The Atlanta Braves took on the Minnesota Twins in their second interleague game of the series on a all in all weird game on Tuesday night.  The Braves got the game going in the bottom of the 1st inning when Jason Heyward singled followed by a double by Freddie Freeman, scoring Heyward.  Then Brian McCann drove Freeman in with a single, making the game 2-0 with Tim Hudson on the mound.

May 21, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Evan Gattis (24) hits a game tying home run against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning at Turner Field. The Braves defeated the Twins 5-4 in ten innings. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Hudson gave up a hit to Justin Morneau in the top of the second that led to an RBI single by Pedro Florimon.  In the top of the third inning, Hudson would face Morneau again with two runners on base and Morneau capitalized.  Tying the game 2-2, Morneau singled in Joe Mauer.

But during the third inning, a strange storm cell popped out of nowhere (the weathermen didn’t call for rain…what’s new, they got it wrong).  The umpires wasted no time calling for the ground crew to put the tarp on the field, but they struggled to get the tarp over the infield because of blinding rain and whipping winds.  Then as the storm was beginning to let up, a power surge knocked out the lights and video board.  The board came back on in a matter of seconds, but the lights took much longer to fire back up.

After over an hour break, everything started to settle back in and the fans made their way back to their seats, Hudson came back in to go 5 innings giving up two runs off five hits and had five strikeouts.

McCann blasted a homerun in the bottom of the 4th inning (he went 3-4 and has raised his batting average to .282).

We went scoreless until the top of the 8th inning when Braves pitcher Luis Avilan gave up two runs.  This put the Twins up 4-3 and by the look of him, a very angry Fredi Gonzalez.

But then the magic happened for the Braves.  In the bottom of the 9th inning, with two outs and facing the Twins closers Glen Perkins who was 8-8 in save chances in 2013, Evan Gattis walks to the plate as a pinch hitter.  After the game Freddie Freeman said “When I saw him going up there to hit, I had a feeling we were going to be playing a little longer.”

Freeman was correct, in the bottom of the 9th inning, Gattis blasts a 0-1 pitch over the left field wall for his third pinch hit home run of the season!  Later Gattis explained his at bat ”I was trying to hit the ball hard, I don’t try to hit home runs. It just happened.”

After Gattis tied the game in the bottom of the 9th inning, Freeman singled in Heyward in the 10th to win the game for the Braves!  Freeman went on to say “It wasn’t the prettiest swing, but it got the job done.”

The Braves have won the first of two games in this series and look to go for back to back series sweeps on Wednesday.  The game starts at 12:10PM ET at Tuner Field.

Fox Sports

Braves in market for lefty reliever

March 26, 2013; Lakeland, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jordan Walden (52) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves enjoyed a significant advantage in recent seasons, deploying not one but two premier left-handed relievers. Now Jonny Venters has undergone Tommy John surgery and Eric O’Flaherty is likely to follow.

Huge blows, for sure. But not necessarily crushing.

General manager Frank Wren said Saturday that the trade market has yet to develop, but rest assured, the Braves will actively search for another left-handed specialist. Mike Dunn, whom the Braves sent to Miami in the Dan Uggla trade in November 2010, would be ideal.

For now, the Braves still have one quality lefty, Luis Avilan, who has pitched 6-2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. Right-hander Jordan Walden, currently out with right shoulder inflammation, throws a “split change” that neutralizes left-handed hitters. Righty Cory Rasmus, the younger brother of Colby, was recently called up after displaying a good changeup and putting up terrific numbers at Triple-A.

Global Post

Atlanta Braves – PlayerWatch

RHP Brandon Beachy, coming back from Tommy John surgery, had his scheduled rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett rained out Sunday and threw a limited simulated game indoors instead. He was slated to pitch three innings after working two innings during an extended spring training game in Florida last Tuesday. Beachy had surgery last June 21 and hopes to return to the Braves during the second part of June. He is slated to pitch four innings for Gwinnett on Friday against Toledo.

Braves 101

Atlanta Braves Bullpen Still Strong with Loss of Eric O’Flaherty

The Atlanta Braves bullpen is riddled with injuries, but if they keep up their current pace, there is nothing to worry about.

Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty are gone for the year with Tommy John surgery. Luis Ayala has been on the disabled list since late April with anxiety disorder. Cristhian Martinez was moved to the DL with shoulder problems to make room for Ayala on the roster. Jordan Walden” href=”http://www.sportsmedia101.com/atlantabraves/tag/jordan-walden/” rel=”tag nofollow”>Jordan Walden, though he should be back soon, has his own shoulder issues.

But still, the Atlanta bullpen leads Major Leagues with a 2.65 ERA, 16 points lower than the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Access Atlanta

Dish Network customers may lose 47 Braves games on Fox Sports South and SportsSouth

Dish Network has declined to pay Fox Sports regional networks for 47 Atlanta Braves games this year so metro Atlanta Dish customers will lose access to games starting this Friday against the Detroit Tigers – unless circumstances change.

FSS added 45 Braves games in February from Peachtree TV and is now the exclusive local provider of 150 Braves games. (Other games are set aside for ESPN, Fox national, TBS and MLB Network.) The games air on either Fox Sports South or SportsSouth.

Dish customers will still be able to view the other 80 or so games remaining in the season, according to FSS.

May 18, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Joe Mauer (7) hits a single in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves (25-18) finished the weekend with a great deal of momentum, completing a sweep of the LA Dodgers that featured the Braves overcoming late deficits in all three games, including a rain-drenched Sunday afternoon game that went well into the evening due to two rain delays.  The Braves were in desperate need of momentum, having lost 5 of 6 games before the weekend, but if the way they played against LA is any indication, they appear to have momentum to spare.  They’ll need it as the Minnesota Twins (18-22) come to Turner Field for a three game series beginning tonight, most likely hungry from their recent struggles, and anxious to turn things around.

Minnesota has indeed struggled lately, losing their last five games, and are currently in last place in the AL Central, six games out of first.  In fact, the Twins have been outscored more than 2-to-1 in their recent slide, and even the hot Joe Mauer had his 15 game hitting streak snapped in the Twins 5-1 loss to Boston on Sunday.  When asked about their lackluster performance on Sunday, outfield Chris Parmelee said,

We didn’t really come up with key hits when we needed to or when we wanted to.  It’s tough to win a ballgame when you don’t have any clutch hits.

With the ups-and-downs Atlanta has had, the Braves can certainly sympathize with the absence of clutch hits this season. Still atop the NL East though, and now by 2.5 games, the Braves are now showing great signs of an offensive turnaround, particularly in their series with LA where they practically defined clutch!  Despite the recent loss of Jonny Venters to a 2nd TJ surgery, and the more recent loss of Eric O’Flaherty to the same fate, the Braves are playing well and poised to go on a run like they experienced in April.

Trying to keep that run going for the Atlanta Braves will be Julio Teheran (2-1, 4.57 ERA) in game 1 of the series against the Twins.  Julio had a rough start to the season, but has begun to turn things around and pitch well.   In his last four starts for Atlanta, Julio has gone for a 2.84 ERA, and although he has never faced the Twins before, his command and control issues early in the season are beginning to improve.  When asked about the young pitcher, catcher Gerald Laird commented that,

He’s making adjustments in the middle of the game and he’s making changes when he needs to. That’s a good sign.

Taking the mound for the Twins in game 1 of the series will be Kevin Correia (4-3, 3.35 ERA).  Kevin has had a rough stretch lately himself, but has still been the Twins most consistent pitcher.  After beginning the season strong, he has put up a dismal 5.71 ERA in his last three outings, and hopes to turn that around pitching in a stadium he is familiar with.  Correia spent his first decade as a pro in the National League, and posted a 2.66 ERA in five games played at Turner Field.

Of Note:  The Twins have never been to Turner Field as a team.  You may recall the sweet taste of victory the Braves enjoyed in game 5 of the 1991 World Series, when they beat the Twins 14-5 in Atlanta’s old, but memorable Fulton County Stadium.  Unfortunately, the Braves went on to lose games 6 and 7 to lose the series, but Braves fans everywhere remember fondly that game 5.  The Braves will hope to have that same game 5  flavor in this week’s series at Turner Field as well.

Game 1 – Monday, 7:10 PM EST
MIN:  Correia (4-3, 3.35 ERA)
ATL:  Teheran (2-1, 4.57 ERA)

Game 2 – Tuesday, 7:10 PM EST
MIN:   Pelfrey (3-4, 6.57 ERA)
ATL:   Hudson (4-3, 5.12 ERA)

Game 3 – Wednesday, 12:10 PM EST
MIN:   Worley (1-4, 6.20 ERA)
ATL:   Maholm (5-4, 3.83 ERA)