McCarroll21
04-12-2007, 05:58 AM
James, Joneses Power Braves
By: Josh McCarroll (http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/member.php?u=1) | Braves-Nation.com
The Atlanta Braves pitching staff has remained hot, and the offense is catching up. For the second straight night, the Braves got shutout pitching from their starter and the offense scored eight runs.
Chuck James started the game and pitched six shut out innings. He gave up five hits and three walks on his way to picking up his second win of the season. He also recorded five strikeouts before giving way to the bullpen.
James six innings extended the Braves starting pitchers' scoreless streak to 18 innings.
The offense welcomed a familiar face to the fold as Chipper Jones got into the act tonight. Chipper hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Braves a 2-0 lead. Andruw Jones followed him with a three-run homer later in the game. The Jones boys’ homers are the 56th time the two have homered in the same game. Along with the Joneses home runs, every starter in the lineup recorded a hit.
Entering Wednesday's game, the Jones boys had combined for one home run and two RBIs through the first seven games. They doubled their offensive output for the entire season on Wednesday as the two hit two home runs and drove in five of the Braves eight runs.
James pitched himself in and out of trouble most the night. After getting the first two batters, he often experienced problems putting teams away, extending the inning by two or three batters before retiring the side.
Mike Gonzalez relieved James to pitch the seventh inning. Gonzalez had another relatively easy inning, only allowing one hit. Combining this outing with his outing on Tuesday, it appears that Gonzalez has found his control again and is on the verge of becoming the electric pitcher we have been expecting.
Andruw Jones' home run in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Braves all the insurance they would need. After Pete Orr and Kelly Johnson began the inning with outs, Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones both hit singles and would later score on Jones' home run. After his second blast of the season, the Braves were leading 5-0.
Rafael Soriano came on to pitch the eighth and experienced his first bit of trouble as a Brave. He retired Ryan Zimmerman to start the inning before allowing four consecutive hits, and allowing three runs to score. Dmitri Young hit a double over Andruw Jones head in center field before an Austin Kearns single. Those two scored on a double from Ryan Church, who also came around to score on a single from Ronnie Belliard. Soriano retired the next two hitters to keep the score 5-3.
However, the Braves got all three runs back in the eighth. Jeff Francoeur started the inning with a single, advancing to second on a single from Matt Diaz. Kelly Johnson followed Diaz single with a double, allowing both runners to score. Johnson reached third base on the hit as the ball got away from the cutoff man and scored on the next play as Renteria singled him home.
Bob Wickman came on to pitch the ninth inning to finish the game. Wickman gave up a single and a walk during his inning of duty.
The Braves are now 7-1 on the season and two games up on the New York Mets in the NL East. It is the first time the Braves have been 7-1 since the 1995 season. The loss puts the Nationals in a deep hole; already 6.5 games back only nine games into their schedule.
The Braves offense will look to keep the hit parade coming on Thursday night as the Braves, once again, play host to the Nationals. John Smoltz will go to the mound looking to keep the shutout streak from the starters alive at 7:35. The game can be seen on TBS.
By: Josh McCarroll (http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/member.php?u=1) | Braves-Nation.com
The Atlanta Braves pitching staff has remained hot, and the offense is catching up. For the second straight night, the Braves got shutout pitching from their starter and the offense scored eight runs.
Chuck James started the game and pitched six shut out innings. He gave up five hits and three walks on his way to picking up his second win of the season. He also recorded five strikeouts before giving way to the bullpen.
James six innings extended the Braves starting pitchers' scoreless streak to 18 innings.
The offense welcomed a familiar face to the fold as Chipper Jones got into the act tonight. Chipper hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Braves a 2-0 lead. Andruw Jones followed him with a three-run homer later in the game. The Jones boys’ homers are the 56th time the two have homered in the same game. Along with the Joneses home runs, every starter in the lineup recorded a hit.
Entering Wednesday's game, the Jones boys had combined for one home run and two RBIs through the first seven games. They doubled their offensive output for the entire season on Wednesday as the two hit two home runs and drove in five of the Braves eight runs.
James pitched himself in and out of trouble most the night. After getting the first two batters, he often experienced problems putting teams away, extending the inning by two or three batters before retiring the side.
Mike Gonzalez relieved James to pitch the seventh inning. Gonzalez had another relatively easy inning, only allowing one hit. Combining this outing with his outing on Tuesday, it appears that Gonzalez has found his control again and is on the verge of becoming the electric pitcher we have been expecting.
Andruw Jones' home run in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Braves all the insurance they would need. After Pete Orr and Kelly Johnson began the inning with outs, Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones both hit singles and would later score on Jones' home run. After his second blast of the season, the Braves were leading 5-0.
Rafael Soriano came on to pitch the eighth and experienced his first bit of trouble as a Brave. He retired Ryan Zimmerman to start the inning before allowing four consecutive hits, and allowing three runs to score. Dmitri Young hit a double over Andruw Jones head in center field before an Austin Kearns single. Those two scored on a double from Ryan Church, who also came around to score on a single from Ronnie Belliard. Soriano retired the next two hitters to keep the score 5-3.
However, the Braves got all three runs back in the eighth. Jeff Francoeur started the inning with a single, advancing to second on a single from Matt Diaz. Kelly Johnson followed Diaz single with a double, allowing both runners to score. Johnson reached third base on the hit as the ball got away from the cutoff man and scored on the next play as Renteria singled him home.
Bob Wickman came on to pitch the ninth inning to finish the game. Wickman gave up a single and a walk during his inning of duty.
The Braves are now 7-1 on the season and two games up on the New York Mets in the NL East. It is the first time the Braves have been 7-1 since the 1995 season. The loss puts the Nationals in a deep hole; already 6.5 games back only nine games into their schedule.
The Braves offense will look to keep the hit parade coming on Thursday night as the Braves, once again, play host to the Nationals. John Smoltz will go to the mound looking to keep the shutout streak from the starters alive at 7:35. The game can be seen on TBS.