Braves stack lineup with lefties
Situation: The Braves faced Jose Fernandez for the second time in eight days, after mustering three hits with 14 strikeout in eight scoreless innings April 22.
The play: Since right-handed batters were 7-for-60 (.117) with no walks and 27 strikeouts against Fernandez before Tuesday, and lefties were 16-for-58 (.276) with six walks and 20 strikeouts, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez started four switch- or left-handed hitting bench players.
Result: This time the Braves only got two hits in eight innings against Fernandez, who walked two and struck out eight in a 9-0 Marlins victory. He is 3-1 with a 0.93 ERA in four career starts against the Braves, including 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and .094 opponents' average this season.
Explanation: It was a reasonable move considering the stats and the Braves' woes against Fernandez; the four regulars replaced were a combined 1-for-24 against Fernandez, including Justin Upton's 0-for-7 with four strikeouts.
Braves starters get extra rest
Situation: There were off days in the Braves' schedule April 24 and April 28, so they had to decide whether to skip one starter's turn in order to keep the others on close to regular rest, or keep the rotation in order.
The play: The Braves kept their starters in order, which meant two extra days of rest between starts – six days instead of the usual four — for Alex Wood and Aaron Harang when they faced the Marlins on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Result: Wood gave up seven earned runs in five innings, more runs that he'd allowed in 35 innings over his previous five starts combined, and Harang's nine earned runs allowed in 4 2/3 innings Wednesday were three times his previous season total allowed in 31 2/3 innings over five starts.
Explanation: Manager Fredi Gonzalez didn't want to skip any member of what has been the majors' best rotation, so he kept them in order. Harang said afterward that so much extra rest can throw off a pitcher and he should have thrown more between starts.
