Phillies Slug Braves 5-3

Mental and physical errors yet again plagued the Braves in their 5-3 loss to the Phillies on Tuesday. In the process they saw their division hopes all but vanish but also saw their wild card lead cut to a single game over San Diego. At this point it is probably futile to focus on anything other than the wild card.

The Braves undoing began early in the top of the third inning when Mike Minor missed a bunt sign and quickly hit into a 4-6-3 double play. From my viewing perspective I don’t know how a guy who plays baseball professionally could have fathomed that any manager would have allowed him to swing away in that situation. To compound the mistake, Omar Infante quickly followed with a single that perhaps would have given the Braves the lead.

Following the missed opportunity in the top half of the third, Braves fans had to hope that the missed sign wasn’t still fresh in Minor’s head as he took the mound. Placido Polanco worked a lead off walk, and Chase Utley followed with a single. Ryan Howard then hit a rocket to Right Fielder Jason Heyward that he lost for a brief second but was able to squeeze for the first out of the inning. Jayson Werth then stepped to the plate and launched a belt high Minor pitch deep into the Left Center stands that gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead from which they never looked back from.

The Braves cut the lead to 3-1 in the fifth via an Eric Hinske ground out that scored Alex Gonzalez who had doubled to start the inning. Then again cut the lead to 3-2 with a single run in the sixth as Martin Prado scored on a Derek Lee sacrifice fly. However, the Phillies answered right back in the bottom of the sixth scoring twice on a Raul Ibanez double that made the score 5-2. Rookie First baseman Freddie Freeman hit his first major league homer for the Braves in the seventh to round out the scoring at 5-3.

The most painful thing about this loss was the Braves inability to make a play when they had to. Mental gaffs like a pitcher missing a bunt sign, base running mistakes, or just straight errors have cost the Braves exponentially in this series just like they will in the playoffs. There really isn’t a clear cut answer to it either.

Tommy Hanson goes to the hill tonight in hopes of salvaging one game in this series. He will be opposed by former Astros ace Roy Oswalt. The Braves have probably never needed Hanson as much as they do tonight with what may in fact be the most important game they have played thus far, especially with the wild card now also hanging in the balance.