Game 14 – Nationals 4, Braves 3
by BenMurphy on Apr.21, 2009, under Recaps
The rain continues to keep on pouring and the Braves continue to keep on losing.
[Image: Yahoo! Sports]
These one-run losses are getting to be a bit of annoyance. What’s especially frustrating is this team has lost the first two games of this series against the Nationals. They should easily be able to beat up on these otherwise weak teams, but for the second night in a row, in a rain-delayed game, they weren’t able to keep them in check.
Kenshin Kawakami started this game and would eventually be the pitcher of losing record. He probably shouldn’t have lost, because his night wasn’t especially terrible, but the defense behind him was lacking. He lasted 5 innings: 7 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts.
[Image: Yahoo! Sports]
He would eventually be pulled in the 6th inning, after back-to-back errors by Chipper and Diaz (later ruled a hit) would lead to a tie game. Bennett relieved him, but allowed one of Kiwi’s inherited runners to score, while giving up two hits. Moylan and Gonzalez would pitch the next two innings, each only giving up a walk. I must note, however hard McDowell has been whipping the bullpen seems to be working. They’ve been fairly decent since the departure of Blaine Boyer.
Still, in addition to the questionable defense, it was the offense’s inability to score in opportune situations that did them in. As far as hitting is concerned, the team did pretty well. Chipper, Kotchman, and Schafer all had two hits each. Chipper’s batting average is now .353, which gives credence to how tremendous a hitter he is. The 3 runs that the Braves did score all came in the first inning. Kotchman doubled in a run and Jeff Francoeur would single in 2, with the help of a throwing error. Other than that, the bats weren’t able to plate any more. Particularly disheartening was the 9th inning, whereby the Braves had runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out, yet failed to tie the game with a single hit or sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, that’s just how the ball seems to bounce.
Braves lose on a dark and stormy night, 4 – 3.
Series finale: Wednesday @ Nationals.
7:05 PM EST. Jurrjens vs. Lannan. Jair will try to prevent this team from getting swept.
April 22nd, 2009 on 2:12 pm
Maybe they should concentrate on a new pitching and batting coach. The players seem to be pretty good.
Where am I wrong?
DJ
April 23rd, 2009 on 9:55 am
I don’t think you are.
Honestly, McDowell really hasn’t been too good with these new pitchers. I remember Leo would always able to turn some new guy or somebody who was washed up into a gem, and then they’d leave, and then become bad again. Now it seems the opposite way.
As for the hitting, I still think they need a proper power hitting first baseman and/or outfielder, but I think he needs to teach some of them plate discipline, particularly when the opposing pitcher walks two or three in a row, and the next guy is up there hacking.