Despite the fact that two-thirds of this series was non-competitive (there was a margin of 4 or more runs after 18 of the 27 innings), it managed to be fairly interesting. On Friday, Billy Wagner set the cool-but-obscure strikeout record for lefty relievers, which he immediately dismissed with scorn. On Saturday, Tim Hudson passed the 1,500-strikeout plateau in style en route to a career-high 13 K's. And of course, the Braves rallied from a 5-run deficit on Sunday thanks to atrocious Marlins defense and dramatic homers by Matt Diaz and Brian McCann. McCann's homer was initially ruled a double but was reversed on replay, making it the first walkoff in the history of baseball to be decided by replay (though of course replay has only existed for two years).
Considering how game 1 went, and how game 3 started, for the Braves to come out of this with yet another series win is pretty impressive. After the horrific series in Colorado, they righted the ship quite nicely, I'd say.
Stat of the Series
The Braves have now scored 4.73 runs per game in 2010. That makes them the third-best offense in the NL, which seems hard to believe given all the moaning and groaning that has gone on related to our hitters (both from Braves fans and from outside sources). Clearly, anyone who dismisses this team based on a supposed lack of offense is not looking at the facts.
By the way, the Braves are second in the NL in runs allowed per game, at 3.84. No other team is in the top 3 in both categories.
Awards
Braves' Pitching MVPs
Tim Hudson -- 7 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 BB (1 IBB), 13 K, 7/14 GB (50%), 0.113 WPA
Christhian Martinez -- 6 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K, -0.008 WPA (that's some quality long relief)
Braves' Hitting MVPs
Matt Diaz -- 3/6, 2 HR (both off righties), 3 R, 3 RBI, 0 K, 0.573 WPA
Brian McCann -- 5/11, BB, 2B, walkoff HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 0 K, GIDP, 0.475 WPA
Eric Hinske -- 5/11, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K, 0.116 WPA
Jason Heyward -- 4/11, 3 BB, HR, 4 R, RBI, 4 K, 0.011 WPA
(Really, everyone but Rick Ankiel had a pretty decent series.)
Braves' Clutch Plays
McCann's review-delayed walkoff HR (0.469 WPA)
Diaz's game-tying 2-run HR (0.461 WPA)
Marlins' Pitching MVPs
Chris Volstad -- 8 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 HR, 0 BB, 3 K, 0.163 WPA (plus a 0.031 WPA as a hitter)
Josh Johnson -- 6 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 8 K, 0.106 WPA
Marlins' Hitting MVPs
Hanley Ramirez -- 4/10, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB, 0 K, GIDP, 0.219 WPA
Emilio Bonifacio -- 4/10, 2 BB, 2B, 3 R, RBI, SB, K, 0.117 WPA
Logan Morrison -- 2/13, 2 BB, HR, 3 R, RBI, 4 K, 0.123 WPA
Chad Tracy -- 4/10, BB, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, K, 0.084 WPA
Marlins' Clutch Play
Hanley Ramirez's 3-run homer in the 1st inning of game 3 (0.153 WPA)
For those who voted in the poll in the series preview, the winner is a tie between Hudson and Lowe (each gave up 6 hits), though really you'd have to say Hudson wins the tiebreaker based on, you know, not sucking.
Next up for the Bravos are the Mets, starting tonight at the Ted... Wouldn't a sweep be nice?