Ho hum, another day, another win. Working out of the leadoff spot, Nick Markakis remained by far the most effective Atlantan, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and three runs batted in.
In addition to an RBI double by Markakis, Kelly Johnson, Mallex Smith, and Freddie Freeman all got doubles as well. Freddie’s now batting .125 — still awful, but inching back towards his weight.
Bud Norris gave up seven hits, three walks, and four runs in 5 1/3 innings, and continues not to be very good. But Hunter Cervenka, Chris Withrow, Jim Johnson, and Jason Grilli held PURE EVIL scoreless for the rest of the game, and just like that, the Braves doubled their 2016 win total.
(By the way, Hunter is from Baytown, Texas; Exene Cervenka is from Chicago. So I assume there’s no relation, which is really too bad. But it would still be cool if we nicknamed him D.J. Bonebrake.)
The only two games I’ve gotten to watch completely have been Braves wins… just sayin.
Keep watching, Hap.
@Hap – If you could watch another hundred or so games this year, that would be fabulous. Just sayin…
It’s raining wins, hallelujah, it’s raining wins.
The Braves’ season is operating in some sort of parallel universe with the Twins. They lose, we lose. They win, we win.
Go Twins!!
What do you do with Norris and Aybar? In a non-contending year, it would be great to get some value out of them. But we have players who may very well be better behind them, but starting those guys kills the opportunity you have with the veterans. And it’s not like AJP where you know you don’t have a better option so may as well roll with him.
I’m sure there are country fans on here, so maybe you’ve heard Cole Swindell’s song “You Should Be Here”, which is a song about how Cole Swindell wishes his Dad, who passed away a couple years ago, could see his success. However, if you have a sick sense of humor, you find the irony in the music video where it shows Swindell wearing a Craig Kimbrell jersey.
You should be here, Craig.
Placing a bet that the Braves will match the Warriors’ record and that Aybar will emerge as the Steph Curry of baseball.
Melvin went 3-7 with a stolen base and a walk-off homer last night. Good for him.
JACE!!
Looks like Hap is watching closely. This is fun.
So we have a 4-nothing lead after an inning?
Bravesjournal has the pictures.
To repeat somebody’s great tweet from his last start:
“Chacin always seems to have a great start when Jhoulys expect it.”
He looked damn good in the second inning.
Chacin has been an absolute revelation so far.
Fully one-third of the Diamondbacks lineup today is former Braves farmhands: Nick Ahmed at SS, Brandon Drury at 2B, and Phil Gosselin at 1B (!).
Tales of Brave Jhoulyses
Very encouraging stuff from Chacin so far. Hope he stays healthy. He’s not incredibly young but he could be around for a few years as we rebuild.
The Braves are carpe diem’ing, and Jhoulys is the seizer.
Well, they do say to render unto Seizer…
Fredi for NL Manager of the Year.
And now Chacin is seizing up.
Men on first and third, 3-2 count, and he throws an outside slider that would’ve been ball 4.
You’ve got a brass pair, Jhoulys.
Well, that could’ve been worse.
Oh great.
A.J. Pierzynski is not the greatest at blocking pitches in the dirt.
Okay, so, we’re out of runs to give back. Maybe start getting outs.
So we can only use our closer every third-fourth day?
Smitty, if you’re referring to Vizcaino, he’s literally missed more potential big league time with elbow trouble than he’s actually served healthy, sat out half of last season suspended, and threw 35 pitches in a multi-inning save in his last appearance. I think sitting him for consecutive days is prudent.
Also, it’s April.
Periodic reminder: they are PURE EVIL.
Ugh.
Now this game is going to go 14 innings.
Fredi’s bullpen management overall is comical. Like Benny Hill level.
I’d like that play reviewed, I really thought his foot got in there.
Edit: Nope, I’m pretty sure I’m wrong.
Hey at least it’s a run.
He looked safe
I need a better angle to see exactly when the glove makes contact. Barring that I don’t see it being changed.
Wisler?
Yeah, I think he was safe, but there definitely wasn’t enough to overturn it. But somehow they decided to call it “Confirmed,” instead of “inconclusive” as if that’s worth anything but padding the umpires collective stats at the end of the year.
Whoa. I didn’t expect to see Wisler.
Heck yeah. Get the win and call up Blair to make a start. Who cares. We have plenty of 5th starters.
Marlins broadcast showed a blown up slow-mo that showed he was pretty conclusively safe. You could see his the fabric of his pant leg shift as the glove made contact at the knee.
Its Wisler’s throw-day. Fredi said pre-game he was the emergency guy.
HOW SWEEP IT IS!
Oh well. A sweep of an odd series
this is a big, big win. Love it love it love it. And thatta boy Fredi bringing in a starter.
@42- Yep, our rotation has almost nothing else!
To paraphrase my father and I before yesterday, we’re 3-0. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.
Brutal throw-day.
Only 6 pitches for Wisler. He might need to stick around in the pen and throw more just to get his work in.
Wisler dialed in at 95mph on one of his pitches I noticed.
All joking aside, proud of Wisler to come in and pound the zone. He would have made an adventure out of that a year ago. He really looks like a big leaguer.
And Mallex, arrogant base-running gaffe aside, really big for him to come through with a game winner. His BA was in the .090’s but he didn’t go up trying to get 11 hits in one AB. Stayed on the ball, used the big part of the field, textbook runner-on-third stuff there. Doesn’t look like a big leaguer yet, but thats being a ball-player.
Recapped.