JUPITER, Fla. -- He was charged with his first run and first loss of the spring, but Derek Lowe and the Braves were nonetheless encouraged after another solid performance by the veteran sinkerballer.
Lowe allowed four hits, one run and two walks in five innings of a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, who scored three unearned runs off reliever Scott Proctor in the sixth and limited the Braves to three hits.
“This was more like a [real] game,” said Lowe, who used all his pitches for the first time this spring, breaking out the cut fastball in his fourth start.
Lowe had one strikeout, 11 ground-ball outs (including a double play) and one flyout.
"A really, really good start," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Five solid innings, balls on the ground. ... That's his thing, getting those ground balls."
He has an 0.64 ERA, allowing eight hits, one run and four walks with seven strikeouts in 14 innings.
“So far in spring it’s gone as well as I would hope,” Lowe said. “Maybe a walk here and there that you’d like to have back. But for the most part, it’s been ground balls and efficient innings.”
Gonzalez plans to announce his opening day starter Wednesday or Thursday, and it could be Lowe, Tommy Hanson or Tim Hudson. If the Braves stay on their current schedule through the March 22 off day, Hanson's day to pitch would fall on March 31 -- opening day at the Washington Nationals.
In that scenario, Hudson could start Game 2 on April 2, Jair Jurrjens Game 3, and Lowe Game 4, an April 4 series opener at Milwaukee (the Braves could push back their No. 5 starter because of the April 1 off day).
But if the Braves keep the rotation in order and no one pitches March 22 in a simulated game or camp game, then Lowe's turn to pitch would fall on opening day.
Heyward's back still sore
Gonzalez made two lineups Tuesday, hoping to use the one with Jason Heyward in right field.
It didn't happen. Heyward said his back was still tight when he tested it during pregame batting practice, so Gonzalez scratched him for the third consecutive day.
"He said it’s just still bothering him a little bit,” Gonzalez said after talking to Heyward behind the batting cage, after the young slugger took his rounds. “But the good sign is he moved around, tested it. I’m not really worried about it.”
Gonzalez was pressed further on the matter. Heyward, 21, has missed four consecutive games. His back first tightened Saturday, when he had a scheduled day off.
“Nothing to be alarmed about, really,” Gonzalez said. “It’s just some spasms there. A big guy like him, sometimes he’s going to tweak it, feel it. Again, I don’t feel like it’s that alarming. He knows it, and he takes care of it, does preventive stuff.”
Publicly, at least, the Braves say they aren’t worried about Heyward’s string of injuries, most of them nagging ailments like the current one. He also had a more serious thumb injury last season that has healed and is not causing pain, though he hasn't regained complete flexibility in it.
Heyward has hit .417 (10-for-24) with two doubles, one RBI, four walks and four strikeouts.
Crashing halt to surge
The Braves’ offensive surge ended abruptly in Jupiter, where they scored one run in two games against the Cardinals and had as many errors (five) as hits (five) over 19 innings.
In the previous three games, the Braves had racked up 25 runs and 38 hits.
After Monday’s 10-inning tie against the Cardinals, the Braves lost 1-0 against them Tuesday and made four errors. This after starting the day with a league-low 10 errors in 17 games.
All of the errors were made in the infield by Martin Prado (third base), rookie first baseman Freddie Freeman and utility candidates Ed Lucas and Brooks Conrad.
Errors by Prado and Freeman in the sixth led to three unearned runs against reliever Proctor, who gave up three hits, including Skip Schumaker's two-run single.
“It happens sometimes,” Gonzalez said. “That [Freeman error] is a tough play. He’s trying to backpick him, and the ball crossed the runner a little bit. That’s a tough one.”
With one out and two on, including Lance Berkman at first base, Freeman got his glove on a Yadier Molina liner, but the ball popped out, then he made an errant toss to the base.
Instead of a potential inning-ending unassisted double play, the Braves got no outs there. Schumaker was up next and turned a two-run lead to 4-0.
Etc.
Left-hander Jonny Venters pitched a perfect eighth inning and has allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings this spring, with four strikeouts and one walk. ... Rookie Craig Kimbrel, who might share closer duties with Venters, struck out the side in the seventh and has four hitless innings in his past four appearances. ... Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar, seriously injured when hit by a foul ball in the face last week, was scheduled to have a second eye surgery Tuesday. Braves GM Frank Wren didn't expect to have an update on Salazar's condition until Wednesday.
About the Author
