The Baltimore Orioles didn’t provide much of a reprieve in this weekend series sandwiched between two series against the Yankees, but the Braves had to make the best of it.
They snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win Friday night on the strength of home runs by rookie shortstop Andrelton Simmons and surging backstop Brian McCann.
The Braves snapped the Orioles’ five-game winning streak while they were at it to move back within four games of the Nationals in the NL East.
Hitting with runners in scoring position hadn’t been working too well lately, so the Braves took aim at the outfield seats. McCann hit his second home run in as many games and Simmons hit the second home run of his young major league career.
Simmons used a two-run shot to give the Braves a 3-2 lead and atone for his first error in 12 games as a major leaguer. His errant throw in the fourth inning opened the door for two unearned runs off Tommy Hanson and a 2-1 Orioles lead, but Simmons got it back with one swing off left-hander Brian Matusz in the sixth inning.
“After I made the error, I felt like it cost us two runs, and I was trying to make it up to the team,” Simmons said. “You try not to try too hard, but it’s in the back of your head….‘I feel like I’ve got to make good plays behind the pitchers again,’ or ‘I’ve got to get on base and try to get runs somehow.’ So luckily Matt (Diaz) got on base, and I got to give us a lead.”
Simmons went 3-for-4 for his second three-hit game and is hitting .333 since his call-up from Double-A Mississippi.
“I’m seeing the ball really well, and I’m not missing my pitches,” Simmons said. “If I’m feeling like this, I’m expecting to get results.”
McCann is too, after saying Monday night he has discovered a mechanical adjustment to help him get going at the plate. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run, giving him five extra-base hits in his past three games. His ninth home run of the season gave the Braves a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Hanson had been a perfect 6-0 in six starts against the A.L East entering the game, but he walked a season-high six batters. He was doing well not to lose on a night when he struggled with his command – and home plate umpire Derryl Cousins.
“You guys watched the game,” said Hanson, who had to hold back his emotions coming off the field. “I don’t really have anything to say. My patience was definitely tested tonight. I’ve got to do a better job of making pitches I guess. And those close ones maybe next time will go my way. I don’t know.”
He used two double plays to keep the Braves in the game, and when he came out with one out in the sixth having thrown 105 pitches, he was down only 2-1.
Chad Durbin stranded two runners for Hanson to get the win. Kris Medlen followed with two scoreless innings in his first work back in the bullpen after a Triple-A Gwinnett stint meant to stretch him out. Craig Kimbrel finished it off with his 19th save. He coaxed a double play to end the game, fitting for a team that turned four on the night.
Hanson reached 500 strikeouts for his career when he got Matt Wieters for the first out of the sixth inning, but trailing 2-1, he wasn’t much in the mood to acknowledge the ovation he got from the Turner Field crowd. He walked the next two batters and his night was over, after only two strikeouts and six walks, double his previous season-high of three.
The Braves have been playing flawless defense and got one highlight play after another Friday from Michael Bourn, Matt Diaz, Dan Uggla and Martin Prado, so it was ironic that poor defense led to the only two runs on Hanson.
After Simmons committed his first error on a high throw to put Mark Reynolds on base to lead off the fourth, Bourn committed his first of the season, misplaying a Wilson Betemit double to left center. That allowed a run to score and Betemit to reach third. Two pitches later he scored on a sacrifice fly.
Overall though, the Braves defense was something to behold.
“We made some great plays,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Two 3-6-3 doubles plays, which that’s probably the toughest double play to turn and we did it with two different first basemen (Prado and Eric Hinske). Overall great defense. Guys leaving their feet everywhere around the field.”
