Gamethread: D'Backs @ Braves, Aug. 18, 2009 (118/162) WIN

[Dreamscape]

Fun with Lineups!

KJ, 2B
Diaz, RF
Chipper, 3B
Ganderson, LF
Escobar, SS
LaRoche, 1B
Church, CF
Ross, C
Hanson, P

...why is Church, who hits righties well, relegated to 7th-place duty while Diaz, who can't hit righties at all, bats second?

[Dreamscape]

Oh, KJ...

Error puts some guy named Trent Oeltjen on with one out.

How is that name even pronounced?

[Dreamscape]

Hanson gets ahead of Parra quickly and gets the force out. I guess it was slowly hit or something? Says KJ fielded it, but didn't throw the ball to second, and they didn't turn two. Strike out or homer Mark Reynolds at the plate.

[Dreamscape]

For our benefit, it's the strikeout version of Mark Reynolds that shows up. So, no runs on no hits and an error in the top of the first. Hanson with 15 pitches, 10 strikes.

[Dreamscape]

Ask Moylan...he might know.
But don't ask Joe Sheehen of Baseball Prospectus. The way he pronounced Aussie's name made me chuckle as I listened to ESPN radio during the rain delay last night.

Peter Moy-land.

[Dreamscape]

Well, that was a fairly miserable inning.

[Andy G.]

Kelly showing his range there.

[Dreamscape]

Hanson gives up a double and hits Augie Ojeda...probably because it's Augie Ojeda. But no damage.

[Andy G.]

Talk about quick hands. Anderson put a great swing on that one and hit it into the Braves' bullpen. 1-0 Braves.

[Dreamscape]

Yay, Ganderson decided to be a man and homers.

[Dreamscape]

Nice start in the third as Ross doubles.

[Dreamscape]

Thanks for just not taking the easy out, Scherzer!

[Chris_Moderato]

Let the flood gates open! 7-0 Good Guys!

[Dreamscape]

Ah, yes, the Braves weapons of choice.

The sacrifice bunt that turns into an error.
The sacrifice fly.
The bases loaded walk.

All of which have been used in this inning.

[Dreamscape]

Whoa, Church with a three-run double. That's not part of the plan! Maybe that works in New York, but in Atlanta, we play station-to-station.

[Dreamscape]

Leadoff error is worked around. Four scoreless innings for Hanson so far.

[Dreamscape]

There goes the shutout.

[Dreamscape]

Not that I am watching the game, but it doesn't seem like Hanson has his best stuff. 88 pitches and he still hasn't got out of the fifth.

[Dreamscape]

And that is why Kotchman was traded. To get some power.

9-2 on LaRoche's two-run bomb.

[Dreamscape]

Probably it for Hanson, or it definitely should be. 100 pitches, 68 strikes. Six innings, six hits, two runs, zero walks, seven K's, and a homer given up.He also hit a better, though studies show Augie Ojeda cannot be labeled a hitter in any sense of the word. 3 GO to 8 FO.

[Dreamscape]

Norton with a strikeout swinging...proving that once again, Norton's only value comes when he doesn't swing.

[Dreamscape]

Yeah...because you know, striking out looking is so much better....
If he doesn't swing, the chances of him walking increase.

[Lauren T.]

Error puts some guy named Trent Oeltjen on with one out.

How is that name even pronounced?
Boog is saying Ole-jen. Sounds fine to me!

[Dreamscape]

Homer or Strike Out Mark Reynolds...does the other thing he does.

[Dreamscape]

Haven't brought this one out in awhile.

Blaine's not a name, that's a major appliance!

[Hobbes]

Reid Gorecki into the game.

Huh?

[CharlotteBrave]

Nice win tonight... Sloppy game, but a W is a W, especially after such a late game last night.

Now beat the Mets!

[luvdembravos]

Looking ahead, I see that Kawakami is matched up against Santana on Thursday. For some reason, he always seems to draw the opposing team's ace.