Braves erase huge deficit in eighth
Atlanta's seven-run inning sends Baltimore to defeat
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
BALTIMORE -- This was the type of finish National League East division opponents are hoping doesn't foreshadow how the Braves are going to complete what has been a trying season.
After all but handing the Orioles a seven-run advantage on an action-packed Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards, the Braves awoke with a fury and scored seven runs in the eighth inning of their 8-7 victory over the Orioles.
With the miraculous comeback, which marked their biggest of the year, the Braves won their first series since taking two of three from the Expos (May 31-June 2) and gained some needed momentum heading into their four-game series against the first-place Marlins in Atlanta this week.
Eli Marrero began the decisive eighth inning, in which the Braves recorded seven hits and sent 11 batters to the plate, with a single, and then scored Nick Green with the winning run on a fielder's choice. In between, J.D. Drew hit a two-run homer and Johnny Estrada contributed his third single of the contest.
Green's one-out double and Drew's homer, his 15th of the season, were the only extra-base hits the Braves recorded against Orioles relievers Mike DeJean and Jason Grimsley in the eighth inning.
John Smoltz closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth inning that garnered him his 13th save of the season and second in as many days. The Braves closer allowed a double to Miguel Tejada, but rebounded to end the game with a strikeout of Javy Lopez and by getting Larry Bigbie to ground out.
Green, who was left out of the starting lineup in hopes of getting some rest, was forced to enter the contest in the bottom of the seventh inning after Jesse Garcia, who was obtained in a 1999 trade with the Orioles, had done everything he could to ensure his former team a victory.
While Mark DeRosa's four-error game against the Rockies on May 2 might statistically be the worst defensive performance by a Braves player this year, the fact that Garcia's performance led to each of the Orioles' seven runs makes him a candidate for this dubious honor.
Garcia, who was making his second start of the season at second base, committed a throwing error that allowed the third inning to extend long enough for the Orioles to gain a 2-0 lead.
Then, with two outs and a runner on first base in the sixth inning, Garcia failed to cover second base on a Larry Bigbie two-out grounder. Thus, instead of the inning ending, it was extended long enough for the Orioles to tally an additional five runs.
Garcia's miscues came at the expense of Braves starter Jaret Wright, who was charged with seven runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander's two previous starts had been marred when the bullpen entered and squandered a lead.
Robert Machado's fifth-inning double and Luis Matos' double, which immediately followed Garcia's failure to cover second base in the sixth inning, accounted for the only extra-base hits allowed by Wright.
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Ok now that is some freaking good news huh everyone? Well no one cares, I am aware. But I care, I care deeply and yes I know I dont have a life but obsession is a way of life and this is my obsession. The two people on my design are Marcus Giles and Mark DeRosa...yay! :D
Ok Im watching the road course race and honestly, my heart is not in it. Im far from being a road course fan,lol. So far, problems have been had for Dale Junior, Busch, and Robby Gordon(I need him to do bad cause 3/4 of everyone picked him this week in a game on the Sterling Marlin board called PYD where you pick one driver each week and you get the points they get but you can use a driver once a year. This week, I have Boris Said).
Ok back to baseball. I have a problem. The trade winds are blowing and it usually is something that makes me smile. I love trade deadline time of year in baseball. Almost as much edge of your seat entertainment as the home run derby, and all star game. But not when it involves some of my most beloved Braves players. Now I have nothing against the Braves making trades. But this time, this is personal.
As you may have saw in my prior entry, there are trade rumors with Atlanta and the Chi Sox about giving up Russ Ortiz. Ok. Well that pisses me off plenty, trust me on that one, but ok we are pushing it when we're talking about getting Magglio Ordonez. Now if youre a baseball fan, youre thinking, gee that sounds like a nice deal, who are you considering giving up for such a great all star outfielder-prospects or something? No folks, it is a zillion times worse. Try Andruw Jones!!!!!! Say it isnt fucking so...that is like a stab in the heart. Youre not a Braves fan who remembers this 19 year old sensation make his ML debut and to this day have a 6 Gold Glove career. It is not fair. Now objectively speaking, Andruw has NOT been producing lately. But Magglio in Atlanta? It doesnt seem to click with me. I may be just being to personal here, and not wanting Andruw to go just for the sake of him staying there to be that familiar face to make the dazzling catches.
I dont know anymore people.
Anyway..back to the lame-o race
da2kokib/al19fl
julie :)