After going 15 innings last the Braves take another close one from the Pirates 4-3. Braves starter Derek Lowe went 7 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits while striking out 4 batters. Lowe struggled in the early going, but settled down and looked good and also got better as the game went on. For the Braves offense it was the 2, 3, and 4 hitters (Escobar, Jones, and McCann) that provide all the offense. Escobar had 2, Jones and McCann each had 1 RBI a piece. After 15 innings last night the Braves were not about to let this 1 leave the 9th so after a perfect 8th from Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano shut down the door with a perfect 9th.

The Piratesgot RBI’s from Diaz and Adam LaRoche tonight, but it just wasn’t enough to beat the Braves once again. Former Pirate …NOW Brave Nate McClouth and the Braves look to go for the sweep of the Pirates tomorrow at 7:00 Pm a they send one of my favorites Jair Jurrjens to the mound. GO BRAVES !!!

Tonight’s Box Score

The Atlanta Braves ended their 4 game skid last night in Arizona with a huge early offensive surge to give support to Jair Jurrjens who went to 5-2 with the win.

From MLB.com: “The Braves made a big offensive statement in ending their four-game losing streak. Sparked by Yunel Escobar’s three-run homer in the third inning, Atlanta put up 10 runs after four innings, a large enough cushion to give Jair Jurrjens his fifth win of the season. The starter helped himself with a two-run double…”

Tonight the Atlanta Braves defeated the Colorado Rockies 8-1. The Braves finally got their bats going, jumping out to a 4-0 lead for Jair Jurrjens, who was excellent once again.

Jair went 7 innings giving up 3 hits, 1 run, while walking 3 and striking out 8. He was in complete command throughout his entire outing. This was his 3rd straight of going 7 or more innings, and he has continued his excellent play throughout the year. Jurrjens lowered his already low ERA to 1.96. But not only was Jair good, but the Braves offense was finally back tonight.

For the the offense, Casey Kotchman went 3-5 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI’s and 1 run scored. Also for the Braves Kelly Johnson had 3 hits and scored 2 runs. Braves pitcher Jair Jurrjens also went 1-3 scoring 1 run and driving in 1 run. It was good to see the lackluster offense of the Braves finally start to hit. It also helps they were facing Jason Hammel who has been struggling, but I know we’ll take this good all around performance. They look to keep it up tomorrow when they send Javier Vazquez to the mound. The game starts at 7:00 PM, and we’ll have a preview up by tomorrow afternoon. GO BRAVES!

Tonight’s Box Score

The Braves are looking to get their bats going for Jair who has pitched excellent this year posting a nearly sub 2 ERA, but still only has 3 wins for the year. The Rockies send Jason Hammel to the mound who has pitched pretty bad, this coldn’t come  at a better time for the slumping Braves. LETS GET SOME HITS !!! Tonights games starts at 7:00 PM and is at Turner Field.

GO BRAVES !!!

A night after being crushed 12-0 the Atlanta Braves get an unexpected day off, due to the postponement of their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks today. The Braves are back in action tomorrow against the Colorado Rockies at 7:00 pm at Turner Field, the Braves plan to send Jair Jurrjens to the mound while the Rockies are sending Jason Marquis. So far this year Jurrjens is 3-2 with a 2.06 ERA, and Marquis is 4-3 with a 5.40 ERA.  Hopefully the Braves can get the bats going against the struggling Marquis.

Once again the Braves failed to provide run support for Jair Jurrjens. The only offense came from the 5, 6 , and 7 hitters. Catcher Brian McCann went 3-4 including a double that plated a run in the 7th. Kotchman kept it going with another RBI and Garret Anderson added a sac fly. The only other Brave who really hit the ball at all tonight was shortstop Yunel Escobar, who hit 2 doubles and he scored 2 runs. Chipper Jones was back in the lineup and had two hits and scored a run, but the story was the pitching for the Braves.

Braves starter Jair Jurrjens pitched 7.2 innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 earned runs, while walking just 1 and striking out 4.  He cruised through the game till the 8th inning when Jeremy Reed singled, and then after he got Omir Santos to fly out Ryan Church singled. Jose Reyes then came up and doubled palting both Reed and Church, but Reyes was thrown out stretching it out at 3rd. Other than Jurrjens was excellent.

In the bottom of the 9th the Braves called on closer Mike Gonzalez, and he blew it again. The first batter he faced Carlos Beltran hit a double of him. He then got Mets 3b, David Wright to foul out to 1st.  Carlos Beltran stole 3rd and Gonzalez then plunked Fernado Tatis. With runners on 1st and 3rd Louis Castillo hit a sacrifice fly allowing Beltran to score tying up the score 3-3.

In the top of the 10th Chipper Jones lead of the inning with a single, and he then stole 2nd. Brian McCann was then intentionally walked by Mets closer Fransisco Rodriguez. But both Casey Kotchman and Jeff Francouer flied out to end the inning. In the bottom half of the 10th the Mets got a single and a stolen base from Jose Reyes. And then Alex Cora was intentionally walked. Ramon Castro was called on to pinch hit for the Mets and he drew a walk loading the bases. This brought Carlos Beltran up with bases loaded…and Braves pitcher Jeff Bennett walked him! Once again Jair Jurrjens is hurt by lack of run support and shaky bullpen work!

Tonight’s Box Score

A lack of run support has allowed him to only have 3 wins, but Jair Jurrjens is trying to prove that his rookie season wasn’t a fluke. So far this year Jurrjens is 3-2 and has a 2.01 ERA, and hee gets another shot tonight against the Mets and Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey is 4-0 with a 5.46 ERA on the season, but has won his last 3 starts. The Braves hope to keep swinging the hot bats as the go into game 2 of this 3 game series against the Mets. Tonights game starts at 7:10 PM at Citi Field.

** More to come on the Chipper Jones injury!