Game 93 Recap: Giants 3, Braves 11

by gondeee on Jul 20, 2009 10:20 PM EDT in Game Recaps Comment 14 comments

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

You never see it on the broadcast, but Tommy Hanson really likes to stick his tongue out when he delivers the ball... sort of Michael Jordan-esque.

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What's this! We're a game over .500! A whole game!

This was the tale of two games. The game started out being a pretty good pitchers duel, with both Tommy Hanson and Jonathan Sanchez working out of jams before each settled down. Then the Braves broke out the bats against the Giants' bullpen.

Tommy Hanson was all types of dominant tonight, en route to his fifth win. He struck out a career-high 11. The box score will say that he allowed 3 runs, but he was the victim of some unfortunate misses in the outfield. Matt Diaz barely missed a ball in the second inning which led to some runs, and then Nate McLouth lost a ball in the twilight that turned into a triple and eventually a run (the tying run in fact).

The Braves' bats didn't let it stay tied for long. With the very effective Sanchez out of the game, the Braves took full advantage of the Giants' bullpen. Reliever Sergio Romo (who is cursed with one of the most annoying last names in the history of sports) became the victim of some bad luck. Yunel Escobar singled to start the inning, and then Garret Anderson blooped in another single in front of the left fielder. Matt Diaz was then asked to bunt, and once again could not execute. With the bunt play taken off, Diaz was swinging away and laced a triple in the right center field gap to score two and break the tie.

Casey Kotchman followed with an RBI single to extend his hitting streak, and after a pitching change, pinch hitter Ryan Church delivered his first homerun as a member of the Braves (ironically, on the same night that Jeff Francoeur delivered his first homerun as a member of the Mets).

The Braves got some more power in addition to the homerun by Church. Garret Anderson got the scoring started with a solo homerun in the second inning, and Chipper Jones put the Braves ahead in the third with a two-run shot.

Every batter in the starting lineup had a hit except for Martin Prado, who hit every ball hard with nothing to show for it.

Great game tonight. I also really liked the high-home camera angle they used on SportSouth. I remember ESPN using it several years ago and I didn't like it when they did it, but I really liked it tonight. I hope they keep doing that.

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Comments

Tommy Hanson is the real deal.

I cant wait to watch this ~~prospect~~ future ace of the Atlanta Braves pitch for the next 5-10 years.

2009 Atlanta Braves Motto: We ♥ leaving RISP AND Omar Minaya!

by mvhsbball on Jul 20, 2009 10:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Glad to see Tommy starting to get the hang of putting guys away. He’s figuring things out quickly.

by eaheckman10 on Jul 20, 2009 11:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

team is on fire i think we lead the league in runs in July. 3 of 4 at least should be certain.

by Wanna Hate 14 Straight on Jul 20, 2009 11:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gonzalez

Why was Gonzo used in the 8th? Just coming back from the rest, and Bobby uses him 2 straight nights when the game was no longer in doubt?

by dunnytwogloves on Jul 20, 2009 11:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He’s been sitting for quite a while for a reliever, and he needed the work. Think of the Leo Mazzone approach, where a pitcher is never at its sharpest when fresh as a daisy, so a little bit of working is what gets them into the best shape. Therein lies the importance of bullpen management, to keep guys sharp, while at the same time not letting them burn out.

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

by royhobbs on Jul 21, 2009 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the actual reason tho

someone said that he was already up in the pen before we started scoring all those runs.

by drumzalicious on Jul 21, 2009 2:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i dont think hes 8th inning guy anymore maybe Moylan or EOF. but i agree 2 days in a row in blowouts very questionable

by Wanna Hate 14 Straight on Jul 20, 2009 11:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree gondeee

The high-home camera is amazing. Well, for everyone except occasionally Rob Drake.

"...Braves tie! ...Braves tie! ...Braves tie!"

by The Keith Lockhart Era on Jul 21, 2009 1:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I dont like it

I feel like you can’t see strikes and balls as wel. I did like it while Matty was trying to bunt, however.

by McGriff the Crime Dog on Jul 21, 2009 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Atta babe

These are games that good teams gotta win. With Lincecum pitching this series the Braves need to win against the Giant’s weaker starters. Here’s a guy that’s glad we don’t face Cain…guess we lucked out there.

by kalesi on Jul 21, 2009 9:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Send Prado back to the minors. That guy is a bum. He was the only starter who didn’t get a hit. LOL But seriously, this game is a good sign of things to come.

"A Tar Heel Born and a Tar Heel bred, and when i die ill be a Tar Heel dead."

by mad_dog_maddux on Jul 21, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs