Otherwise the offense was dead. The decision to put Matt Diaz fourth backfired as he went 0-5, though I did like that decision. Rest didn’t help Troy Glaus at all as he went 0-4 with two strikeouts and at times looked like he could barely walk. Rick Ankiel struck out three times. Barry Zito made two mistakes on the home runs but otherwise pitched a great game, striking out ten in seven innings and giving up just four hits and two walks. The Braves reached base eight times in the game and struck out 15 times.

The Phillies beat the Mets in their series opener to cut the lead to one game. The Braves look to turn the series in their favor Saturday night as Tim Hudson takes the mound against Matt Cain.