Gamethread: gNats at Braves (5/12/11)- Zimmermann vs Lowe

[-Dr. Brave-]

Let's see if we can win a home game against the Nationals this year.

LINEUPS:

NATIONALS:
Bernadina CF
Desmond SS
Werth RF
Nix LF
LaRoche 1B
Espinosa 2B
Rodriguez C
Cora 3B
Zimmermann P

BRAVES:
Prado 2B
McLouth CF
Chipper 3B
McCann C
Uggla 2B
Hinske RF
Freeman 1B
Gonzalez SS
Lowe P

McLouth batting in the 2nd spot tonight. I'd like to see McLouth and Prado switched in the batting order.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Zimmermann throws 29 pitches in the first but somehow keeps the Braves off the board.

Braves load the bases with 2 out but Hinske takes a called third strike.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Danny Espinosa hits one off the top of the wall and over. 2-0 Nationals.

[Garydee]

Espinosa hits a two run shot to make it 2-0 Nationals. Please tell me we don't get swept by these guys.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Chipper hits a ding-dong to make it 2-1.

[Hobbes]

I see LaRoche is off to his usual dreadful start.

But he still drives in a run.

[-Dr. Brave-]

LaRoche's RBI single make it 3-1 Nats.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Good news on Heyward's MRI. No damage, just inflammation.

Link (http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110512&content_id=18987806&notebook_id=18989736&vkey=notebook_atl&c_id=atl)

[-Dr. Brave-]

Time now for an energy-saving idea from Georgia Power.

Turn off the lights when you leave the effen room.

That was today's energy-saving idea from Georgia Power.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Dan Uggla has had a good season defensively, but he's showing us tonight why he's never been highly-regarded as a defensive player.

[-Dr. Brave-]

The Nats are running at will again tonight. Bernadina and Desmond have stolen bases, the 22nd and 23rd the Braves have allowed this season. The Braves have all of six stolen bases.

[Garydee]

Zimmerman's on. I think our gooses are cooked.:(

[Garydee]

That's it. I'm turning off the TV before I break something.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Pudge adds a solo homer and it's 5-1 Nationals.

112 or 113 pitches for Lowe through 6 innings. Looks like we'll see Gearrin next.

It's obvious from watching Lowe swing the bat that his right foot blister isn't 100% healed.

[Hobbes]

Why does it seem the Braves always have these letdowns after they do well against top teams?

Taking 2 of 3 in Philly and getting swept at home by the Nats. :mad:

[-Dr. Brave-]

We always struggle against scrappy teams with good fundamentals.

Or as Brian Jordan is wont to say, we play down to our competition.

[luvdembravos]

Who's your daddy? :furious:

[Andy G.]

Teheran threw 120 pitches in 7.2 innings of work in which he allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks and he struck out 7.

[Hobbes]

Bases loaded. Come on Prado!

[-Dr. Brave-]

Braves have something going in the 7th.

Zimmermann (11 strikeouts) chased. Burnett gives up a walk to Conrad to load the bases with 1 out. Prado at the plate.

[Hobbes]

GRAND SLAM!!!!

[-Dr. Brave-]

Tie game!

Wow!!!

[Andy G.]

Nice!!!

[-Dr. Brave-]

Nice job by Gearrin ("Moylan lite") in the 7th... 1 IP, 3 strikeouts.

O'Flaherty in to pitch, starting with Laiuyynce Nix.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Like O'Flaherty, Jonny Venters is in for the 21st time. Both are now on pace for 87 appearances.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Going to the bottom of the 9th, still tied 5-5.

Venters' stats this season:
21.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 6 BB, 22K, 0.83 ERA

:thumbsup:

[Garydee]

Let's win here in the 9th and not go into extra innings and lose again. Jeez!

[alaskabravesfan]

Gonzo tagged out at 2nd! Oh no!

[-Dr. Brave-]

Wow. :banghead:

Morse can barely throw at all, and even his two-hop throw beats Gonzalez.

[Hobbes]

Going to extras.

[Garydee]

Way to hustle Gonzo. You don't sit there and admire the freakin' ball! :thumbsdown:

[Wahoo]

Geez Fredi how about a day off for Venters and Kimbrel.

Side note: if Gonzalez hadn't admired his shot out of the box he would have it easily at second. Also Joe Mather sucks.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Way to hustle Gonzo. You don't sit there and admire the freakin' ball! :thumbsdown:

It was a line drive for gawsakes. Gonzo admired it like he thought it would land 20 rows up.

I'd expect that from Yunel Escobar, but Alex should know better.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Also Joe Mather sucks.

Mather isn't doing it for me either.

[Chris_Moderato]

Kimbrel looked friggin' nasty there in the 10th.

[-Dr. Brave-]

Kimbrel looked friggin' nasty there in the 10th.

Kimbrel's stats:
17.2 IP, 12 H, 5 ER, 8 BB, 28 K, 2.55 ERA

[-Dr. Brave-]

The Nats' TV announcers are such homeboys.

[Hobbes]

McCANN!!!

BRAVES WIN!!!

[Garydee]

YES!!!!!!

[-Dr. Brave-]

McCann extends his hitting streak to 12 games with a game-winning single!

[-Dr. Brave-]

Good to see the Braves give the Nationals a taste of their own medicine.

Braves bullpen tonight:
4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K

:thumbsup:

[Hobbes]

Now I'm glad I stuck with this game. :D

[-Dr. Brave-]

Now I'm glad I stuck with this game. :D

So is Garydee. :D

[Wahoo]

Kimbrel looked friggin' nasty there in the 10th.

Indeed. He was throwing some foul cheese tonight.

[Garydee]

So is Garydee. :D

Actually, I did turn it off. When I turned the game back on Prado was at the plate, about 2 pitches before the slam. I didn't miss anything important.:D

[quick]

Kimbrel's stats:
17.2 IP, 12 H, 5 ER, 8 BB, 28 K, 2.55 ERA

It's the walks that hurt him. Frankly, even if he gives up three hits in a row, at least when the ball is hit there is a chance for a defensive play. If he gets those walks down from over 4 every 9 innings to about 3 walks for 9 (or better), he'll be unstoppable....

FYI: Wags' career stat on walks per nine was about 2.99.

[luvdembravos]

Prado's grand slam AB was terrific. I loved the way he worked the count to 3-2 and was fouling off pitches. You just knew something good was going to happen with that AB. :thumbsup: