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DEL.ICIO.USChipper’s homer not enough
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Milwaukee — Chipper Jones provided a spark in his first game back from the disabled list, but it wasn’t enough to crank the stalled engine that is the Braves offense.
Jones hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, but the Braves couldn’t add anything and Tim Hudson didn’t protect the two-run lead in a 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
“We’re awfully disappointed in the way we’re playing right now,” Jones said after the third loss in four games for the Braves (9-11), who need a win this afternoon to avoid being swept in the three-game series. “We’re just not scoring enough runs. We can’t string anything together offensively.”
The Braves are 3-4 on a three-city trip that ends Wednesday. They’ve hit .190 in their past nine games and generated three runs or fewer in eight, after batting .289 and scoring four or more runs in their first 11 games.
Jones had two hits, while five other Braves had a single apiece. That was it.
“That’s about all the offense we got,” first baseman Adam LaRoche said of Jones’ homer. “We threw a couple other hits in there, but it didn’t really matter. Huddy pitched great, but they just took advantage of every opportunity.”
Hudson (1-2) threw a three-hitter against the Mets a week ago and looked to be in similar form during the early innings against the Brewers.
But after allowing only one baserunner through three innings, he gave up a Geoff Jenkins solo homer in the fourth and two runs on three hits in the sixth, including two-out singles by Carlos Lee and Prince Fielder.
They added a run in the seventh as Hudson finished with seven innings, nine hits and four runs.
“He should have fared a lot better,” manager Bobby Cox said. “He pitched great.”
Hudson said, “I felt good, man. I felt a lot better than a 4-2 loss, that’s for sure.”
Tomo Ohka (2-1) limited the Braves to two runs and seven hits in seven innings, improving to 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his past four starts against them.
Jones homered in his second at-bat after a 15-day stint on the disabled list for a sprained right knee and ankle. His opposite-field homer to left-center off Ohka gave the Braves a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning.
It was the second consecutive year he homered in his first game after coming off the DL. On July 18 at San Francisco, he homered in the first at-bat after six weeks on the DL with a foot injury.
The Braves entered Tuesday trailing the NL East-leading Mets by 3-1/2 games, with a three-game series against New York beginning Friday at Turner Field. They wanted to make up ground at Milwaukee and have an opportunity to overtake the Mets this weekend.
Now they’re trying to avoid what would be the first-ever Brewers sweep of the Braves. Their win Tuesday gave the Brewers their first series win against the Braves in Milwaukee, and they’ve won five of the past seven games between the teams. Struggling Jorge Sosa faces Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets in today’s finale.
“There’s a little bit of pressure [today],” LaRoche said. “It’s a big game. There’s no other way around it. But we can’t go out there and play not to get beat. We’ve got to go out there and play to win.”
“It’s not too early to get frustrated,” Jones said. “We’ve got a lot of guys in here frustrated. Yeah, it’s only 20 games. But if you keep saying that … the next thing you know it’s 100 games and you’re 10 games out. And we don’t want that to happen.”
Former Braves prospect Jose Capellan pitched a perfect eighth with one strikeout, and closer Derrick Turnbow struck out Jeff Francoeur swinging at a full-count pitch with LaRoche on first base to end the game.
The Braves’ average was down to .248 before Tuesday, 15th in the National League. Their .315 on-base percentage was the NL’s worst, and 155 strikeouts by Braves hitters was the league high.
Getting Jones back should help in those areas, as will Edgar Renteria’s scheduled return Friday. But the Braves are going to need a lot more production from others.
Andruw Jones hit .424 with five homers in 33 at-bats against Ohka before Tuesday, when he went 1-for-4 with a single and lined into a double play. The center fielder is 2-for-15 with two singles and six strikeouts in his past four games, after hitting five homers in the four prior games.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Categories: Game Night
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By Tomahawkin
April 26, 2006 12:07 AM | Link to this
Thanx 4 the 411 on the stats D.O.B.
“their average to .248, 15th in the National League. Their .315 on-base percentage was the NL’s worst, and 155 strikeouts by Braves hitters was the league high.”
This must improve if we are gonna win #15 over the last 14 years we weren’t a team that was known 4 striking out, we need to get back to that…
Why the He!! was Prado sent down…unless pete or was out of options he should be the one headed 4 Richmond…
We desperately need to get these spring training questions (leadoff, hitters, and the blow-pen) straightened out, before we start playing the Big Boys (Cubs, Cardinals, Stros)
By B.J.
April 26, 2006 12:16 AM | Link to this
I’ve had it with this team. Sure, they will still win the East, but that’s it (again). I had NO problems when the starting pitching came out of the gate poorly, because I knew that they left spring training NOT ready to pitch. Now everything is fine there, and the offense has gone sour. True enough, there were some injuries that have limited the offense, however that doesn’t speak to the WRONG batting lineup being put out there. There are several things Bobby Cox must realize about his players so he can put together the best batting order: The top 4 is okay, but after that is all messed up. This is the winning lineup:
Once Wilson is back on the bench, and Renteria is back at second, then they should move McCann to fifth and bat Langerhans sixth—especially against righties. If this lineup was employed then the Braves would score much more runs.
By Tomahawkin
April 26, 2006 12:17 AM | Link to this
Awww….Shyt Sosa against Sheets tomorrow, I don’t like our chances in that one. The Same Ben Sheets that struck out I think it was 16 in 2004, He owns us…
I’m gonna be p-isse-d if we get swept, I know Andruw and his boyz aren’t gonna go out like that…
Being optomistic We have our Mutt Killa back 4 dis weekend… If Chipper wants to reclaim his Team leader role he’d better carry this team on his back, because I’m beginning to think this is the worse offensive braves lineup since 1990
as long as we play this way until our annual June Bloom, I’m livin one series at a time, Still 140 games left…
By David O'Brien
April 26, 2006 01:03 AM | Link to this
Actually, I gave Andruw one more hit than he has in last four games. He’s 2-for-15 with two singles, not 3-for-15 with three singles.
Hard to believe Brewers have won five of last seven vs. Braves and could sweep them tomorrow, unless Sosa shocks us all and Shields stops mowing down Braves.
Shields was 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 31-2/3 innings during four starts against the Braves during 2004-05.
By Bold:**Jack**
April 26, 2006 02:46 AM | Link to this
Braves will prevail tomorrow and everyone should stop fretting about Frenchy..
By Marc
April 26, 2006 02:57 AM | Link to this
We have two completly worthless hitters in the lineup. Did anyone really think that Laroach would all of a sudden become a good hitter. The guy is hitting .215, he’s a joke. He is going to have 200 strikeouts. Oh but he can field 1st base, whoopty doo. Anyone can field 1st. As for Frenchy, he will never be succesful swinging at every pitch thrown, so if he is not going to learn how to be a big league hitter, he shouldn’t be on the big league roster. This team right now is a joke, at least they are back to the good ole Braves we know, decent pitching, can’t hit a lick. Although you have to excuse their performance tonight, because they were facing a hall of fame pitcher in Ohka. 4 games out with the Mets coming in, time to figure it out boys. I agree with what Chipper said, you can only say the season is early for so long, pretty soon it is going to be to late. By the way I am sick of the excuse that this team starts out slow every year, why is that. They always have great players, a great coach, and a great GM. The Braves need to start busting a** now. It’s time to play like champions. Please BC drop Laroach to seventh and Frenchy to eigth, or just remove them from a lineup. How long do you give guys to figure it out, how many losses.
By Marc
April 26, 2006 03:01 AM | Link to this
By the way DOB, I wish the Braves were facing Shields. I think you meant, actually I know you meant Sheets. Sosa v. Sheets, with the way this team is hitting, it’s a long shot. The Braves could be 5 games out facing the Mets. This team had these problems from the get go, this may have been the worst offseason for JS, he got Renteria, and then, (I’m sure he tried), accomplished nothing else. This team has a lot of holes. Hopefully they can pull it together.
By brewerfaninATL
April 26, 2006 06:53 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the dis DOB, it’s SHEETS, not Shields! At any rate, it should be a good game…who knows, Sosa may turn it around for you. I hope not today, but he just might. It could be another 3-2, 4-2 type of game…let’s go have some fun!
By Larry
April 26, 2006 07:36 AM | Link to this
What we need is a manager that is better than his payroll. Bobby’s success in the regular season parallels his payroll—look it up!
Of course we all know about his 1-14 record in the last game of the playoffs. He is the worst post-season manager in the history of baseball.
By Dubya Cubed
April 26, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this
Larry, how can you knock Bobby Cox? What do you mean his regular season success parallels his payroll. 1st place is 1st place, no matter what the payroll is. I’m glad that we’ve been to the post season enough times, that BC can actually be labeled as having a poor playoff percentage.
There is a team in Florida that is just for you. Every few years the Marlins jack up the payroll and win it all. Don’t complain during those other years, though. You got what you asked for - you didn’t lose a playoff game.
By Mets Stink
April 26, 2006 09:30 AM | Link to this
If Bobby wanted to manage 10 more years, then he should be able to. He’s the best manager in baseball. His players will do anything for him. Who’s he going to replace LaRoche and Francoeur with? They are in the lineup because there’s noone else to replace them with. Schuerholtz is the one that needs to step it up and make a deal for a 1B. Bobby can’t swing the bat for them.
By Choppin Bob
April 26, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this
BC doesn’t hit the ball, but he can bench Frenchy. Dump Jordan, because his leadership isn’t working.
By Yars
April 26, 2006 10:09 AM | Link to this
Nobody could have predicted that within the first month of the season, Chipper would be on the DL, Renteria would be missing a lot of games, and Frenchy would be in a big time slump. I sure as hell didn’t see any of this coming. Luckily, there are 140 games left so I wouldn’t give up on the team just yet. The Mets are the real deal this season and they should be taken seriously. Don’t think if the Braves don’t win the East, they will automatically get the wildcard. I don’t see that happening. It’s win the East or bust. The starting pitching is coming around I think Hudson pitched well against the Brewers he just didn’t get a lot of run support. If the Braves don’t get it together, I have a feeling the Mets will run away with the East. They are that good. It doesn’t help that Frenchy is off to a terrible start and that LaRoche is as well. It looks like Chipper and Andruw are going to have to carry this team the rest of the way unless Frenchy, LaRoche, Jorge Sosa start living up to their potential and start producing.
By pancho
April 26, 2006 10:10 AM | Link to this
I’m not disagree with Franchie, but he need to spend some time at bench to think better about the stuff he doing wrong at home plate. I think he’s frustated by the slump. He has the potential but his mind is not right for now.Cox should find a way out to this offensive problems. The guys last year made the right stuff but this year they aren’t the same. And I repeat again, we don’t have the enough OF players at bench to fill the RF hole.
By Choppin Bob
April 26, 2006 10:20 AM | Link to this
If we are going to lose with Frenchy in we can lose with him out. Put Diaz out there and let boy blunder PH.
By Mets Stink
April 26, 2006 10:41 AM | Link to this
If BC dumps Jordan and benches Frenchy, then who’s going to play? Diaz hasn’t done anything except for throwing a guy out at home. We all know Frenchy can do that. Bobby doesn’t have any other option he has to play Frenchy and LaRoche. There’s nobody else better. It’s time to send Diaz down and call up Jurries. Jordan can back up the outfielders (he has no power, but he is hiting decent).