Outfield Collision Leads to Another Braves Loss

Source: Yardbarker.com

Braves starter Kenshin Kawakami once again deserved a better fate. The Braves right hander pitched six shutout innings while allowing only four hits and striking out eight. As has been the case for many of Kawamkami’s starts, the Braves offense wasn’t able to put up any runs for him. The Braves have scored two or fewer runs in 9 of his 12 starts on the season. Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy was just as masterful throwing seven shut out innings while only allowing three hits.

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Once again the Braves were able to break through against the Diamondbacks’ bullpen. Aaron Heilman surrendered doubles to Jason Heyward and Brian McCann that temporarily gave the Braves a 1-0 advantage. That was until the bottom half of the inning. Braves reliever Peter Moylan hit Mark Reynolds with a pitch and he was advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt by Chris Young. Then Gerardo Parra stepped to the plate and promptly sent a fly ball in into the right center field gap. Center Fielder Nate McLouth and Right Fielder Jason Heyward collided just as the ball hit off of McLouth’s glove. McLouth flipped over Heyward and lay motionless for a few minutes. Heyward eventually got up and ran down the ball to throw it back to the infield.

By the time it was over, Parra had an inside the park home run, McLouth was leaving the game, and the Braves had lost the lead. Chad Qualls closed the Braves out in in the ninth to earn his 12th save of the season. The inside the park home run snapped Peter Moylan‘s streak of consecutive innings without allowing a home run at 102 and a third innings. He had not allowed one since opening day of the 2008 season. Bobby Cox stated after the game that McLouth would probably be held out of the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Heyward stayed in the game but his status is also something worth keeping an eye on.

The loss dropped the Braves lead in the NL East to a game an a half over the Phillies and made them 3-4 on their current eleven game road trip. They will try and get back even on Thursday afternoon with Tommy Hanson on the mound. He will be opposed by newly acquired Dontrelle Willis.