“It Comes Down To One or Two Pitches” Atlanta Braves Outdueled

Back to back loses to the, cover your kids ears, Fing St. Louis Cardinals!!  We can’t escape the blanket they cover us with.

In the first two games of a four game series with the Cards, the Braves have struggled to find that clutch hit they need.  In the first game on Thursday, the Braves totaled nine hits but could only cross the plate twice…with one run being a solo home run by Justin Upton.  Paul Maholm pitched decent in his return but gave up five runs off five hits to pick up his 10th defeat of the season.  In the second game, the Braves could only muster six hits while touching home plate just once….and that one time was our starting pitcher Kris Medlen!

Aug 23, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder

(7) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off of Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kris Medlen (54) during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Medlen looks to be improving with his command of his pitches and I thought threw well last night.  The offense and Matt Holliday killed Medlen though.

After fouling off three two-strike pitches, Holliday eventually connected for a 432-foot blast.  It was his 17th homer and 20th go-ahead RBI of the year to put the Cards up 2-1.

“Once again, it comes down to one or two pitches,” said Medlen.  “Holliday is too good of a hitter to leave a pitch over the plate like that, especially in a tie game.”

Later in the game, Medlen had runners on the corners with no outs in the 6th but was removed from the game for Scott Downs.  After 78 pitches, Manager Fredi Gonzalez thought that was the end of Medlen’s night.

After the game though, Medlen seemed unhappy with his coaches decision…

“I got taken out with 78 pitches,” Medlen said.  “I was just starting to have to battle.  I didn’t have to battle yet.  But I wasn’t given the opportunity.  I guess I’m voicing the fact that I didn’t appreciate that.  I don’t know what kind of mentality we’re trying to create for our starters.  But I feel like I should be able to work out of some jams.”

Medlen went on to say…

“The manager is there to make decisions, and I felt he made it when he came out to the mound.  I don’t argue anything.  But you’d like to battle out of that and try to get a win.”

Downs only surrendered one run from that 6th inning but it was Medlen’s earned run, giving him three for the night and the lose as the Cards won 3-1.

“I felt like I was cruising pretty good….It was a tough night,” Medlen said.

The Braves are back at it at 7:15pm on Saturday when Shelby Miller takes on Atlanta’s Julio Teheran.  Braves must put these first two games behind them and try to tie the series.