Braves Can’t Finish Off Four Game Sweep, Lose To Astros

Hello again everyone. I’m coming to you today from the desert confines of Lost Wages, Nevada. I’m out here again for yet another trade show for my real job. Speaking of real jobs, the Braves looked like they should be looking for real jobs after tonight’s loss. As good as they’ve looked in their recent winning streak, they looked that bad tonight. Remember the formula of strong starting pitching, shut down relief, and enough timely home runs to win? What happens if you get none of them? You get tonight’s game.

Where to start? Derek Lowe gave up three runs on his own in five and a third innings, plus two more with the able help of Scott Linebrink. Linebrink wasn’t happy tonight with just giving up all the runners he inherited, he also tried to give up runs to all the batters he faced. He couldn’t do that, but he did give up a couple more in his two thirds of an inning. George Sherrill came on in mop-up duty, giving up a run and three hits in one inning, followed by Scott Proctor. Houston finished with 14 hits and 8 runs, with Hunter Pence‘s homer and 4 RBI’s represeented the biggest chunk of the damage.

On the offensive side, it was a tale of lost opportunities. There were men on base all over the place, as the normally precise Wandy Rodriguez walked three men and hit another in six innings work. But double plays and lack of hits, not to mention the absence of home runs, either erased all the runners or left them stranded. When the offensive highlight before Jordan Schafer‘s too-little, too-late, three run homer in the ninth spoiled the shutout, is two walks and a single by Chipper Jones, that says a lot. The Braves six hits just didn’t get it done, though it was nice to see a homer and a double by Schafer.

We’ll chalk this one up to me jumping the gun on calling the sweep after three games; may as well blame it on something :). The Braves head back home after a successful road trip. Hopefully the team can keep up their momentum against the Mets!