Braves keep pressing Rockies with win in Washington

By David O'Brien

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

WASHINGTON -- No one is sure whether the resurgent Braves have enough time to complete an improbable dash for a postseason berth, but there’s no question that Tommy Hanson has been a big contributor to their stirring run.

“He’s one of the biggest reasons,” catcher Brian McCann said after Hanson pitched seven strong innings in an 11-5 Braves win against Washington on a soggy Saturday at Nationals Park. “What he brings to the team is a guy who’s got No. 1 stuff and gives you a chance to win every time out.”

McCann homered in a five-run ninth that erased any remaining doubt about the outcome of the Braves’ 13th win in 15 games. They are just 2-1/2 games behind National League wild-card leader Colorado after the Rockies lost to St. Louis on Saturday night.

“It’s getting to be a lot more fun,” said manager Bobby Cox, whose Braves are second in the wild-card race, but have only eight games left to reel in the Rockies.

Five Braves had two hits apiece, including Garrett Anderson, who is five hits from 2,500, and Yunel Escobar, whose three RBIs included a two-run single in the four-run first inning.

For the first time in his major league career, Hanson (11-4) came to bat before he threw a pitch, as the Braves batted around in the first inning against Garret Mock (3-10) and a sloppy Washington defense.

“Every time you get a lot of runs early, it’s easier,” said Hanson, who gave up four runs, four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in seven innings, including five innings where no one reached base.

The 6-foot-5 rookie gave up a three-run homer to pinch-hitter Mike Morse with one out in the fifth, after walking the leadoff hitter and allowing a single before the first out.

“I thought Hanson probably rushed himself a little in the fifth inning,” Cox said. “We had a bad weather report. There was supposed to come a gusher.”

Hanson, victimized by rain delays in several starts this season, said he hurried in the fifth trying to make sure the Braves had enough innings for an official game in case the forecast held true and heavier rain arrived.

“I was just rushing instead of doing what I was doing [to that point],” said Hanson, who had allowed one run on a pair of third-inning singles and held a 6-1 lead before Morse came to bat. “I was being too aggressive, letting them put the ball in play [in the fifth]. I definitely learned my lesson.”

He was ahead in the count 3-1 before throwing Morse three consecutive four-seam (straight) fastballs. Morse fouled off the second, and hit the third onto a grass berm beyond center field.

That trimmed the Braves’ lead to 6-4, but Hanson retired the last eight he faced, and Mike Gonzalez struck out two in the eighth before the Braves blew the game open in the ninth.

After sweeping the Mets last week, the Braves will try to complete a perfect six-game trip with a win Sunday against the Nationals, who have lost 27 of 36 to plummet to 50 games under .500 (52-102).

The Braves are 50-30 since June 28, a 100-win pace if they did it over a 162-game season. It's the best record in the National League in that period, slightly better than Philadelphia's 51-31.

Someone asked Cox if his team was really that good, to play like a 100-win team that long.

“We’re pretty good right now,” he said, in a tone that said, darn right. “We had some additions [since midseason]. We added [Nate] McLouth, moved [Martin] Prado into the lineup, [Adam] LaRoche….”

The Phillies are still five games ahead in the NL East standings, and the Braves might’ve waited too long to have any chance of catching them.

But the Rockies are still be within reach, and the Braves show no signs of letting up.