Apparently, 20-degree weather and a snow-out was enough to get Atlanta's bats back on track following the three-game skid in Pittsburgh. The Braves banged out six home runs in the doubleheader sweep, two by Justin Upton. The younger brother set a new franchise record for April home runs with 11, and combined with B.J. to hit back-to-back homers in game two. The franchise record for home runs in any month is 15 by Joe Adcock of the 1956 Milwaukee Braves. Can Justin hit five home runs in the remaining five games of April? We shall see.
The back-to-back home run feat by the Uptons was only the second occurrence of brothers hitting back-to-back homers in a single game. The only other time it happened was 1938 when the Waners (Paul and Lloyd) did it. The team also scored 10 runs in a game for the first time this season, winning game two 10-2.
B.J. Upton's home run was his only hit of the series. He was 1/14 with one walk, two RBI and five strikeouts.
In the absence of Jason Heyward, Reed Johnson and Jordan Schafer filled in admirably. They combined to go 7/11 in their starts; Johnson had four hits in game one with three doubles. Gerald Laird even got in on the action, contributing two hits and two RBI in game two along with a stolen base.
We were all certainly glad to see Julio Teheran turn in a great performance after three ugly starts, going seven innings and allowing only one run and striking out three with no walks. His next scheduled start will be against Washington, so we'll see if his success carries over.
Freddie Freeman returned from his oblique injury in this series and was 2/11 with one RBI, three walks and three runs scored. Juan Francisco had four hits and four RBI in his two starts including his fourth home run of the season.
Evan Gattis was 2/9 in his first visit to Coors Field, hitting his sixth home run of the season in game one in support of Mike Minor, who earned his third win of 2013.
The Braves continued a trend of winning games in which they hit at least one home run and losing those in which they don't. They were one out away from winning the finale of the series without a homer, but Dexter Fowler's two-run double in the ninth spoiled that and ruined a chance for Tim Hudson's 200th win; the win would've been Tim's first in six starts at Coors Field. Craig Kimbrel gave up the double in suffering his first blown save of the season. Hudson's next shot at 200 will be in Atlanta against Washington.
Now, on to Detroit!