Atlanta Braves Sweep the Cardinals, Chop, Box Score, A.J. Pierzynski Does A Football Move in the Outfield
By Jeff Schafer
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The Atlanta Braves took care of business against the St. Louis Cardinals this past weekend as they swept the best team in baseball. Not only did they sweep the Cards, the pitching staff didn’t allow a single run! Braves won 4-0, 6-0, and 2-0 to finish off the 2015 season. Atlanta finished with the third worst record in baseball ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds. Shelby Miller and Matt Wisler both pitched great on Sunday – giving Braves fans something to look forward to in 2016.
| Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | PA | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Bourn LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .235 | .309 | .280 |
| Daniel Castro 2B-3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .250 | .274 | .359 |
| Nick Markakis RF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .296 | .370 | .376 |
| Todd Cunningham RF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .217 | .278 | .265 |
| Adonis Garcia 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .278 | .294 | .503 |
| Jace Peterson 2B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .239 | .314 | .336 |
| Cameron Maybin CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .267 | .327 | .370 |
| Pedro Ciriaco 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .252 | .267 | .345 |
| Andrelton Simmons SS | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .265 | .321 | .338 |
| Ryan Lavarnway C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .176 | .272 | .297 |
| Shelby Miller P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .054 | .117 | .089 |
| Matt Marksberry P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Arodys Vizcaino P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Team Totals | 31 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 32 | .258 | .281 | .581 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby Miller, W (6-17) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3.02 |
| Matt Marksberry | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.01 |
| Arodys Vizcaino | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.60 |
| Team Totals | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Game 2
| Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | PA | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Bourn CF-LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .238 | .310 | .282 |
| Daniel Castro SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .240 | .263 | .344 |
| Hector Olivera 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .253 | .310 | .405 |
| Freddie Freeman 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .276 | .370 | .471 |
| Adonis Garcia LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .277 | .293 | .497 |
| Cameron Maybin CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .267 | .327 | .370 |
| Jace Peterson 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .239 | .314 | .335 |
| Pedro Ciriaco 1B-3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .261 | .275 | .352 |
| Todd Cunningham RF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .221 | .280 | .267 |
| Ryan Lavarnway C | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .191 | .283 | .319 |
| Matt Wisler P | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .138 | .194 | .138 |
| Edwin Jackson P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Team Totals | 31 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 32 | .355 | .355 | .419 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Wisler, W (8-8) | 8.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4.71 |
| Edwin Jackson, S (1) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.07 |
| Team Totals | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 |
Braves’ Simmons and hitting coach Seitzer forge bond
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Andrelton Simmons will continue to be a work-in-progress offensively, but the 26-year-old is probably on his way to winning his third consecutive Gold Glove award. Under Seitzer’s guidance, Simmons had his most consistent season at the plate in 2015 as he finished the season with a .265 batting average.
"When baseball’s best defensive shortstop and the Braves’ new hitting coach first worked together in February, Andrelton Simmons and Kevin Seitzer came away thinking it might be a long and difficult journey.But the coach, Seitzer, quickly came to appreciate Simmons’ steadfast desire to improve.“He’s a very cerebral guy, and very ‘feel’ guy,” Seitzer said, the latter quality referring to hitting approach. “I’ve never worked with a hitter quite like him, in a sense that he wants to be so perfect and wants to do so good and wants to help the team win. He’s probably one of the most unselfish players that I’ve ever been around. He just wants to help the team in any way he can.”"
Braves’ Pierzynski levels tool mascot characters in race
"Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Pierzynksi was a consent bright spot for the 2015 Braves as he continued to make things happen throughout the season. The 18-year veteran catcher had a very successful season after a miserable 2014. The Braves will look to resign the leader this offseason.The 38-year-old Pierzynski did it all: Hit for average, hit for power — and on Sunday, hit some tool-shaped mascots trying to race on the warning track.The tool characters race during every Braves home game.Pierzynski emerged from the center-field wall during the race between the fifth and sixth innings of the second game of a doubleheader. He leveled the paint brush and hammer characters with body blocks."
AJ Pierzynski just leveled Hammerin Hank and B-Rush in center field during the Tool Race. @Phil_the_Bucket ran for safety back to RF
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) October 4, 2015
.@KevinMcAlpin I was actually running to get my brass knuckles
— Phil the Bucket (@Phil_the_Bucket) October 4, 2015