Morning Chop: Braves News 5/15
By Jeff Schafer
Pat Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks blank the Atlanta Braves to snap 3-game skid
May 14, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Patrick Corbin (46) pitches during the game against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
"Kirk Gibson didn’t see the need to reach out and have a friendly little chat with Justin Upton on Tuesday.“I saw enough of him on the field (Monday),” the Diamondbacks manager deadpanned.Upton couldn’t have scripted a better homecoming Monday night when, in his first trip back to Chase Field following his January trade to the Atlanta Braves, he went 4 for 5 with a double and a monster home run to center field in a 10-1 Braves’ rout of the Diamondbacks.“Anytime you go out and get four hits — I don’t care who it’s against — it’s a nice night,” Upton said before Tuesday night’s rematch. “It was definitely a fun night.”Tuesday night, however, belonged to left-hander Pat Corbin and the Diamondbacks.Corbin continued his masterful start to the season with seven shutout innings of three-hit ball as Arizona snapped a three-game losing skid with a 2-0 victory over Upton and the Braves before a crowd of 30,150.“Coming off of (Monday), I wanted to come in and get a good feeling in this clubhouse again and go out there and attack these guys and go after them,” Corbin said. “They’re a pretty good hitting team — they showed it (Monday) — and I just wanted to try and go out there and shut them down.”"
Patrick Corbin pitches Diamondbacks to 2-0 win over Atlanta Braves
"Patrick Corbin allowed three hits in seven innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks turned an infield double into two runs to beat the Atlanta Braves 2-0 Tuesday night.Corbin (6-0) worked around five walks by inducing three double plays and struck out five to win his career-high sixth straight game. He is the first Diamondbacks pitcher to start 6-0 since Brandon Webb won nine straight in 2008.Corbin also helped keep Braves slugger Justin Upton in check after his impressive performance the night before and Heath Bell worked around an error in the ninth for his fifth save in the combined four-hitter."
Atlanta Braves – PlayerWatch
"LHP Jonny Venters” href=”http://www.wdbj7.com/topic/sports/baseball/jonny-venters-PESPT000010480.topic”>Jonny Venters (left elbow sprain) may be headed to another Tommy John surgery after feeling continued soreness in his elbow while throwing off the mound. He will see Dr. James Andrews on May 16. Venters received a platelet-rich plasma injection from Dr. Andrews on April 2 in the hope of being able to avoid a repeat of the Tommy John procedure he underwent in 2006."
Analyzing the Perfect Platoon for Atlanta Braves
"Just when it looked like Chris Johnson had earned the majority of playing time at third base for the Atlanta Braves, he went 0-for-17 with eight strikeouts to begin May.Manager Fredi Gonzalez chose to return to the platoon at third base in San Francisco, letting the pitching matchup dictate who starts at the hot corner. That meant Juan Francisco receiving three starts to Johnson’s one. The straight platoon situation may not be ideal, but it may just work perfectly for this Braves team.The right-handed hitting Johnson has torched left-handed pitching so far this 2013 MLB season. He is hitting .405 with all three of his home runs and eight of his 12 RBIs coming off southpaws. His on-base percentage, slugging and OPS are all much higher against left-handers than right-handers.I doubt most managers hope for a straight platoon entering a season, but for the Braves, it looks like the best option."