Atlanta Braves Squeak Sunday Sweep

The Middle

Cosart started the sixth well coaxing ground ball outs out of Pierzynski and Johnson but he walked Peterson and Mallex Smith followed with a rocket off the glove of Prado for an infield hit sending Peterson to third. Chacin got himself an RBI when dumped a single in left scoring Peterson. Mattingly double-switched bringing in Ichiro Suzuki to play center and hit ninth. Bryan Morris took the bump and got Markakis to hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Chacin’s downfall began when light hitting catcher

hit a seeing eye single up the middle and Ichiro followed one just like it with then stole second on the first pitch to Gordon. Gordon slapped dumped dying quail over Aybar’s head and in front of Peterson to score Mathis and send Ichiro to third with no one out.

After a 9 pitch struggle Chacin struck out Prado but that was his last work of the day as Skipper Fredi Gonzalez called for Hunter Cervenka to face Christian Yellich. Chacin finished the day having thrown 85 pitches in 5 1/3 IP allowing 4 hits, and 1 run while striking out 6 without a walk.

Cervenka has been good as one of the two Braves’ LOOGYs  but couldn’t find the plate today walking Christian Yellich.  The walk brought Gonzalez out to get Cervenka and insert Alexi Ogando who has also done good work in relief since arriving from Gwinnett.

His control was a little iffy during Stanton’s at bat and he let a pitch slip that clipped Stanton on the hit and forced in a run. Stanton is swinging it so badly that he actually looked happy to be hit.

Justin Bour followed that with a screaming line drive to left Peterson hauled in for the second out but allowed Gordon to score.  Ogando got out of the inning when pinch hitter Derek Dietrich hit a grounder to Freeman to end the inning.

With one out in the seventh Freeman hit the first pitch he saw for a single to right and went to second when the 0-2 pitch to Garcia got away from Mathis. Pierzynski walked after Garcia struck out but Kelly Johnson struck out to end the inning.

Mathis returned to haunt the Braves in the bottom half doubling off the center field wall with one out and forcing Ogando from the game in favor of Eric O’Flaherty. Mathis went to third on a wild pitch and Ichiro walked on the next pitch to put men on the corners with one out.  Gordon hit a soft grounder to second for out number two as Mathis scored to make it a one run game.

Jim Johnson came in and poured water on the fire getting Prado to ground out to end the inning and quickly disposed of the Fish in the eighth.

Next: The End Is Near