Game 15 Recap: Braves 1, Nationals 0

by gondeee on Apr 22, 2009 10:07 PM EDT in Braves Game Recaps

So the Braves bats are still in hibernation even though their pitching is working, but that's not what ultimately won them the game. No, with the Braves inability to score runs for themselves, the Nationals helped them out by walking in a run in the ninth inning.

With two out in the ninth and a runner on first, Jordan Schafer worked a walk, then a pitcher switch and the old swap out the switch hitting pinch hitter for another pinch hitter thing we saw last night. Martin Prado replaced Greg Norton and worked a walk, and then Kelly Johnson followed with another walk to push pinch-runner Omar Infante across home for the lone run of the game.

For once this season, walks worked in the Braves favor!

Starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens threw 7.2 scoreless and effective innings, and the closer duo of Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano combined to set down the final four Nationals batters with three strikeouts.

An off-day tomorrow, then we're off to Cincy (and so am I, for Saturday and Sunday's games).

Final - 4.22.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta Braves	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	6	1
Washington Nationals	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
WP: Mike Gonzalez (1 - 0) SV: Rafael Soriano (2) LP: Garrett Mock (0 - 1)

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Thank god, the braves won today….
i was on the verge of throwing my t.v out after past few games

by bravesfan1110 on Apr 22, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions

Hallelujah!

by NCChopper on Apr 22, 2009 10:19 PM EDT reply actions

Yes, I like.

by bbxxj on Apr 23, 2009 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

ha, nice

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 23, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Walks don't help you score runs!

by VictorW on Apr 22, 2009 10:36 PM EDT reply actions

Marlins lose
Nats “lose” (now you know how it feels natties!!!)
Phillies lose
Mets lose

Braves win? Braves win.

Great pitching JJ. You got the Win, alright. Let’s take a day to regroup, heal up, get eyes re-checked, etc. and have a kickass weekend. We’ve GOT the club (I hate talking specific shit but Garrett Anderson really pissed me off with his bullshit, maybe Kotch can pull him back from the Dark Side, but other than that…). Let’s do this shit, with no errors. We were pretty solid tonite though. Not on offense, of course. But hey, “we’ll take it.”

"The future is no place to place your better days." - Dave Matthews

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Apr 22, 2009 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone know why Bobby is doing this thing where he will put in Norton and then remove him for Prado?

by drumzalicious on Apr 23, 2009 12:28 AM EDT reply actions

Norton sucks. The end.

Because Norton sucks and if Bobby manages to trick the opposing manager into bringing in a lefty to turn Norton around then he can put in a real right handed hitter like Prado.

by redwards95 on Apr 23, 2009 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions

That’s not nice.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 23, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

not to mention...

….not especially accurate…

by sddbaker on Apr 23, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Just looked up his stats and apparently Norton is a little better as a Lefty than as a Righty.

Prob the reason why we picked up that Barton fellow

by drumzalicious on Apr 23, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

the inaccurate part...

is “Norton sucks. The end.”

by sddbaker on Apr 24, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I likes me some Soriano in the closer role.

Formerly Uncle Charlie of Minor League Ball

by Yakker on Apr 23, 2009 1:41 AM EDT reply actions

I hope the Braves realize what being patient at the plate can get ya now!

I feel bad for JJ not being able to get the win. In my opinion he pitched well enough to get a win and possibly a shutout.

I hope the Braves bats get Hot in Cincy and give our starting pitchers a chance to get some more wins under their belts!

Have a good trip gondeee! I’ll be watching………

by HEYJUDE on Apr 23, 2009 2:14 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah JJ was awesome last night. It looked like he was attacking the zone and not nibbling like he did in his first few starts this year. I loved that he went deep in the game but just wish that he would have been rewarded for his effort.

by dunnytwogloves on Apr 23, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed Jude. It may have been an ugly win but your point about patience at the plate is dead on. And it’s who was patient at the plate that impressed me. Both Schafer & Prado (who made costly base running errors the game before) could have been anxious @ the plate to make up for their mistakes the night before. Also Johnson, who is in somewhat of a slump, could’ve been just as anxious to make something happen but they stayed composed & the result was a win. We need bats coming alive. The starting rotation is doing a pretty good job and deserve to start recording their performances as wins.

by adc62 on Apr 23, 2009 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Here’s to hoping our bats can’t be any colder than they were this series

by Zeus12888 on Apr 23, 2009 3:51 AM EDT reply actions

I like to think that us winning by walks is a way of “exercising the demons”. So now, we will be on our way to winning baseball.

"Ohhhh Shit."-Bobby Cox, 3/28/09

by 10-4 on Apr 23, 2009 8:15 AM EDT reply actions

I'll be at the cinci games too

If you’re going, make sure to sit in the sundeck. That’s where most of the home runs end up.

by Weasie on Apr 23, 2009 8:56 AM EDT reply actions

Win is a win.

Picthing has looked outstanding. I’d be a lot more worried if it was our hitting that was workign and our pitching stunk. We can work around cold bats. Hard to work around a poor ERA.

by kalesi on Apr 23, 2009 8:56 AM EDT reply actions

for once Bobby got the bullpen right

I was impressed by Bobby bringing in Gonzalez in the 8th. That showed a degree of flexibility in bullpen management you don’t see him do very often and I hope we see more of it. It was the right call rather than bringing in Moylan to give up a bunch more walks. Of course it may just have happened due to Gonzalez being demoted to setup man and Soriano becoming the main closer, but I like that too based on how they’ve pitched so far.

by redwards95 on Apr 23, 2009 9:04 AM EDT reply actions

Of course it may just have happened due to Gonzalez being demoted to setup man and Soriano becoming the main closer

I havn’t seen any press release stating that Gonzo was demoted. I’m just crossing my fingers that Bobby is finally realizing how to manage the back end of a bullpen.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 23, 2009 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions

It only took Bobby 30 years to figure it out too!

People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.

by mvandonsel on Apr 23, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I haven’t seen anything official yet either, but it certainly appears that the two have flipped roles, based on usage patterns the last week or so.

Formerly Uncle Charlie of Minor League Ball

by Yakker on Apr 23, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s probably the case, but I’m grasping onto the notion that Bobby is simply using the best pitcher available for the scenario at the time.

It’s all good though, I’d rather have Soriano as the closer for the exact reason that we saw last night. Gonzo can come in the get the Delgado’s, Dunn’s, Howard’s, and Utley’s out during the 7th or 8th inning.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 23, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

First time in a while I've been pleased with Bobby's BP management

Regardless of whom the official closer is, I am pleased with how Bobby dealt with the last four outs. Jurrjens certainly looked pissed when Bobby came stumbling out of the dugout to pull him, but versus Adam Dunn, I was thrilled to see Mike Gonzalez coming out instead of Eric O’Flaherty. To me, that said that Bobby was dead serious about winning this game, because it was still 0-0 at that point, and I full expected Bobby to “save” Gonzalez for extra innings instead.

But Gonzo looked sharp, and on his requisite adrenaline high last night and attacked Adam Dunn very ferociously, and took care of him pretty handily. And then Soriano in the 9th after taking the lead on WALKS KILL, was downright filthy. He too was clearly on his closer’s high, and was blowing away the opposition. That strikeout at the end was a huge exclamation point. Absolutely thrilled.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Apr 23, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions

2 things:

1. I’m still amazed that Prado was able to lay off a couple of those breaking balls. Great AB.
2. Jurrjens had only 8 fly ball outs. Really impressive.

Braves 2009 offense: in play, out(s)
Braves 2009 bullpen: in play, run(s)

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 23, 2009 9:29 AM EDT reply actions