After undergoing season, and possibly career ending surgery just a few days ago, Chipper Jones had this to say:
"We're not going to beat anyone 10-1. We have to do all of the little things and find ways to win."
In the 3 games since then, the Braves have scored 27 runs and have reached double figures in two of the three. We didn't have Chipper in any of those games, didn't have Prado in two of them and even Heyward and McCann both missed a game. Yet we've scored 13, 4 and 10 runs in our last three games and are 3-0. That's pretty neat.
Mike Minor was on the mound Tuesday night and impressed once again. Minor ended up going 6 strong innings of two run baseball on 5 hits, and struck out 5 Nationals in the process. One of his highlights of the night was back-to-back strikeouts of Adam Dunn and Pudge Rodriguez with two runners on base in the 1st inning. If the Braves go down early, maybe they don't ever wakeup against Scott Olsen. Minor kept us in the game until the offense erupted, and that's all we can ask for from our 23-year old rookie.
The Nats did score first on Tuesday, and it came on back-to-back doubles in the 6th inning. Wil Nieves hit a ball right down the left field foul line which scored Ian Desmond from 2nd. Michael Morse followed up with a moonshot double into the left-center field gap to bring in Nieves from 2nd.
The Braves had had enough after that. Diory Hernandez (I'll be honest, I didn't even know he was still with the Major League club tonight) got the offense going in the 6th with a pinch-hit HR into left field on a no-doubt shot. I know a lot of people don't have much faith in Diory, but I still think he could turn into a Martin Prado-type player. He has the frame, and still has time to develop.
Anyways, the onslaught continued after the HR. Omar Infante hit a triple to right, and was followed by a Jason Heyward walk. Martin Prado, in his first game in nearly 3 weeks, came up with a big RBI double into right field which moved him and Jason Heyward into scoring position. Matty Diaz followed with a 2 RBI-double to left field to make the score 4-2 after 6 innings.
The Braves came right back in the 7th. Rick Ankiel scored from 2nd after Adam Dunn made an awful toss to the shortstop covering 2nd and Martin Prado drove in another runner with an RBI-single to center. Brooks Conrad walked to load the bases, and after both Glaus and Gonzalez failed to drive anyone in, Melky Cabrera came up big once again with a bloop double down the left-field line to drive in two more runners. Braves led 8-2 after 7 innings.
Eric Hinske came in to pinch-hit in the 8th and drove in Jason Heyward with a single to right field. Troy Glaus then redeemed himself after a pretty miserable night with a double into the left field corner. The score was 10-2 after 8 innings.
Cristhian Martinez came in the 9th to close out the Braves and did so without any problems. Kyle Farnsworth also struck out two batters in a scoreless 7th inning and Takashi Saito looked great in the 8th. Man, our bullpen is filthy.
Braves win 10-2.
The Giants teased us tonight, but ended up getting killed 9-3 by the Phillies. Thanks guys. Our lead is still 2.5 games.
MVP:
Diory Hernandez - 1-1, pinch-hit HR(1); Look, I know that Martin Prado was great in his return, Mike Minor was impressive on the mound and Matt Diaz had the go-ahead hit in the 6th, but Diory started the rally in the 6th. We looked asleep at the plate, and his HR ignited the team on Tuesday.
LVP:
Nats Bullpen - 3IP, 9H, 7R, 3BB, 4K; So i give you guys a lot of praise in the Series Preview, and you do this to me?! Thanks...I think.
Tomorrow's Game:
Livan Hernandez vs. Cy You -- I mean Tim Hudson. First pitch is at 7:10.
0 recs | 30 comments
Good to see the offense clicking
Glad to see Prado getting back to pre-injury raking form, and Mike went out there and pitched a good game, as did our bullpen. Much thanks to unsung Diory for his rally starting heroics. Let’s do this again tomorrow. I could get used to getting those… What are they called again? Oh yeah, multiple runs. Keep it up offense!
Late write-up. Why are we still awake?
oVecKid - August 18, 2010 via mobile
Well by the time i got done with work and hangin with friends it gets to be pretty late. And it’s only 1:15 here
Scott Coleman - August 18, 2010
So...
Did Olsen make it home without getting into an altercation with Georgia state troopers? Or a teammate?
I wish they would have made him wear that dumbass silver wig thingy for his postgame interview after this game.
Nice to see Martin back in the lineup, especially in the three spot. He could do a ton of damage there. Nice, nice work from Mike. Glad they got him the W. It was richly earned.
Sam Jethroe - August 18, 2010
Nice win with some very unexpected key players!
justincredubil02 - August 18, 2010
Sweet win
nick9314 - August 18, 2010
I was wrong on two accounts and will gladly take it. I thought Minor was lucky in his own right in Houston and possibly due for a setback. Wrong. I also questioned moving Prado into the 3 hole immidiately off the DL. Wrong again. I’ll gladly take being wrong!
CharlotteChop - August 18, 2010
So, supposedly the Dodgers are going to put Manny on waivers when he gets off the DL, should we claim him?
Lennox - August 18, 2010
I don’t think so. He isn’t close to the hitter that he used to be, and isn’t he making way more than anyone else we have talked about?
justincredubil02 - August 18, 2010
I think it would be worth thinking about
Manny isn’t near the hitter he once was, but I would assume he would provide more power than Matt Diaz, Ankiel, Hinkse or Melky. He would also command more attention and respect in the lineup from opposing pitchers, especially in the postseason.
As for his contract, his contract for this year is the biggest of anybody we’ve talked about, but he’s a free agent next year, no options or baggage we would have to worry about for next years payroll….So i think it would be at least worth considering. Imagine 1-5 of Infante, Heyward, Prado, Manny/McCann…
michaelcooksey - August 18, 2010
the only way i would even want to think about it is if they take back McLouth.
dkinser86 - August 18, 2010
There’s no way we’ll be able to get anybody to do that unless we take back a contract that does not expire at the end of the year, unlike Manny’s.
michaelcooksey - August 18, 2010
.317/.409/.516
Maybe not the hitter he once was, but he’s been better than almost anyone we have.
As for his contract, he’s only getting $5 MM this year, but has differed money spread out over the next 3, so we’d have to work something out with the Dodgers, either getting them to cover part of it or getting them to take Nate, or something, to make it work.
Lennox - August 18, 2010
Please God NO
skymuse - August 18, 2010
Good win
Minor pitched good again and the offense looked good. Let’s keep this up
Braves24 - August 18, 2010
Every offensive explosion lessens the chances that Venters’ arm will fall off. Keep it up guys!
10-4 - August 18, 2010
Glad we finally got to Scott Olsen
His career numbers vs. the Braves aren’t very good, but he’s pitched us very tough lately. I hate watching this team get owned by lousy pitchers like that — and the first five innings felt like more of the same…
Anyone else think Minor should have used the change a little more? He was throwing fastballs all night long except in a few key spots. He threw a beauty of a change to K Dunn and I was just wondering if he shouldn’t head to that a little more often to try and put guys away more quickly. Only his second start — he’s got plenty of time. Finally, I wonder if he shouldn’t be shaking Ross off as much as he did?
fphjr01 - August 18, 2010
there is a saying amongst pitchers
It is better to throw the wrong pitch with confidence than the right pitch without it.
Clemson Caniac - August 18, 2010
Diory with a homer........nobody saw that one coming.
I can barely remember his other one. BUT THAT WORKS, MAN
And the Dynamic Duo is Back (Prado and Infante)
The Melk Man continues to Cometh.
Chief Noc-A-Homa - August 18, 2010
Another great win
I like our chances tonight because we tore up Hernandez earlier this year, and our ACE is one the mound. Also keep in mind, Matt Cain vs. Joe Blanton tonight, I love that matchup for the Gigantes
KJDH2154 - August 18, 2010
Boy, it was sure swell...
To see what the top of the order could do with Prado back in the fold…
And I like what we have in Minor. If he can keep it up, having a lefty down the strech will big for this rotation.
Jman781 - August 18, 2010
Great win for the boys… I hate that I’m in Nats territory because it means I have to watch their broadcast when the Braves play them.
jbeachbum24 - August 18, 2010
same
listening to Dibble is almost enough to make me not watch.
nuftjedi - August 18, 2010
Ditto this.
My wife hates when the Braves play the Nats because it means I have to watch the game on television, rather than on my laptop. Not because she’s missing some crappy reality show, but because she has to listen to Rob Dibble. She knows next to nothing about baseball but it didn’t take more than 2 innings of her initial exposure to MASN broadcasts for her to decide that Dibble was “an egotistical douche.” My girl!
jtw126 - August 18, 2010
DIORY!
I almost love you more than MVP… but I don’t. MVP ftw
BigG1392 - August 18, 2010
Hate to nitpick
But Minor is 22 and will be 23 in Dec.
Jay212033 - August 18, 2010
Great to see a blowout victory! These are the only types of games that give Venters and Moylan a break.
ducheneaux13 - August 18, 2010
This game looked like it was living up to my fears
until Diory hit that shot. That was pretty sweet. I just love how everyone on this team has contributed at some point (except Jo-Jo). A good (not great) start from Minor, and I’m glad to see him get his first win (not that wins mean anything).
Oh, and a warm welcome back to Martin Prado! I love that guy.
Jacob Peterson - August 18, 2010
Minor got a surprise beer shower from Ross, Lowe, Conrad and Wagner after the game while he was being interviewed, according to DOB. Gotta love this team!
MBL1 - August 18, 2010
I hope the Phillies get a dose of Scott Olsen from the first five innings in his next start. He’s scheduled to start again Sunday.
Congrats to Minor on his first win. I hope it’s the first of many. The offense came through when it needed to and I hope it continues again.
The Yahoo recap photo has Minor’s name as “Moke Monor”. WTF.
TonyAlmeyda - August 18, 2010
LOL
mvandonsel - August 18, 2010
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