Like Déjà Vu All Over Again

Written by Akshay on May 30, 2008 – 11:07 pm

Great American Ballpark was supposed to be a haven for the Braves bats this weekend as they played the Reds. Not so, as Edinson Volquez silenced the Braves’ bats and Jay Bruce scored the winning run in the bottom of the 11th for a 3-2 win, and the Braves’ third one run loss in four games.

Both Tom Glavine and Volquez did not allow a single run until the top of the fifth. Kelly Johnson doubled and moved to third when Chipper Jones grounded out to second. Mark Teixeira drove Johnson in with a sacrifice fly to center.

In fact, Glavine and Volquez had almost identical lines. Glavine – 6 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 5 Ks. Volquez, 6+ IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 7 Ks. Former Brave Kent Mercker(1-0) got the win in relief while Royce Ring(1-1) took the loss.

The Reds answered back with two in the bottom of the frame. Joey Hairston and Jay Bruce hit back-to-back doubles to score the first. Bruce moved to third on Ken Griffey’s groundout to short and then came in to score on Brandon Phillips’ sacrifice fly.

In the top of the seventh, Braves had runners on first and third with no one out after Greg Norton chased Volquez from the game with a double and Omar Infante singled. Ruben Gotay drove Norton in from third on a groundout, but also grounded into a double play—one of three on the day for the Braves.

Going into the top of the 11th, the game was still tied. Johnson singled ahead of Chipper. While you like the Braves chances in this situation, Chipper was 0 for 4 at this point and his next at bat was his second GIDP of the day, dropping him to 0 for 5 and his average to a paltry .411.

In the bottom of the frame, off Ring, Bruce had his fourth hit of the day. Griffey followed with a hot shot to the third base side that Chipper was unable to come up with. Phillips followed with another hot shot to third that Chipper again could not come up with.

The Braves send Jurrjens to the mound Saturday to take on Cincinnati’s Josh Fogg.

Injury Update: Mark Kotsay was placed on the 15-day DL and will have his back checked out. Josh Anderson was called up from triple A to take his place on the active roster. John Smoltz will make another rehab appearance, this time in relief, to test his shoulder again. Smoltz is expecting to join the Braves on Monday at home against the Marlins.


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