Atlanta Braves
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Jones continues blistering offensive pace PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Werth almost ruined a strong hitting performance with an untimely miscue in the field. Brad Lidge bailed him out. Werth drove in four runs, Kyle Kendrick pitched six effective innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Tuesday night. Kendrick (3-2) shook off a shaky first inning and allowed three runs and six hits. Lidge finished for his 10th save in as many chances, though he allowed his first earned run of the season. Chipper Jones went 3-for-4 for the Braves, raising his major ... |
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Smoltz throwing again PITTSBURGH — Atlanta ace John Smoltz is throwing again and hopes his injured rotator cuff heals enough to let him move into the Braves bullpen later this month. Smoltz threw 45 pitches from 60 feet at PNC Park on Monday, a day after throwing 25 pitches from about 40 feet. Until this weekend, Smoltz had not thrown since lasting only four innings against the Mets in a 6-3 loss on April 27. Smoltz said after that game that discomfort in his shoulder prevented him from throwing properly. |
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Braves break through in Game 2, salvage split PITTSBURGH — Tim Hudson showed again that a well-pitched game is the easiest and best way to end an extended streak. Or, on this day, a number of streaks. Hudson limited Pittsburgh to two hits and an unearned run over seven innings and the Atlanta Braves halted their seven-game road losing slide with an 8-1 victory that concluded Monday’s doubleheader. In the opener, Freddy Sanchez hit a three-run double and Zach Duke pitched six shutout innings as the Pirates won 5-0 for their sixth consecutive win. With Mark Kotsay and ... 
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Braves' road woes continue PITTSBURGH — Proof that baseball is indeed a very funny game: The Atlanta Braves suddenly can’t win on the road. And Jason Bay, usually a good road hitter, is discovering a power stroke at home. Tom Gorzelanny shook off Mark Teixeira’s two-run homer in the first inning to shut out Atlanta during the rest of his 7 1-3 innings, Bay homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates extended the Braves’ road woes with a 5-2 victory Saturday night. Bay doubled and scored in the second inning, then followed Jason Michaels’ leadoff single with a ...
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Braves drop a one-run game to Pirates PITTSBURGH — Freddy Sanchez insists he doesn’t care where he hits in the Pittsburgh lineup. The way the Pirates are rolling, he could be hitting leadoff for a while. Sanchez singled home Brian Bixler with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Pirates a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night. Sanchez went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and is 9-for-17 in four games since he moved from No. 2 to the leadoff spot. The Pirates have won all four games. "I don’t ...
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Braves 5, Padres 4: Finally, a one-run win ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves waited until the last inning of a memorable homestand to put an end to a streak of one-run futility they hope to forget. The Braves finally won a one-run game when Matt Diaz hit a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning to beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 Thursday. Atlanta was the first team since the 2000 Houston Astros to lose its first nine one-run games. The Braves were the only team in the major leagues without a one-run victory. Chipper Jones was grateful ...
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Braves notebook: No major injuries for Soriano ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves closer Rafael Soriano can resume his throwing program after tests on his sore right elbow Wednesday revealed no major injuries. Soriano had an MRI and a bone imaging scan. The results were examined by Braves orthopedist Dr. Xavier Duralde. "Both showed normal so what we were really trying to do was rule out all the major things, whether it was a compromised ligament or stress fracture or things of that nature," said Braves general manager Frank Wren, who added his reaction was "relief." |
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Norton’s pinch-hit single lifts Braves to win ATLANTA — Greg Norton was brought to Atlanta to provide some punch in a pinch. On Wednesday night, it was job well done for the Braves’ new addition. Norton broke a seventh-inning tie with a bases-loaded, pinch-hit single, and Atlanta beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 for its fifth straight win. “It was big,” Norton said. “I know that’s my role, to try to help the team coming off the bench. To actually do it, it was a big moment for me.” With the game tied 2-2, Padres starter ...
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Jurrjens looks good at the Ted ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves are proving tough to beat at home, and rookie starter Jair Jurrjens is leading the way. Jurrjens improved to 3-0 at Turner Field by pitching six strong innings and the Braves beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 on Tuesday night to improve the NL’s best home record. Jurrjens (4-2) has a 2.84 ERA overall, including a 1.96 mark ERA in three home starts. "He’s been tremendous this year," said Chipper Jones, who hit a two-run homer, his 10th. "Words can’t describe how good he’s been ... |
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At 36, Chipper's off to the best start of his career ATLANTA — As manager of the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and now the Cincinnati Reds, Dusty Baker has had a front-row seat for many of Chipper Jones’ career highlights. Baker left Atlanta on Sunday convinced Jones, the 1999 NL MVP and the Atlanta Braves’ all-time leaders in home runs, is better than ever at 36. "He’s always been a great hitter," said Baker on Sunday before adding "but right now ..." Jones had seven hits in 13 at-bats in the Braves’ three-game sweep of the Reds. On Sunday, the ...
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Braves acquire Norton from Seattle ATLANTA — The Braves acquired first baseman-outfielder Greg Norton from the Seattle Mariners on Monday, giving their bench a boost after placing infielder Martin Prado on the 15-day disabled list. The Mariners, who designated Norton for assignment on April 30, will receive a player to be named or cash considerations from the Braves. Norton was 7-for-16 (.435) in six games for Seattle this season. He also played seven games for Triple-A Tacoma, hitting .409. The 35-year-old Norton played with Tampa Bay in 2006 and ‘07. He hit .243 in 202 ... |
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Braves notebook: Cox dealing with patchwork bullpen ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves’ three-game sweep of Cincinnati didn’t mask manager Bobby Cox’s increasingly difficult challenge of dealing with injuries to his pitching staff. Cox is resigned to the probability he will lose top set-up reliever Peter Moylan to season-ending surgery at a time closer Rafael Soriano is on the disabled list with a sore elbow and starter John Smoltz is back on the DL with a sore shoulder. “We broke camp with a good team and we still do, but we’re missing Smoltz and our top two relievers, Soriano and ... |
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Braves' bats bash Reds ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves made the most of their last chance to take advantage of the Cincinnati Reds’ road futility. Chipper Jones drove in five runs and the Braves scored seven runs in the second inning and beat Cincinnati 14-7 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep in the Reds’ only visit to Atlanta this season. Jones hit his ninth homer — a three-run shot off Bronson Arroyo in the seven-run second. Kelly Johnson was 4-for-6 with three doubles, and Mark Kotsay was 3-for-4 with a homer. The ...
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Braves notebook: Hurting Hampton considered retirement ATLANTA — Mike Hampton’s long procession of comeback attempts is taking an emotional toll that forced him to at least briefly consider retirement. Hampton left Wednesday’s rehab start at Triple-A Richmond after aggravating his injured left pectoral muscle. The Atlanta Braves left-hander first suffered the chest injury in pregame warmups on April 3 when he was only minutes away from completing a comeback from two elbow surgeries. The start would have been his first in almost three years, but instead he was placed on the disabled list. |
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Reyes, Braves crush Reds ATLANTA — Now that John Smoltz is going to be a closer when healthy, the Braves will need to find another starter for the rest of the season. They may have found one in Jo-Jo Reyes. Reyes gave up one run in 5 1-3 innings in his 2008 debut, and Atlanta broke open a close game with a six-run seventh to beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-1 Saturday night. Reyes (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Richmond, gave up four hits and one run in 5 À innings. He ... |
