McCarroll21
04-05-2007, 07:44 AM
Another Late Inning Win For The Braves
By: Josh McCarroll (http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/member.php?u=1) | Braves-Nation.com
Ho, hum. Just another day in Philadelphia.
A game dominated by pitching will be forgotten by the late inning heroics of two of the younger Braves batters.
Tim Hudson and Cole Hamels went at each other pitch for pitch for seven innings, after Hudson departed the game for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning. Hudson left the game trailing 1-0 on a home run from Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz, which proved to be the only run scored off either starter.
Despite four walks, Hudson managed to pitch seven innings and give up the lone run. He surrendered only two hits and struck out five Phillies.
Hamels was equally as good, possibly better. Though he found himself in more trouble than Hudson did throughout the game, Hamels used his ability to strike out batters to escape without allowing a run. He left the game with the lead and eight strikeouts, he allowed four hits and walked only one.
Down 1-0 in the eighth inning, Mike Gonzalez was called on to pitch for the Braves. Gonzalez struggled with his control again, allowing two batters to reach via walk, along with two hits. Gonzalez was helped out of the jam by bad baserunning on the part of the Phillies. First, with a run already in, Ryan Howard at the plate and only one out, Shane Victorino was thrown out trying to steal third base. Howard then followed the play with a walk.
Following Howard’s walk, Chase Utley lined a pitch off the right field wall for a double. Jeff Francoeur retrieved the ball off the wall, threw to cut off man Kelly Johnson, who threw a perfect strike home to catcher Brian McCann to cut down Howard trying to score, and end the inning.
After the Braves failed to score in their half of the eighth inning, the two teams entered the ninth frame with the Phillies holding on to a 2-0 lead with their closer on to pitch.
Francoeur lead off the inning with a double into the left center field gap, giving him three hits in four attempts against Tom Gordon in his career, all for extra bases.
With Francoeur on second base, McCann swung at the first pitch, hitting a line drive rocket over the right field wall for a two-run homerun and a tie game.
Both teams squandered opportunities to score in the tenth inning before heading to the eleventh where another young Brave took center stage.
After McCann lined out to start the eleventh, Scott Thorman hit a 1-2 pitch from Ryan Madson over the right field fence to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. The homerun is the second allowed by Madson on the year, and the second game winning homerun he has allowed on the young season.
Bob Wickman came on to pitch the bottom of the eleventh to earn his first save of the season.
The teams will meet again on Thursday as Chuck James and Adam Eaton face off at 3:05 PM. The game can be seen on TBS.
By: Josh McCarroll (http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/member.php?u=1) | Braves-Nation.com
Ho, hum. Just another day in Philadelphia.
A game dominated by pitching will be forgotten by the late inning heroics of two of the younger Braves batters.
Tim Hudson and Cole Hamels went at each other pitch for pitch for seven innings, after Hudson departed the game for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning. Hudson left the game trailing 1-0 on a home run from Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz, which proved to be the only run scored off either starter.
Despite four walks, Hudson managed to pitch seven innings and give up the lone run. He surrendered only two hits and struck out five Phillies.
Hamels was equally as good, possibly better. Though he found himself in more trouble than Hudson did throughout the game, Hamels used his ability to strike out batters to escape without allowing a run. He left the game with the lead and eight strikeouts, he allowed four hits and walked only one.
Down 1-0 in the eighth inning, Mike Gonzalez was called on to pitch for the Braves. Gonzalez struggled with his control again, allowing two batters to reach via walk, along with two hits. Gonzalez was helped out of the jam by bad baserunning on the part of the Phillies. First, with a run already in, Ryan Howard at the plate and only one out, Shane Victorino was thrown out trying to steal third base. Howard then followed the play with a walk.
Following Howard’s walk, Chase Utley lined a pitch off the right field wall for a double. Jeff Francoeur retrieved the ball off the wall, threw to cut off man Kelly Johnson, who threw a perfect strike home to catcher Brian McCann to cut down Howard trying to score, and end the inning.
After the Braves failed to score in their half of the eighth inning, the two teams entered the ninth frame with the Phillies holding on to a 2-0 lead with their closer on to pitch.
Francoeur lead off the inning with a double into the left center field gap, giving him three hits in four attempts against Tom Gordon in his career, all for extra bases.
With Francoeur on second base, McCann swung at the first pitch, hitting a line drive rocket over the right field wall for a two-run homerun and a tie game.
Both teams squandered opportunities to score in the tenth inning before heading to the eleventh where another young Brave took center stage.
After McCann lined out to start the eleventh, Scott Thorman hit a 1-2 pitch from Ryan Madson over the right field fence to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. The homerun is the second allowed by Madson on the year, and the second game winning homerun he has allowed on the young season.
Bob Wickman came on to pitch the bottom of the eleventh to earn his first save of the season.
The teams will meet again on Thursday as Chuck James and Adam Eaton face off at 3:05 PM. The game can be seen on TBS.