Braves Win In 10; Key Injuries Mount

Hello again everyone from Sin City. After standing on your feet all day at a trade show, I wonder how anyone even has the energy to sin. But I digress!

On the baseball front, the Braves stole a win from the Mets. Of course, this was only after the Braves first tried to give the game to the Mets. In the end the line score looked more like a game from the Braves of the early 70’s, with the Braves winning with 9 runs on 14 hits while allowing the Mets to score 8 runs on 11 hits. And the game was finally decided on a play involving neither hit, nor walk, nor error.

After jumping out in front of the Mets 6-2 on the strength of five Chipper Jones RBI’s, three of them via his 7th home run of the season, Scott Proctor replaced Mike Minor in the fifth inning after Minor allowed the third run of the game to score. Inheriting two runners, Proctor promptly squandered his inheritance by way of a three run homer to Scott Hairston; game tied. Uncharacteristically, Jonny Venters, throwing two innings in his first work since Sunday, allowed a run to score in both innings. The run in the seventh scored on a wild pitch/strikeout, and the run in the eighth was unearned, scoring on a throwing error by Dan Uggla, who was attempting to complete the back end of a double play but missed even the giant target of Freddie Freeman.

All appeared lost when we found out that Chipper could not come out for the ninth inning, having strained his right adductor (groin) muscle apparently when going from first to third in the seventh inning. Craig Kimbrel then pitched a dominating top half of the ninth. Then, hitting in Chipper’s spot, Brooks Conrad donned his Superman cape and hit a game tying two run homer.

Scott Linebrink pitched a scoreless top half of the tenth. Things looked promising starting out the Braves’ half of the tenth, as Eric Hinske reached on a walk to start the inning. Alex Gonzalez then followed with the legally-required bunt attempt. After fouling off two bunt attempts, he then grounded into a double play. Looking like we were heading to the 11th, Diory Hernandez hit a double to right field to keep the Braves’ hopes alive. Jordan Schafer then hit a slow dribbler towards second that he beat out when Lucas Duda had trouble coming up with the ball. Friendly home town scoring called that Schafer’s fifth hit of the night, a new career high for him, sending his batting average up to .256 from the .190’s a couple of weeks ago. With runners on first and third, the Mets pitcher D.J. Carrasco balked in the winning run from third to the delight of Jason Heyward, who was hitting. Another boring Braves extra-inning win! (sarcasm font 🙂 ).

While the win was welcome news, the news was not so good on the injury front. In addition to Chipper’s groin, which could mean another DL stint, word came down that Tommy Hanson was scratched from his start tomorrow due to shoulder tendinitis. While no further details were available and Hanson was cheering the team on from the bench, in the best case scenario this could be something that hinders Hanson all season. Worst case is yet another DL instance. AA Mississippi right-hander Randall Delgado will make his first Major League start in his place. Delgado is a choice of convenience, as he was scheduled to start tonight for the AA Braves but was told he was coming to the big team instead just before he went out to warm up. Delgado is a top prospect, easily in the top 5 in the Braves system. He’s gone 4-4 thus far this season, with an ERA of 3.54 over 73 2/3 innings. He’s fanned 64 batters.

Stay tuned for further details, and it’s always a good idea to donate to the Red Cross.