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Braves Look To Dim Mets’ Shining Star
April 6, 2008 – 11:48 amTo close out the rain-shortened series, aces Johan Santana (1-0, 2.57) and John Smoltz (0-0, -.–) face off in a Sunday afternoon matchup. The Braves (2-3) look to continue the offensive power from last night’s 11-5 victory over the Mets (2-2) to get on the board early and often. It’s slated to be a pitching duel between two solid starters and the game may come down to the performance of the bullpens on both sides.
The highly anticipated matchup between these two pitchers was almost not be as a result of the rain cancellation of the game on Friday night. This caused Bobby Cox to push back his starters by a day, slating Glavine to be the original starter to today’s game. Soon after that was announced however, Smoltz asked Glavine to switch spots in the rotation so that Smoltz could avoid the added strain on his shoulder that would come from pitching in the cold, thin Colorado air on Monday. Glavine will instead make this start against the Rockies.
It looks to be a great day for baseball. The foul weather has moved out of the area and we’re looking for temperatures in the low 70s by game time. We’ll see you on the site or at the ballpark. Go Braves!
Tags: Johan Santana, John Smoltz, New York Mets
Posted in Game Threads |
By Travis on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
I wish i was able to watch this game but i dont get the tv channell they are playing on
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
And we’re underway today…Smoltz taking the mound to a great reaction from the crowd.
Reyes down on strikes to start the game. Castillo grounds to first. Wright runs the count full and walks. As does Beltran. Runners on first and second with two outs. Delgado at the plate.
Pitch count’s a little higher than we’d like to see from Smoltz in the first. Already at 24 pitches with the count 2-2 on Delgado.
Strikes him out looking. Out of the inning!
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Johnson’s down on strikes to lead off for the Braves. Yunel grounds out to second. Chipper grounds out to short. Braves down 1-2-3.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Top of the second; Church down on strikes for Smoltz’s third K of the game. Pagan grounds out to second. Schneider grounds out to second. 1-2-3. Still scoreless into the bottom of 2.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Tex leading off for the Braves and flies out to first.
Francoeur hits one to the track in right for an out.
Diaz singles up the middle, just mussing Santana.
Diaz steals second as the ball rolls into center. He stays at second however.
McCann flies out to right to end the inning. We head to 3, scoreless.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Santana doubles to center, the counter now officially stands at 1 as Kotsay basically dropped the ball while diving. Reyes grounds out to short. Santana moves to third.
Castillo flies out to center and Kotsay fires to the plate, Santana stays at third.
Smoltz strikes out David Wright swinging….he’s thrown 49 through 3.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Kotsay at the plate to lead off the bottom of the third. Lead off double to right field. Smoltz at the plate and showing bunt. He lays one down to Santana and moves Kotsay to third.
KJ at the plate. Santana snags the quick groundball at Kotsay stays at third.
Yunel doubles to left. Braves lead 1-0.
Chipper at the plate.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Chipper grounds out to second to end the inning. Braves up 1-0 through 3.
By Travis on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
i think this is gonna be a game where i hate to see the bullpen have to pitch considering there sucess this season but maybe this will be the game the guys down their find what they need to be successful all year long
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Travis-
Where do you live that you don’t have TV coverage? I presume today is a sportsouth game.
Beltran strikes out to lead off the fourth. Delgado singles to right center.
Church lines out to Kotsay and Delgado gets doubled up back at first. Great assist for Kotsay.
Tex leading off for the Braves in the biottom of the 4th.
By Travis on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
I live in arkansas
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Francoeur hits a fly ball to short left. No one calls it and the ball drops in play for a double.
Diaz hits a slow roller to short. Runners safe at first and third for Brian McCann.
BMac hits into a double play to end the inning. 1-0 Braves into the top of the 5th.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Pagan leads off for the Mets and strikes out for Smoltz’s 6th K of the game.
Schneider rolls one down the first base line, smoltz fields iit and makes the tag for out number two.
Travis-
Do you only get the games that are covered on major networks?
Santana flies out to right, 1-2-3 inning. Smoltz has thrown 78 pitches after 5.
By Travis on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
the only games ive gotten this year so far was opening day on ESPN and the yesterday the one on fox
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Kotsay grounds out to short.
Gotay pinch hitting for Smoltz, looks like his day is done.
By Smitty on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Smoltz is gone for the day.
Looking at the game, what more could you ask of him?
Good to see an “old guy” keep up with Messiah Santanna.
Smitty
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Gotay strikes out looking after running the count full.
KJ singles to right. We always seem to get our hits with 2 outs.
Yunel ends the inning with a ground ball to short.
Blaine Boyer headed in to pitch for the Braves.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Good outing for Smoltz for a first go at it from the DL. 78 pitches, 5 IP, 2 H, 6 K, 2 BB.
By Susan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
It’s great to follow the game along with you guys!
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Boyer takes the helm and gets Reyes to ground out to second. Castillo runs the count full and goes down looking.
Wright down looking as well. 1-2-3 inning for Boyer.
By Travis on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
smoltz stats through five are better than santanas thorugh five
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Chipper to the plate to lead off the 6th…goes down swinging for Santana’s third K of the day.
Teixeira flies out to deep left.
Francoeur flies out to right to end the inning. Santana’s thrown 81 pitches through 6.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Ohman in to pitch the 7th for the Braves.
Beltran flies out to left. Delgado singles over Kelly Johnson’s head.
Church grounds to Yunel whose only play is at first. Delgado down to second, two outs.
Kotsay calls off Yunel to make the catch and retire Pagan, inning over.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
I was getting a hot dog in the bottom of the 7th….so I’m not sure what happened.
By Travis on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
im assuming acosta got the call for the 8th inning
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Moylan in to pitch the top of the 8th. Gives up a single to Schneider and retires 3 after that.
1-0 Braves into the bottom of the 8th. Let’s hope the offense can get going a little and the bullpen can continue to support Smoltz.
Heilman in to pitch for the Mets.
KJ flies out to right. Yunel strikes out on a check swing. 2 outs for Chipper. Walks on 4 pitches with Tex coming to the plate.
2-run homer for Tex!!! 3-1 Braves.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
That’s 3-0, Braves….my blackberry is being obnoxious.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Soriano in to close…walks Wright, strikes out Beltran, delgado flies out to left. Church singles to right, one run in. 3-1 Braves.
Pagan runs the count full and walks, runners on 1st and 2nd. Schneider puts one down the first base line, Tex knocks it down, flips it to Acosta, ballgame!
Braves win, 3-1!!
Series “sweep”.
By Susan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Great game! Loved every minute of it!
Looking forward to the series in Colorado.
By Colin on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Looks like it was a great game - meant to be back in town in time for the game but we got held up in Macon.
Glad to see a “series” sweep of the Mets - always good to see it go our way.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Thanks guys for coming by and hanging out with us during the game today. We’ll be on here chatting away during the upcoming road trip for the Braves.
By Andrew Vazzano on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Dammit.
By Jonathan on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
I will admit, Andrew. Santana had a good outing . . . we were just a little better
Honestly, I was shocked to see our bullpen hold up that well.
By Andrew Vazzano on Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Me too!