Braves Come From Behind to Beat Arizona
by gondeee on May 14, 2010 11:30 PM EDT
in Braves Game Recaps
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PrintThe Braves game plan tonight:
- Be patent and work the starting pitcher's pitch up.
- Get enough starting pitching to keep the game close.
- Score many runs against the Diamondback's bullpen.
- If necessary, execute walk-off win against Arizona closer.
Game plan executed to perfection! Kenshin Kawakami wasn't that great, even though he struck out 7. He also threw a bunch of pitches and lost control in the fifth inning. Jonny Venters replaced him and allowed 2 inherited runners to score making KK's line look a little worse than perhaps it should have been.
The Braves squandered a bunch of run scoring opportunities early with a lot of bad base running, but they worked deep counts on Arizona starter Ian Kennedy and ended up chasing him in the seventh. Brian McCann led off the inning with a homerun, and after Kennedy allowed two more hits, he was relieved by the Arizona... wait for it... BULLPEN!!! Well, I wouldn't really say he was "relieved." It's more like the Braves were relieved to see the Snakes' pen. Reliever Juan Gutierrez promptly gave up a game-tying 3-run homerun to Nate McLouth, the first batter he faced.
Billy Wagner hung a few pitches and got dinged for a run in the top half of the ninth inning, so the D-Backs brought on their closer Chad Qualls. No really, he's their closer. Eric Hinske greeted Qualls with a single on the first pitch. Omar Infante bunted to advance pinch-runner Brandon Hicks, but he bunted the ball off the plate and it bounced so high he legged out a single. Nate McLouth followed with another bunt to advance the runners, and then they walked pinch hitter Melky Cabrera to load the bases and set up a double play with one out.
Marteeeeeeeeeeeen Prado would have nothing to do with no silly double play. He worked the count and laced an opposite field single (that would have been a double if he needed it to be) which scored the tying and winning runs. The Braves Win! The Braves Win! Ah, I love it when the game plan is executed to perfection.
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GOOO DBACKS!
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
GOOODBACKSDBACKS BULLPEN!
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 14, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Check out how loaded the NL East is right now.
I think it’s about time for the Nats to come crashing back to Earth.
by get swoll yunel on May 14, 2010 11:34 PM EDT reply actions
The stat line will probably only feed the trolls, but I thought Kawakami pitched one decent ballgame. He hit his high in Ks since he’s come to America, and the only real mistake he threw was the ball Upton hit for a ground rule double. He got let down by McCann in failing to execute a pitch-out and Venters in not stranding his inherited runners.
In any case, it was great to see our LH batters who have been scuffling (McC and McL) come through with clutch HRs, and then Prado continue to tear.
The worst part about his performance
Is that he only pitched 4.1 innings.
Headlining the Campaign for the return of Ryan Langerhans! MVP 2011!
by RichmondBraves on May 14, 2010 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions
No Doubt
With KK and Medlen as big parts of this rotation over the next 3-4 weeks…It’s going to be taxing not only on our bullpen – second start in a row i believe KK never got out of the 5th – but its putting more pressure on Hudson, Hanson, to pitch deep into ballgames to give the BP a break….especially if Medlen & KK are pitching back to back…I wonder where our BP ranks in terms of innings pitched so far???
by Nova Scotia Steve on May 15, 2010 12:11 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i thought our BP IP was high, too
but it’s middle of the pack in the NL. 103 IP by relievers puts us 8th out of 16 in the NL.
KK wasn't awful...
But at this point you can’t really call people who are sick of him trolls. He failed to get out of the 5th. Not too many ways to whitewash that. And yeah, he got a lot of strikeouts. But he got them against the a team that leads the league in K’s.
He’s not killing the team, but he’s sure not worth 7 million dollars…
There are plenty of ways to whitewash that
though I suppose you know that.
If someone is sick of a pitcher for not pitching well for 6 starts after a year in which he pitched pretty darn well, that person may not be a troll, but he (or she) sure isn’t being very reasonable. This is just a less extreme version of the Javy Vazquez thing in NY (Javy was much better last year but has been even worse than KK this year). It’s just silliness all around.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh, I would agree that it’s irrational, but most aspects of fandom are. They’re just not trolls because they don’t know what they’re doing. Trolls are fishing for a particular response. These people just don’t know that much about baseball.
I think that the commentariat here has overreacted to the negativity from newbies. It’s not stupid to be upset that KK has been worse than expected this year. It’s stupid to say he needs to be sent out to pasture, sure, but his numbers are ripe for at least some criticism. He might be a good 4, but we’re paying him like a 3. And we need him to be a 3, especially when the offense is scuffling…which they always seem to do when he starts.
You're mostly right here.
Though I don’t think we’re paying him like a 3. We’re paying him like a 4. $7-8M/year is about 1.5 to 2.0 WAR, which equates to a slightly-below average starter. In other words, a #4 starter. He was worth more or less what we paid him last year. This year, not so much, obviously, but that should turn around.
Look at the contracts that #3 starters have gotten lately. They’re usually around $10M per year or more.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
I wasn’t arguing that any person who is disappointed in KK’s performance this season is a troll. Any person that has followed the Braves closely since Kenshin joned the team has hoped for better W-L outcomes since he joined the rotation. It was in reference to the posters who look only at KK’s 0-6 record and declared him unfit to be on the team, some of whom reared their ugly green heads in the OT tonight. They would look at the box score and see 4 runs in only 4.1 IP and say their favorite refrain of “Kawakami sucks”. But as pacgnosis noted, had his teammates come through for him, we could be talking about a 5+ inning shutout performance. Just another case of KK being snakebitten by the team that surrounds him (they also failed to score any runs in support while KK was in the game). But at least they scored runs to get Kenshin off the hook for the L and pulled out a win. And that’s really what’s important.
KK was not efficient. Nearly 100 pitches before got taken out in the 5th. Sure he struck out a bunch but he worked alot of deep counts too.
He wasn't sharp at all
Spent most of the first 3 innings completely missing Heap’s target, getting down 2-0 and 3-1 on practically every batter.
I think there’s a physical issue that is being kept quiet — he doesn’t have the control he had last year, and is not getting deep into games at all.
I hope the Braves get into Arizona's sweet, succulent bullpen early tomorrow....
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 14, 2010 11:44 PM EDT reply actions
If the rain stays away.
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on May 14, 2010 11:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Walking Melky
Hahahahahaha.
"Braves fans in the hizzy" -Boog
"Is that like the crib?" - Joe
by GwinnettBraves on May 14, 2010 11:47 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
walking Melky
I knew it was over then…Prado made good use of his bat. Did they not see the GS. He lives for this.lol
That was
one of the dumbest managerial moves I’ve seen in a long time.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions
D'Backs managers
Are required to study Bob Brenly’s unpublished Guide To Winnin’ Ball Games. That strategy is on pp. 11
by Sam Jethroe on May 15, 2010 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions
lol
Worst… Manager… Ever (to win a World Series).
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
I love it when a plan comes together.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
This from the CBS recap
Martin Prado’s bases-loaded bloop single drove in two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 6-5 win over Arizona on Friday night, extending the Diamondbacks’ bullpen woes.
Bloop single? Are you kidding me?
Those bloop singles that nearly go to the wall 340 feet away are always dangerous.
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on May 15, 2010 12:03 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oh, yeah...that was a bloop.
Kind of like how you bloop the turkey at Thanksgiving. Whatta buncha maroons.
Lots of heroes tonight but I want to single out Ske, who was in the thick of both rallies and really seems to have added some punch to this team’s chemistry.
by Sam Jethroe on May 15, 2010 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Hinske We Trust
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Of course it was a bloop!
The same hit by a Yankee, Red Sox, Phillies, or Giants batter is a line drive hit with precision to the spot they picked out 3 innings ago.
Everyone else just taps it and gets lucky.
Yes, even when the Phillies’ hitters break their bats…..precision and intent, baby!
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions
The media can kiss our collective ______.
We worked for that win last night whether they want to give us props or not.
The Braves never get any respect and I’m afraid not likely to until we climb out of the bottom of the NL East – for good.
And we will.
"Curve: The loveliest distance between two points." ~ Mae West
keep commenting!!!
The PuertoRican Kid
by Kobe:The Legend on May 15, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Phillies Petition
Excellent game Bravos. And to think that Mr. Heyward didn’t score or get an RBI…
Also, if you haven’t heard that MLB awarded the Phils 3 extra home games, you have now:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/phillieslose/
Not unreasonable
Seems like a money thing. Would be cool if they played them in Buffalo, Rochester, Cooperstown, Montreal…but…money.
i understand the money aspect of it
but what about the competitive balance and fairness aspect of it? should the phillies play 3 less at home next year?
You know that money is more important than fairness to Bud Selig.
If the Phils played 3 less at home next year, who would get the extra games? And when would that stop?
How about
the team that is losing home games to Puerto Rico this year. I forget who it is, but I’m pretty sure there’s a series in PR at some point.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions
perfect
mets and marlins are the teams playing in san juan. marlins are the home team in san juan, so have the marlins-phillies series next year be split 12 in miami and 6 at CBP.
that evens out the phillies and marlins, then the jays could get 3 extra home games somehow.
too bad mlb and the phils would never do anything like this
i will be going to that game with a braves hat :D
The PuertoRican Kid
by Kobe:The Legend on May 15, 2010 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions
WTF?
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Sorry i'm on my phone & can't read link
But is this over the G-20 meeting in Toronto? If so it’s valid…as that meeting of world leaders is excepted to be quite “active” and the meetings are being held very close to Rogers Center…
by Nova Scotia Steve on May 15, 2010 12:17 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yes, it is.
But they should have seen this coming long ago. The G-20 meetings are planned well in advance and the Blue Jays people had to know about it since it’s so close. They should never have had home games scheduled during the summit.
If they can’t do it in Toronto, they should do it at a neutral site like Milwaukee. They have a history of being hospitable to teams who’ve had their home games moved.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions
From what I know, the G-20 event was scheduled after the MLB schedules were released. So MLB didn’t know about it at the time. But yeah, it’s still a crock that they have to play it in Philly.
by dunnytwogloves on May 15, 2010 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Walking Melky
I know it’s already been mentioned, but I was shocked when I saw this. I can understand walking somebody who’s hot (Glaus, Hinske) in this scenario or Black Jesus, but why would you walk Melky to face Prado?
I saw Melky coming up, and I was like “oh no”, but thank you Mr. Hinch…
by forgotten_glory on May 15, 2010 12:13 AM EDT reply actions
the only two justifications i know are
1. set up for a potential double play
2. zomg melky cabrera had SO many walkoffs last year with the yankees, we can’t let his walkoffs beat us!
The fans over at the Snakepit don’t even seem pissed about it. This place would be on fire if we walked Augie Ojeda to get to Stephen Drew and Justin Upton.
It boggles the mind
How do you walk a guy hitting under .200 to face a team’s 2 best hitters—AND with the bases loaded so there’s no margin for error? The benefit of a DP is just so far outweighed by other factors that it’s ridiculous. Isn’t the likelihood of Melky hitting a weak grounder to a drawn-in infield about 100x greater than the chance Martin hits into a DP there?
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions
THIS
I couldn’t stop laughing… very dumb move.
Here’s to hoping they do it again.
"Braves fans in the hizzy" -Boog
"Is that like the crib?" - Joe
by GwinnettBraves on May 15, 2010 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Stooooopid move with no room for error or lose the game if you don’t execute the DP.
Maybe tonight time they’ll walk Prado to get to Heyward. :-)
"Curve: The loveliest distance between two points." ~ Mae West
Bwahahahahaha
I’d die laughing if that happened.
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Go Braves!! lets keep this winning streak!!
The PuertoRican Kid
by Kobe:The Legend on May 15, 2010 12:35 AM EDT reply actions
KK actually pitched really well
The run in the first would not have scored if not for the error, the second run would not have scored if Mac doesn’t throw the ball into CF on a pitchout, and the last 2 only scored after KK was out of the game. Yes, he threw too many pitches, but that was largely b/c the Dbacks are the most patient team in the NL—they see more Pitches/PA than anybody. KK is hardly the first guy that’s gone to 100 or so pitches in the 5th inning off these guys. If Glaus, Mac, and Venters had picked him up just a little, we’re probably talking about a 5+ inning shutout performance.
Considering those gaffes and the baserunning blunder by Infante, this was one heckuva win. Let’s keep it going tomorrow with Big Red!
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 12:41 AM EDT reply actions
The Diamondbacks also strike out the most in the league too…it’s easier to lead the league in Pitches/PA when 3 of the pitches are strikes.
While KK didn’t pitch bad, he also had a little luck involved. Especially in that first inning. If Upton hits that ball a little farther (or more down the line) it’s a homerun, or just a little shorter it’s not a ground rule double and 2 runs likely score.
Plus, he wasn’t even close to McCann’s target at times. It could have been ugly.
by dunnytwogloves on May 15, 2010 8:09 AM EDT up reply actions
He had MUCH more bad luck than good luck.
All 4 runs were the result of bad luck (in the form of poor execution by his teammates). That far outweighs any of the things you mentioned.
As for the pitches/PA, it obviously helped him that they were prone to striking out. They also fouled off TONS of pitches, though. I thought he threw too many fastballs in the first few innings (which are easier to foul off). If he throws his slider and curve more, he might’ve had an easier time of it. Who knows.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
And he/she/it has been greatly loved since.
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions
+1
…..for misunderestimated.
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I wish that were true. But....
If the Mets and Marlins both win. We will still be in the cellar regardless of whether we win
Braves Win! Braves Win!
Not necessarily
The game could be rained out or suspended.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Damn, I wish I could have saw this game
I’m at work so I won’t be able to see any baseball for three weeks. Sounded like an exciting win. Looking at the boxscore made me smile. Glad to see BMac had a great game. McLouth as well. I really love the direction the braves are headed. This is the team I expected. 9 out of thirteen with our big dogs pitching the next two games. I feel a sweep coming on, with winning record waiting on the other side. Go Braves!!
Braves Win! Braves Win!
This game had to be a real heartbreaker for the DBacks...
Not that I feel sorry for them or anything, just making an observation.
"If I had a little humility, I would be perfect" - Ted Turner
Considering their bullpen ERA...
I feel like they’re probably used to it by now.
True...
But that doesn’t make it any easier. Flashes of the 2006 Braves bullpen…yikes!
"If I had a little humility, I would be perfect" - Ted Turner
by Little Lady on May 15, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions
No hard feelings
I feel like we had our fare share last year.
"Braves fans in the hizzy" -Boog
"Is that like the crib?" - Joe
by GwinnettBraves on May 15, 2010 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions
There's 1. Now let's have another.
KK may have relaxed and pitched better if his defense and offense had supported him a bit more.
The base running by us and inability to throw out theirs (they seemed to run at will) made his job harder than it needed to be. As soon as the first run scored, and we executed so poorly the next few innings, you gottta feel like mentally he was like “here we go again”. And, we didn’t even give him the 2 runs we average in his starts this time.
I admire him for keeping us in the game and getting the 7Ks, even with their propensity to strikeout a lot.
"Curve: The loveliest distance between two points." ~ Mae West
+1
That was a solid, gritty performance. Too bad it didn’t show up in the boxscore except for the Ks.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
I just can't agree with this
I look for QS (Quality Starts) and i’m not seeing that from KK this year opponents BA is almost .300…ERA is 5.73 or whatever….like how many QS’s has the guy given us this year on record 1 (against SF)??? That is me WAS NOT even close to be a quality start….errors aside…he wasn’t hitting his spots and we literally stold that game last night (Thank Jesus or Heyward)
by Nova Scotia Steve on May 15, 2010 1:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
He had a QS going in his prior outing, but Bobby pinch hit for him in the top of the 6th, so he didn’t get the necessary innings (his pitch count was only in the 80s, IIRC). As for the ERA, look at D. Lowe’s and JJ’s…..
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks, Ladybug.
Go Braves!
"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
"i’m going to keep stats on you for as long as it humors me….target is unclear" - BMacAttack (Hohn's queef)
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on May 15, 2010 10:41 AM EDT reply actions
lol
I thought it was Smoltz’s frog joke that did it.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on May 15, 2010 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions
It was stated that he would be playing today a week or so ago, but there’s been no official word yet today or yesterday.
"Never doubt Derek Lowe's ability to win despite himself."
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on May 15, 2010 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Why has everyone forgotten McLouth’s great catch?
Jason Heyward bunted once, and it ended up being a homer.
by MBL1 on May 15, 2010 3:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
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