Post by Fish Troll on Apr 7, 2007 22:16:53 GMT -5
Smoltz, Braves bounce back vs. Mets
Ace wins duel with Glavine; Atlanta tied for first in NL East
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Five games into the 2007 season, the Braves have already had the opportunity to prove themselves against the two teams most likely to prevent their attempt to reclaim National League East supremacy.
a Since beginning the season with a three-game series sweep in Philadelphia, the Braves have come to find that the Mets certainly are strong enough to defend their NL East crown. But at the same time, they've been reminded that even the mightiest of offenses can be stopped by their gritty veteran ace, the one that they simply know as Smoltzie.
While John Smoltz was far from dominant in his anticipated matchup against close friend Tom Glavine at Turner Field on Saturday afternoon, he certainly displayed a determination that, combined with some timely sixth-inning hitting, equated into a 5-3 win over the previously unbeaten Mets.
"We took advantage of some mistakes that they made today," Chipper Jones said. "That's what good teams do. They're awfully good. But they can be beat, and it was good to prove that we can beat them.
"But with that being said, with all due respect to a few people in Philly, we all know who the team to beat in this division is."
In other words, with all due respect to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Jones is trying to say the Braves have the utmost respect for this Mets team, which basically has the same potent lineup that ended the streak of 14 consecutive division titles that the city of Atlanta had savored until last year.
"This [Mets] lineup makes you throw a ton of pitches," said Smoltz, who needed 118 pitches to limit the Mets to two earned runs and seven hits over six action-packed and hard-fought innings.
Fortunately, the opportunistic Braves, a tag they have earned while scoring the decisive run after the fifth inning in three of their first four victories, patiently waited until Glavine had simply thrown enough pitches.
With his 99th pitch of the autumn-like afternoon, Glavine saw Andruw Jones begin the decisive three-run sixth inning with a double. Jeff Francouer would follow with a single that gave the Braves a runner at third base for the first time since the second inning.
Three batters later, Matt Diaz once again proved that platoon players that hit eighth in the lineup can certainly be key contributors. Like the second-inning solo shot he'd hit off Glavine, his sixth-inning sacrifice fly gave the Braves a lead, one which they'd keep for good.
"I'm pretty sure Glavine didn't want Smoltzie to beat him with the bat today," Diaz said, playfully referring to the fact he was hitting in front of Smoltz. "So he gave me some pitches to hit."
Glavine certainly didn't want to lose this matchup against Smoltz, who he has called a close friend since they became members of the Braves starting rotation in 1988. And if not for Shawn Green dropping Diaz's sixth-inning sacrifice fly, the Mets ace may have at least earned another no-decision in his second career matchup against the Braves ace.
Had Green battled the high winds and managed to catch Diaz's high fly ball to right field off left-handed reliever Pedro Feliciano, the Braves would have scored just one run in the sixth. The miscue directly led to the decisive run and allowed the inning to extend long enough for Edgar Renteria to provide a cushion with an RBI single.
But such is the luck for Glavine against the Braves, the team with which he played from 1988-2002. The run he surrendered in the first inning came courtesy of Carlos Delgado dropping a routine throw to him at first base.
Glavine, who allowed just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, is 3-10 with a 5.55 ERA in 13 career starts against the Braves. In their only previous matchup, Glavine matched Smoltz by allowing one run over seven innings -- but he got a no-decision, and Smoltz got the win.
"It was vintage, probably about what everybody expected," Jones said of this latest matchup between the two former teammates. "I just wish it would have been about 80 degrees and nice so that both teams could have truly strutted their stuff."
After Mike Gonzalez surrendered a run to the Mets in the seventh, Rafael Soriano worked a perfect eighth, setting the stage for Bob Wickman to notch his second save with a scoreless ninth that ended with some drama. With two outs and runners at second and third base, Green smacked a line drive that was caught by first baseman Craig Wilson.
"I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that every game I pitch in is going to be tight," said Smoltz, who saw the Mets strand 10 runners during his six innings and a total of 13 on the afternoon.
Other than his perfect second inning, Smoltz never completed an inning in which the Mets didn't produce at least two baserunners. He escaped a bases-loaded threat in the fourth inning by getting Glavine to pop out in foul territory behind third base.
"Honestly, after the first inning, I had no clue what inning it was," Smoltz said. "I just felt like I had thrown nine innings because it was that much of a grind."
Smoltz's leadoff walk to Jose Reyes in the fifth inning proved costly via a Carlos Beltran RBI single that was followed with a Delgado single. That threat was limited with the help of one of the three strikeouts the Braves veteran hurler notched against David Wright.
Smoltz's biggest and only other strikeout came one inning later. With runners on first and second and two outs, he opposed Paul Lo Duca, who had touched him for a first-inning solo homer. With his sixth straight slider, the Braves ace was finally able to avoid the All-Star catcher's bat.
"Today, they got some hits where I just had to tip my cap," Smoltz said. "They're the best hitting lineup in our league. To keep them to two runs was a feat, and ultimately it paid off with a win."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Ace wins duel with Glavine; Atlanta tied for first in NL East
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Five games into the 2007 season, the Braves have already had the opportunity to prove themselves against the two teams most likely to prevent their attempt to reclaim National League East supremacy.
a Since beginning the season with a three-game series sweep in Philadelphia, the Braves have come to find that the Mets certainly are strong enough to defend their NL East crown. But at the same time, they've been reminded that even the mightiest of offenses can be stopped by their gritty veteran ace, the one that they simply know as Smoltzie.
While John Smoltz was far from dominant in his anticipated matchup against close friend Tom Glavine at Turner Field on Saturday afternoon, he certainly displayed a determination that, combined with some timely sixth-inning hitting, equated into a 5-3 win over the previously unbeaten Mets.
"We took advantage of some mistakes that they made today," Chipper Jones said. "That's what good teams do. They're awfully good. But they can be beat, and it was good to prove that we can beat them.
"But with that being said, with all due respect to a few people in Philly, we all know who the team to beat in this division is."
In other words, with all due respect to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Jones is trying to say the Braves have the utmost respect for this Mets team, which basically has the same potent lineup that ended the streak of 14 consecutive division titles that the city of Atlanta had savored until last year.
"This [Mets] lineup makes you throw a ton of pitches," said Smoltz, who needed 118 pitches to limit the Mets to two earned runs and seven hits over six action-packed and hard-fought innings.
Fortunately, the opportunistic Braves, a tag they have earned while scoring the decisive run after the fifth inning in three of their first four victories, patiently waited until Glavine had simply thrown enough pitches.
With his 99th pitch of the autumn-like afternoon, Glavine saw Andruw Jones begin the decisive three-run sixth inning with a double. Jeff Francouer would follow with a single that gave the Braves a runner at third base for the first time since the second inning.
Three batters later, Matt Diaz once again proved that platoon players that hit eighth in the lineup can certainly be key contributors. Like the second-inning solo shot he'd hit off Glavine, his sixth-inning sacrifice fly gave the Braves a lead, one which they'd keep for good.
"I'm pretty sure Glavine didn't want Smoltzie to beat him with the bat today," Diaz said, playfully referring to the fact he was hitting in front of Smoltz. "So he gave me some pitches to hit."
Glavine certainly didn't want to lose this matchup against Smoltz, who he has called a close friend since they became members of the Braves starting rotation in 1988. And if not for Shawn Green dropping Diaz's sixth-inning sacrifice fly, the Mets ace may have at least earned another no-decision in his second career matchup against the Braves ace.
Had Green battled the high winds and managed to catch Diaz's high fly ball to right field off left-handed reliever Pedro Feliciano, the Braves would have scored just one run in the sixth. The miscue directly led to the decisive run and allowed the inning to extend long enough for Edgar Renteria to provide a cushion with an RBI single.
But such is the luck for Glavine against the Braves, the team with which he played from 1988-2002. The run he surrendered in the first inning came courtesy of Carlos Delgado dropping a routine throw to him at first base.
Glavine, who allowed just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, is 3-10 with a 5.55 ERA in 13 career starts against the Braves. In their only previous matchup, Glavine matched Smoltz by allowing one run over seven innings -- but he got a no-decision, and Smoltz got the win.
"It was vintage, probably about what everybody expected," Jones said of this latest matchup between the two former teammates. "I just wish it would have been about 80 degrees and nice so that both teams could have truly strutted their stuff."
After Mike Gonzalez surrendered a run to the Mets in the seventh, Rafael Soriano worked a perfect eighth, setting the stage for Bob Wickman to notch his second save with a scoreless ninth that ended with some drama. With two outs and runners at second and third base, Green smacked a line drive that was caught by first baseman Craig Wilson.
"I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that every game I pitch in is going to be tight," said Smoltz, who saw the Mets strand 10 runners during his six innings and a total of 13 on the afternoon.
Other than his perfect second inning, Smoltz never completed an inning in which the Mets didn't produce at least two baserunners. He escaped a bases-loaded threat in the fourth inning by getting Glavine to pop out in foul territory behind third base.
"Honestly, after the first inning, I had no clue what inning it was," Smoltz said. "I just felt like I had thrown nine innings because it was that much of a grind."
Smoltz's leadoff walk to Jose Reyes in the fifth inning proved costly via a Carlos Beltran RBI single that was followed with a Delgado single. That threat was limited with the help of one of the three strikeouts the Braves veteran hurler notched against David Wright.
Smoltz's biggest and only other strikeout came one inning later. With runners on first and second and two outs, he opposed Paul Lo Duca, who had touched him for a first-inning solo homer. With his sixth straight slider, the Braves ace was finally able to avoid the All-Star catcher's bat.
"Today, they got some hits where I just had to tip my cap," Smoltz said. "They're the best hitting lineup in our league. To keep them to two runs was a feat, and ultimately it paid off with a win."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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