On a night when the Braves' pitching staff showed that it has what it takes to make it to the playoffs (and thrive there), the Braves' hitters spent most of the night looking like they didn't deserve to make the AAA playoffs. Sure, Brian McCann launched a homer that put us up 1-0, but otherwise it was another LOBsterfest. The Braves left 12 men on base in the first 10 innings, including 6 in scoring position, and were 0/6 with RISP until the last play of the night. Sure, Marlins starter Alex Sanabia pitched very well (7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K), but some of the blame has to lie with the hitters' ineptitude.
Fortunately, for the Braves' hitters, Tommy Hanson and the bullpen were fantastic. Hanson went seven-and-two-thirds innings, giving up only 5 baserunners (4 singles and a killer bloop double that accounted for the Marlins' only run). Big Red nursed the puny 1-0 lead into the 8th inning before a single and stolen base (by Mike Stanton) and the fluky double (by Brad Davis) tied the game. He got another no-decision, but I think he's proving to the world that he deserves to be thought of as not just a future ace, but a present ace.
The bullpen was just as good as Big Red. Jonny Venters, Billy Wagner, Peter Moylan, and Mike Dunn combined to give up just 1 hit and 1 walk in three-and-a-third innings, striking out 6. Without their great work, the Braves (obviously) would have lost.
Which brings us to the ultimate reason that the Braves didn't lose: the clutch walk-off hit by Omar Infante in the 11th. Right before Omar came up, pinch-hitter Freddie Freeman struck out with 1 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd (in his defense, the called 3rd strike was borderline at best and he already had 2 strikes on him when the runners advanced on a wild pitch). At that point, I was seriously wondering if the Braves would get another clutch hit in the 2010 season.
Thankfully, Omar ended that chicken-little-esque line of thought quickly by lining a ball into the left field corner to win the game. Between the extra innings and the hour-plus rain delay at the start of the game, it was a long time coming. But it's never to late for a walk-off, I suppose.
On a negative note, Braves all-star second baseman/third baseman/sparkplug left the game after taking an awkward swing. The early word is that it was a hip pointer, and that he is day-to-day. I hope he's not out for long, because we can ill afford to lose what little offensive firepower we have. Prado apparently first tweaked the hip when making a spectacular diving play to his right on a Dan Uggla liner. What is it with Braves third basemen hurting themselves making great defensive plays this year?
Still, despite the injury, it was a good--and needed--win. At this point, we don't have to win pretty; we just have to win. As a bonus, the Padres lost 1-0 to the Cubs (Marmol narrowly avoided a meltdown, leaving the bases loaded in the 9th), which puts us back in the wild card lead. Huzzah!
0 recs | 68 comments
1 more Marmol…
MTSU11 - September 28, 2010
2 out one on
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
SB One on 2nd base 2 out
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
HBP Two on two out
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
Go Cubs?
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
It actually makes me sick but these are desperate times
MTSU11 - September 28, 2010
Let's go Cubbies
do something useful for once
BigG1392 - September 28, 2010
not good
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
hm
I really wish Freddie was a third baseman.
BigG1392 - September 28, 2010
Ugh...
I may get rocks thrown at me for this but I think at this point
Brooks Conrad at 100% >>> Martin Prado at 30%
MTSU11 - September 28, 2010
well better or not
I’m sure he’ll be the one starting.
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
Totally agree! Prado was hurting long before today. He needed an extended break 2 weeks ago.
BravesFanScout - September 28, 2010
Chipper needs to eat some sort of max health item.
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
just slap one of these on him
as long as every ball is hit right at him, he’ll be fine.
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
I actually had one of those
when I tore my ACL last year. Neat devices! Although I have to get surgery again because apparently scar tissue exists and it hurts like crazy.
Sir Veza - September 28, 2010
phoenix down
kbertling353 - September 28, 2010
Nice reference
HansonManCrush - September 28, 2010 via mobile
This sucks.
However, if true this means Prado will finally get the rest he needed. Hopefully we win the next few and he’s back relatively healthy for playoffs.
Pavy848 - September 28, 2010 via mobile
Ack
Step it up Marmol
BigG1392 - September 28, 2010
Great here we go
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
hats off to Tommy
he (again) deserved the win, but didn’t get one although without him the Braves don’t win this one.
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
Post game interview he said he just put SuperGlue on it and kept going.
We noticed during the game that he kept wiping blood on his pants – this is why.
NCChopper - September 28, 2010
Marmol
fail
BigG1392 - September 28, 2010
almost
not quite yet
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
he’s tryin’
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
Cubs win?
BeatTehMets - September 28, 2010
Oh my god
F you Marmol.
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010
thank god.
freakin Cubs.
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010
One thing about Marmol:
he’s always interesting. Thankfully he held on this time.
Oh, and major props to Big Z for kicking some ass tonight.
Jacob Peterson - September 28, 2010
Gotta love Z. Heyward kills him, and then comes up huge tonight.
How’s the married life?
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010
Oh, it's pretty great, as long as you're married to the right gal
(which I am).
Been really busy lately between that and moving to a new apartment, so that’s why I haven’t been around TC very much. Hopefully everything will calm down in time for the Braves to win the World Series.
Jacob Peterson - September 28, 2010
Good to hear
I guess having a wife is a little more important than TC, but that might change if we make the playoffs.
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010
It's over
thank you, Marmol.
BigG1392 - September 28, 2010
1st place in the NL WILD CARD!
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
I’ll take 3 more of these, please.
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010
F’n great. I was sweatin it there for a second. I need to go watch the Katy Perry SNL .gif to calm my nerves
MTSU11 - September 28, 2010
Bouncy!
joshmaurer - September 28, 2010 via mobile
Our offense is horrible. I tried to think of a word worse than horrible, but I couldn’t come up with anything.
I am extremely happy with the win tonight, and it is very encouraging. Despite that, there is no denying that the offense is choking. They are so not clutch right now. Hopefully, Omar’s hit tonight will loosen them up some. Let’s just hope that Prado isn’t out for the remainder of the season. That will only make our players feel even more pressure when they step up to the plate.
ryantex - September 28, 2010
Braves hitting right now- disasterpiece theatre.
Broccoman - September 28, 2010
Atrociously atrophic.
oVecKid - September 28, 2010 via mobile
offensively offensive
Sir Veza - September 28, 2010
first time a recap hasn't mentioned Jay Hey??
MikeTrain - September 28, 2010
if it means WINS
I’ll take it :)
nuftjedi - September 28, 2010
You know, with Prado hurt, it can only mean one thing:
Jason Heyward will be batting 3rd.
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010 via mobile
I wish.
Sam Jethroe - September 28, 2010
Wouldn't be surprised
If Bobby decided to slide Brooks right into the 3-hole so as to not interrupt the continuity of the lineup. I can see it happening…
BravesDawg16 - September 28, 2010
Bobby better not.
McLouth
Infante
Heyward
BMac
DLee
Gonzalez
Diaz
Conrad
Huddy
looks good to me.
Scott Coleman - September 28, 2010 via mobile
I hope you are right
I like the look of that lineup too. But I’m just saying, we all know how Bobby is…
BravesDawg16 - September 28, 2010
Alas, we do.
Sam Jethroe - September 28, 2010
I still like nate hitting 2nd
Infante
Mclouth
Heyward
Lee
McCann
Gonzalez
Ankiel
Conrad
drumzalicious - September 28, 2010 via mobile
I’m going to ignore all negative aspects of this performance and take away the fact that we won a game we had to win. I accept the fact we could and should have done much better.
But we won. We did what we had to do. We succeeded.
Gotta do it again tomorrow. Don’t care what it looks like.
Right now, a win, is a win, is a win.
-C
cthabeerman - September 28, 2010
Welcome to Cliche City!
Tim Goad - September 28, 2010
all we gotta do to win....
is score more than the other team
traphicg - September 28, 2010
I think you need to tell that to the Braves. Right now, their theory is that you win by trying not to lose.
ryantex - September 28, 2010
Cox put wags in in the ninth… isn’t that trying to win?
joshmaurer - September 28, 2010 via mobile
We'll give it 110%
And there’s no ‘I’ in TEAM!
E-Lizz - September 28, 2010 via mobile
So, with Prado out for the remainder of the season (probably)…do you think Cox would actually start Glaus at third? I mean he did have a great month earlier this year and has had a long time off to recover. Do you think he could find some magic/HR’s in his bat for the last 5 games? He’d be a huge lift to fill in at 3rd if he can hit and play acceptable defense (I know that’s questionable) but he brings a lot more power than Conrad. I love Conrad, but he can always come in later as a defensive replacement, and plus we’d still have him on the bench as a pinch hitter for later in the game.
Dave_D - September 28, 2010
It’d be great to watch all opposing hitters try their damndest to hit it right at him.
joshmaurer - September 28, 2010 via mobile
Seriously every guy would just bunt his way.
bpk228480 - September 28, 2010
Highly doubtful – Glaus is a terrible defensive liability at 3B and he hasn’t shown much at the plate for months now.
Conrad will be getting the chance to come up big for the team. I say he’s as likely as anybody to be a hero.
fandave - September 28, 2010
Glaus
I really felt that Glaus should have been hitting in place of Freeman. I dont understand why he wouldn’t use Glaus in that situation. I certainly think that putting the veteran at the plate in that situation would have been the wiser decision.
I wish he could still play third base because it would certainly help.
rcates - September 28, 2010
Let's keep it going please...
NCChopper - September 28, 2010
Like an underpaid Nike ad exec...
we need more checks.
Mr. Sanchez - September 28, 2010
Great win!
I was at the game last night and from my seat down the left field line I saw some good action. The low point of the game, (other than the Prado injury) was watching McLouth go after a ball, catch it on a hop and then scramble around like he did not know where it was. I have never seen that before. Luckily that didn’t cost us the game. The high point was seeing that ball hit by Infante go bounding down the left field line. What a wonderful sight that was after such a tense game. I heard someone behind me yell, “That was totally worth the wait”. I agreed with that sentiment. A lot of people left early and missed it. I’ve got tickets for Friday and Sunday and I am hoping to see the Braves clinch a playoff spot. I have been lucky enough to attend ten games so far and I have been able to see Heyward hit his first homer, McCann hit a homer that had to go to instant replay and this extra inning thriller. I hope Sunday’s game is not the last one because I would love to go to Turner Field next week and see a playoff game.
JimH - September 28, 2010
Yeah, that McLouse-y dis-play was u g l y.
Lizziebeth - September 28, 2010
Pull McLouth! I guess they are waiting for him to give someone a concussion..
The Braves have allowed 2 inside the park home runs in recent memory, 20 years or so…Nate McLouth was involved in both of them. You put bad defense with the fact the Braves can’t put runs on the board, that spells disaster. We lead the Padres by a half game, If they want this, they gotta step up, If we the fans want this, We gotta go to Turner Field and Chop and Scream our hearts outs! No looking back now, GO BRAVES!!!!!
Allen Lawson - September 28, 2010
Answered prayers!
Yesterday gondeee posted the pic of the Atlanta jersey with a cross hanging on it, and said “prayers are welcome”.
I for one prayed for a win, and made this pic my profile pic. Maybe the win was an answer to many prayers from Braves fans on this site :)
HEYJUDE - September 28, 2010
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