I can't believe we actually swept the Phillies. Our little Braves.
Thursday night's game was a typical Javier Vazquez start -- he doesn't give up a lot of runs, and the Braves don't score a lot of runs for him. Only this time, we actually came back to win the game.
It wasn't the top of the lineup like it had been in the previous two games, tonight the offense came from the bottom of the lineup and Matt Diaz and Casey Kotchman. They had 5 hits between them, including a key double by Diaz in the decisive 3-run eighth inning.
After Diaz came through with the tie-breaking RBI, Garret Anderson pinch-hit for the helpless (0-for-3, 2 SO, 3 LOB) Jeff Francoeur and added two insurance runs with his 5th homerun of the season.
Brian McCann, who scored the wining run in the eighth, helped save the Braves from falling behind in the top inning by hustling back to the wall on a wild pitch and then twirling and throwing a bullet to Mike Gonzalez who sacrificed his body to tag out the runner attempting to score. The opposing manager put it best:
"That's momentum," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "They stopped us. ... That turns the whole game, the whole energy, the brightness of it. They're going back in the dugout thinking, 'Man, we dodged a bullet there. Let's go get 'em now. Things liven up.'"
Diaz now has his average up to .299, and with Anderson at a respectable .287, the .248 with no power hitting Francoeur might find himself Kelly Johnsoned out of an everyday role. Diaz and Anderson aren't names that blow your socks off, but either of them are better at the plate than Francoeur.
"If we keep playing with the same errorless baseball and the great pitching and timely hitting, this team's going to be tough to beat," McCann said.
Timely hitting, then Francoeur need not be in the lineup.
But enough about the negative, let's enjoy this win and enjoy this sweep, and let's hope the team doesn't let up when they play the Nationals this weekend.
0 recs | 15 comments
Please don't go to Washington and kill this feeling I have right now!
Go Braves!
gramsey712 - July 3, 2009
Just wondering..
when was the last time we had back to back sweeps of division rivals?
Tim Goad - July 3, 2009
Braves have a great opportunity
To gain some ground against a terrible opponent while the Mets hopefully take 2 of three from the Phillies.
was385 - July 3, 2009
Great sweep lets follow it up with another one
Heyward is the next crime dog - July 3, 2009
congrats
The Phillies stunk, and the Braves took advantage. It’s a four team race now.
WholeCamels - July 3, 2009
Why isn't Matt Diaz starting over Francouer?
The excuse was Diaz couldn’t hit RH hitters. Look at his numbers against RH. He is better than either Anderson and Francouer. He also can steal a base, he hustles, and he isn’t that bad with the gloves.
Alvaro Andres Pizza Varela - July 3, 2009
i thought the problem with Diaz is that he fizzles out when he's not in a platoon
Seems to be the consensus of his performance last year
RichmondBraves - July 3, 2009
That was the problem last year when he was unfit. He went on a serious health regime over the winter and lost weight and got fast. He’s real healthy and can hold down an everyday job
ccarr25 - July 3, 2009
Longest winning streak of the year FTW. That play with the wild pitch was very exciting. I jumped out of my bed in excitement, real big play.It was feeling like one of those games that we normally lose 3-2, but somehow our guys found some timely hitting. But as everyone says, lets see what we do against the Nats. Two out of three would be nice, but a sweep would be oh so sweet.
mad_dog_maddux - July 3, 2009
I always liked that Garret Anderson character.
Smoltz's Beard - July 3, 2009
lol
Rhyno18 - July 3, 2009
Sweep Nats and...
I hope we can sweep the Nats to get over .500 and that the Mets/Phils series is a backyard brawl. Maybe every game will go into extra innings and Utley and Santana will beat each other up over a HBP. Just joking…sorta.
I was glad to see this. And two of these games were tough wins. It is time to move Diaz to right and maybe we could get something for a Johnson/Frenchy package?!?!
SupermanWearsBobSander'sPJs - July 3, 2009
We would be lucky for some one to just take them off of our hands let alone some one give us some talent in return. Their value is little to none at this point.
That a boy - July 3, 2009
Yeah...
Nobody would want a young 2B who’s been one of the best 10 hitters at his position in baseball the last two years.
MichaelProcton - July 5, 2009
Feeling good right now although Mac and Gonzo got kinda lucky we didnt give up the run.
Lets sweep these Nats.
drumzalicious - July 3, 2009
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