Infielder Hector Olivera, the prized rookie acquired in a July trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, broke out at the plate with a two-run double and a two-run home run and the visiting Braves snapped a 12-game losing streak, topping the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series.
The victory also keeps the Braves ahead of the Phillies in the NL East standings.
Pay attention to elder
A.J. Pierzynski has had a career-resurgent type of season at age 38, climbing up the career hitting lists for catchers and being mentioned by teammates and Braves officials as the frontrunner for the team’s MVP award.’
But neither personal accomplishments nor the wisdom that comes with nearly two decades of major league experience have made it any easier for him to accept the mind-numbing amount of losses the Braves have piled up over the past two months.
“I don’t care who you are,” he said over the weekend in Washington. “I want to go out there and win. I’ve never been on a team that’s lost this many games in this short amount of time.”
The AJC checks in one last time on the Braves’ top minor-league prospects as the minor-league season comes to an end.
The Braves could be headed for an epic collapse.
Nick Markakis is thriving as a leadoff hitter.
