DEL.ICIO.USKotchman, Hampton lead Braves past Phillies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Philadelphia — Casey Kotchman hasn’t been with the Braves long enough to know how Phillies ace Cole Hamels has had them under his thumb these past few years.
It’s probably safe for his teammates to tell him, however, as Hamels’ Atlanta mojo apparently has no effect on the team’s new first baseman.
AP
Braves’ Josh Anderson breaks his bat but gets a single in the second inning. Casey Kotchman advanced to third on the hit.
Kotchman’s sixth-inning homer was the difference in the Braves’ 3-2 victory against Philadelphia on Tuesday, in what might have been the last Braves start for Mike Hampton.
“Hampy’s been pitching well, and it was nice to get him a ‘W’ tonight,” said Kotchman, who has three homers in nine at-bats against Hamels, including two homers off the left-hander in the past week.
Kelly Johnson extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a first-inning RBI single, and the Braves won their second consecutive one-run road game since snapping their major league-record of 29 straight losses in one-run road games.
Hampton (3-3) was the starter in both one-run wins, but got no decision in the 3-2 win against the Mets at New York on Sept. 13.
He allowed two runs and six innings in that game at Shea Stadium, the same totals he posted Tuesday against the Phillies for his first win since Aug. 16.
“Hampton got his cutter [cut fastball] back tonight; it was dynamite,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said of the veteran, who had been 0-2 in his past six games despite a 3.83 ERA and five quality starts in that span.
“Hampton keeps pitching against the toughest pitchers,” Cox said. “He wanted Johan Santana [Sept. 13] in New York. He loves pitching against the best.”
Hampton also has relished pitching for the Braves for six seasons — that is, between his many injuries and agonizing recoveries from two major elbow surgeries that sidelined him nearly three years.
The 36-year-old lefty will be a free agent after the season, and he said if the Braves decide they might want him back, he would listen. Braves officials haven’t said whether they are interested.
“We’ll see,” Hampton said. “This organization has been great to me. They hung in there through some pretty bad times, some low points in my career. They’ve always had my back, showed me loyalty. We’ll see.”
Cox left open the door for Hampton to possibly pitch once more in the season finale Sunday in Houston, where Hampton was a 22-game winner for the Astros in 1999. “It’s up to him,” Cox said.
Sunday would be Jair Jurrjens’ regular turn. The talented rookie has already pitched 188-1/3 innings — more than 40 above his previous career high — and could decide to let Hampton replace him.
Hampton said he would talk to Jurrjens about it and do what the rookie wants.
The Braves’ victory was only the third in 17 games against the division-leading Phillies, who were on a 10-1 tear before Tuesday’s loss. Their magic number to clinch the East title remained at four after the Mets defeated the Cubs on Tuesday.
Hamels (14-10) gave up three runs (two earned) and eight hits in seven innings Tuesday for his first loss against the Braves since Aug. 8, 2006.
He was 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA in his past nine starts against them, including 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA in four this season. He threw a four-hit shutout against the Braves on May 15 in Philadelphia.
Hamels allowed nine runs (four earned) in the fourth inning of a July 26 game against the Braves, which the Phillies came back to win 10-9. The pitcher made a costly throwing error in that July game — and an even costlier one Tuesday.
The score was tied in the third inning and the Braves had runners at first and second with two outs when he attempted a spin pickoff move to get Kelly Johnson at second base. Johnson took off for third, and Hamels threw wildly toward the base, allowing Johnson to score for a 2-1 lead.
Johnson was 1-for-13 against Hamels before two hits Tuesday. He has batted .415 with 18 RBIs during his hitting streak, the longest in the NL this season.
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