New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – April 16, 2011 – ESPN.
A great first game of the year for Jair Jurrjens, even though it was only the Mets. He went seven innings, throwing 100 pitches (58 strikes), striking out four, and allowed just three baserunners on two hits and a walk. The two who reached on hits were erased, one on a pickoff and the other on a stupid attempt to stead third base down 3-0 with nobody out in the sixth.
After the four solo homers in the opener, the Braves did it mostly with singles in the nightcap, getting eleven hits, only one for extra bases (a double by Martin Prado). With two out in the first, Chipper, Hinske (getting the start at first) and Uggla singled in succession to make it 1-0. In the third, Prado singled, went to second on a McLouth bunt, and stole third, coming home on a Chipper single.
In the fifth, after Prado’s double, Hinske singled him home. The Braves had a good chance to completely break it open in the sixth when Heyward, Gonzalez, and Ross singled to start the inning, but they only got one run out of it. Still, it was enough.
It being only the Mets, Sherrill was able to throw a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts, and Linebrink was able to strike out three in the ninth (one reaching on a wild pitch). Ha, the Mets!
Good win. And JJ looked ok out there which is nice with the questions from last season and preseason injuries lingering.
From the game thread, JJ hit 91 and 92 a few times going by Gameday.
Maybe we can finally delete “Atlanta save” from the glossery? Bobby would have used Venters and Kimbrel instead of Sherrill and Linebrink.
Dylan Gee to go tomorrow. Guess he will throw a two hit shutout.
It was very nice to see the Braves for the first time this season. (thanks Fox!) Even nicer? Seeing Chipper play so well. I was worried that we would never see this level of play again.
Chipper with a .909 ops after tonight. Hopefully Heyward gets out of his little funk soon.
@3 Yeap. I am expecting precisely that.
Don’t overthink this and come to realization that this trade makes no sense, but would you do it?
Braves give:
Kenshin Kawakami
Nate McLouth
Braves get:
Mark Derosa
Aaron Rowand (Giants pay 10 million of Aaron’s 2012 salary)
Rowand gets big bucks in 2012 too and had bad OPS last year. At 33 he is on way down. Derosa is 36. No.
No on Rowland.
2,
It’s still an Atlanta Save if a non-closer picks it up, no?
@10 It is called the “Atlanta save” because Bobby would use the closer in the ninth despite a four run lead. It is a phase to highlight that this style makes no sense and only waste the arm of the closer. However, seems like Fredi is not doing that…at least for today.
It is a phase to highlight that this style makes no sense and only waste the arm of the closer.
I don’t think so, Tim. The Atlanta save came to existence during the times of Reitsma, KolBB etc., when no lead was safe (save?). It is an expression of relief that the lead held up, which one could never be sure of no matter how big it was. It has nothing to do with the closer at all, and definitely not with Bobby wasting his arm (which he hardly ever did anyway. If I remember correctly, he refused to use his closer for anything but a save for most of his days, maybe less so in in last couple of years.)
Is it just me, or has Linebrink actually looked rather nasty the last 5-6 games? That pitch Reyes swung at in the 9th absolutely handcuffed Ross.
@12 Oh yeah, that’s right. Then I interpreted it that way when we had Wag last year.
Should I interpret Hinske batting cleanup yesterday with Heyward still at 6th as stubborn defiance by Fredi towards the media? I am afraid that McLouth will bat 2nd most of the year just so Fredi can “prove” he’s right.
Still dead last in OBP, but moving up the ladder in HRs (4th). We’re 3rd in ERA.
I bet the lineup’s going to be strange today. Fredi said he’s going to get Hinske in the lineup and Chipper is sitting. It will probably be a day of rest for a few guys.
@16 It is against an AAAA team. Hinski hit well. No off day and a cross country flight. Makes sense, especially for Chipper.
How many homers does the team have now? I believe all but 1 are solo shots, right?
The Braves have hit 15 home runs.
Heyward and McCann both his 3 run home runs on April 6th and April 14th respectively.
So, 13 out of 15 are solo shots. Seems like a lot. I am sure that is a product of dead last OBP.
The game thread is up.