Atlanta Braves at Florida Marlins Series Recap

by moorebraves on Sep 22, 2011 11:01 AM EDT in Series Previews & Recaps

Jason Heyward and the Braves are frustrated right now. They still hold a 1.5 game lead in the NL Wild Card race, but have to face a team in the Nationals that plays the Braves tough and the Phillies who are hold the best record in baseball.

That series didn't exactly go as Atlanta and we as fans would have hoped. With the problematic Nationals and the Phillies coming up, the Braves could have done with more than just one win in three games against the Fish. In the same time that St. Louis won all three games, the Braves lost two games to fall to just 1.5 games up in the NL Wild Card Race.

Monday night's game was one of the more devastating losses that a team in the heart of a playoff race could experience. After rallying back from a 4-1 deficit to take a 5-4 lead, the Braves' bread and butter, O'Ventbrel, let them down for a second straight day. Craig Kimbrel got some hard luck on a routine chopper to Chipper Jones that could have ended the game, but then gave up a long walk-off homer to former Braves singles hitter, Omar Infante. The Cardinals beat the Phillies by a score of 4-3 on Monday, cutting the Braves lead from 3.5 to 2.5 games.

Tuesday was great. Despite leaving a slew of runners on base and hitting just 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, the Braves came away with a 4-0 win. Randall Delgado showed guts in performing tremendously in the biggest start of his young career. At the same time, St. Louis was doing work against everyone's favorite Mets franchise, winning 11-6 and keeping the Braves lead at just 2.5 games.

And last night, the Braves got a solid performance from Derek Lowe. They needed a stellar performance though, as Javy Vazquez is arguably the hottest pitcher in the game right now. Aside from a big double from Jason Heyward, a long fly out by Dan Uggla, and a slapped line drive on a two-seamer off of the plate by Prado, Vazquez really gave up nothing to the Braves. Meanwhile, the Cardinals staged a late game comeback against the Metropolitans to win 6-5 and cut the lead to 1.5 games.

The Braves still have a lead folks, but we can only hope that the team gets hot against some formidable foes to gather some momentum heading into/making the playoffs. It appears that the Cardinals aren't going to cool off anytime soon.

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Comments

not to pick nits but....

a win is a win so can’t complain.

however, to say

Tuesday was great. Despite leaving a slew of runners on base and hitting just 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, the Braves came away with a 4-0 win

is a bit of a stretch. getting the win was great, but the poor hitting with RISP is what is killing this team so it takes that down a peg in my opinion.

by nuftjedi on Sep 22, 2011 11:06 AM EDT reply actions

3 runs in 6 1/3 is not solid; it’s pedestrian or mediocre. Maybe it would be solid for a raw rookie like Teheran or Delgado but not for the $15 Million Man.

by redwards95 on Sep 22, 2011 11:26 AM EDT reply actions

exactly. this nonsense about lowe pitching well, or giving them a quality start is ridiculous. sure, he didn’t spit up all over himself like we all expected, but he also didn’t have a stellar outing either.

by SidBreamsSlide on Sep 22, 2011 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

If you score zero runs, it doesn’t matter if he gives up 1 or 18 runs, it’s still a loss.

If we can land [Stephen Drew], I will give FW a bj.
~justincredubil02

by king of games on Sep 22, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

You are wrong

Don’t you know? A pitcher has to pitch to the score since W/L record is the best way to judge a pitcher.

In order to get the win here, Lowe needed to allow -1 wings.

- Joe Morgan

by Ryan Vooris on Sep 22, 2011 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow..

Yeah, “win” not “wings.”

I’m hungry.

- Joe Morgan

by Ryan Vooris on Sep 22, 2011 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Uh no

I meant “runs” not "win.

Where’s Miller when I need him to not let me sound like an idiot.

- Joe Morgan

by Ryan Vooris on Sep 22, 2011 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

safety margin is gone

but the lead is still there, Braves just need to regroup and win.

weather outlook not the greatest for Friday (50-60% chance of rain) but perhaps that will affect Strasburg (and Nats’ usage of him) than the Braves.

I was hoping that these 3 games in DC would be one big clinching party, even though that is still mathematically possible, now I’m hoping that the Braves can raise their play and sweep this series (alas 2009 when they were desperately trying to stay in the playoff chase…Braves swept the 3 games in DC but a later loss to the Nats at home officially knocked them out).

by LEastCoastBears on Sep 22, 2011 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

is that the game MattyD got picked off 3rd? lolol

by walknbalk on Sep 22, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

If Hudson and the Braves beat Strasburg tonight, the dominos could fall into place...

especially concerning the fodder the Nationals will send to the mound on Sat/Sun.

by another simpsons avatar on Sep 22, 2011 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

*tomorrow

You want Huddy in there. So that works. Literally down to the wire.

"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
Gaby Sanchez - 1, Nyjer Morgan - 0

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Sep 22, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m still genuinely shocked that Livan isn’t in there, somewhere. I mean, it’s the Braves. lol

"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
Gaby Sanchez - 1, Nyjer Morgan - 0

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Sep 22, 2011 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Hudson gets 2 more starts, though...

And that’s the guy we want to have 2 more starts.

the ray of hope….

"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
Gaby Sanchez - 1, Nyjer Morgan - 0

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Sep 22, 2011 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Can we sign Smoltz to a 1 day contract?

"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that." George Carlin

by DolphinNation on Sep 22, 2011 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Why the sarcasm font?

Sounds like a valid option. Make it happen Wren.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby

by adc62 on Sep 22, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe he can just teach Lowe how to use pine tar.

by redwards95 on Sep 22, 2011 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

He probably could give us 5 good innings, even at age, what, 42 or something?

I’ll call Smoltzie and have him call FW…hang on a sec. Now where did I put that phone number…

"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that." George Carlin

by DolphinNation on Sep 22, 2011 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Zombie Eric Gregg was busy playing an extra in The Walking Dead.

by redwards95 on Sep 22, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Zombie Eric Gregg was busy playing one of the buildings in downtown Atlanta in the Walking Dead.

by Nabb1 on Sep 22, 2011 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

no shit…really?

by walknbalk on Sep 22, 2011 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions

bleh

by dank7 on Sep 22, 2011 11:51 AM EDT reply actions

With 2 of our top 3 starters down

You have to expect a bit of a slide, but this is getting to be a bit worrisome.

If we can land [Stephen Drew], I will give FW a bj.
~justincredubil02

by king of games on Sep 22, 2011 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

just a bit? i hardly slept last night!!

by walknbalk on Sep 22, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

50%+ of sportnation still believes ATL will win the WC.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/7003437/is-real-drama-national-league

by walknbalk on Sep 22, 2011 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

that’s probably a higher percentage than us fans on this blog and other braves blogs.

by walknbalk on Sep 22, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d vote for 50% but only because the Braves still are in the lead. If they fall out of first, all bets are off.

by redwards95 on Sep 22, 2011 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions

not to be picky, but its not a percentage vote. it’s simply, which of these three teams will win the wild card…?…and over 50% of voters chose braves. to me, thats a stunning vote of confidence considering what has gone down these last two weeks.

by walknbalk on Sep 22, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions

50% chose the Braves. 50% chose the not-Braves. So overall they think the chances of it being the Braves is… 50%. ;)

by redwards95 on Sep 22, 2011 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

misery loves company

but when the red sox lose every game to the orioles, the rays go and drop every game to the yanks. but when we struggle the cardinals win every game. no ones fault but own though

by Stephen M on Sep 22, 2011 12:40 PM EDT reply actions

A wise woman once told me…..

“Life’s a bitch. And then you die.”

"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
Gaby Sanchez - 1, Nyjer Morgan - 0

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Sep 22, 2011 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions