LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Exactly seven months after being diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee, Chipper Jones went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks and two RBIs on Saturday against a team he often torments, the Mets.
His two long hits -- one went the other way to the left-center warning track -- helped the Braves to a 12-0 dismantling of the visiting New Yorkers at Champion Stadium.
“I’ve been a little frustrated with my left-handed swing the first couple of weeks,” said the veteran switch-hitter. “It takes time. Today was really the first day that I was selective. I wasn’t off-balance at all. Put good wood on the ball twice. Can’t be much happier than that.”
The third baseman, who turns 39 next month, has been quieting skeptics, coming back from major knee surgery and hitting .323 (10-for-31) with four doubles, a home run, six RBIs and a .400 on-base percentage. He's 4-for-8 with three doubles and two walks in his past three games.
"Obviously you're really encouraged," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He's put a lot of hard work into it to get himself into this position."
Jones was diagnosed with a torn ACL on Aug. 12 and had surgery two days later.
He split time between designated hitter and third base in the first 10 days of camp to ease into full activity. Three of his four starts in the past five games have been at third.
Moving well in the field and on the bases, he has had no incidents or issues with the knee, other than a couple of achy days early in camp before the games began.
He doubled Saturday against right-handers R.A. Dickey and D.J. Carrasco. He walked twice against Dickey, a knuckleballer who mixes in 83-85 mph fastballs and change-ups.
Wren ‘calls' Ross' big day
During batting practice Saturday, Braves general manager Frank Wren had a casual "What's up?" for backup catcher David Ross. Not missing a beat, Ross replied, "Not my batting average."
"And he said, ‘Today’s a breakout day,’” Ross said four hours later, after going 3-for-4 with a double and five RBIs. “Frank called it. I’ll give him that. I didn’t know R.A. Dickey was throwing. [Wren] must have known. He’s seen my swing lately.”
Ross had a pair of two-out, two-RBI hits in the first two innings as the Braves built a 5-0 lead.
He had been 2-for-14 before Saturday, when in one game he raised his average from .143 to .278 and increased his RBIs from two to a team-leading seven.
Pitchers strike out 10
Tim Hudson had his best start of the spring Saturday, and Braves relievers followed suit.
After he held the Mets to four hits with four strikeouts in four innings, five relievers allowed three hits the rest of the way.
Braves pitchers had 10 strikeouts and no walks while lowering their team ERA to 2.97, second in the National League behind San Francisco.
“There’s still a ways to go, but I feel like I’m on my way,” said Hudson, who trimmed his ERA to 2.00. In three starts, he has allowed 10 hits, two runs and three walks with six strikeouts in nine innings.
“My arm strength’s not quite where I want it, but there’s still two or three more weeks left,” Hudson said. “I feel confident that it won’t be long before I’m ready to get up there and crack the 100-pitch mark and get ready for opening day."
Derek Lowe or Hudson is expected to start opening day. Gonzalez hasn't announced his decision.
The Braves got an inning apiece from offseason graybeard additions Scott Linebrink and George Sherrill, followed by Peter Moylan, Jonny Venters and Jairo Asencio.
Sherrill, Moylan and Asencio each had two strikeouts; Venters pitched a perfect eighth.
Etc.
Left-hander Eric O'Flaherty has been held back the past two days with what the Braves said was minor back soreness. He was supposed to pitch Friday. ... Center fielder Nate McLouth went 2-for-4 in his return to the lineup after missing four games with a sore shoulder. He had a cortisone shot Wednesday. ... Alex Gonzalez also had two hits as the Braves totaled 14 hits for the second consecutive day against New Yorkers. They had that many in Friday's 6-1 win against the Yankees. ... Jair Jurrjens starts Sunday against Houston right-hander Bud Norris.
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