Nats sweep Braves at Turner Field

 

GAME 1 - Turner Field
Detwiler vs Ashby
Nats 9, Braves 5
Atlanta's bullpen and a tiring Andy Ashby failed to protect a 4-0 lead.  Super sub Roger Bernandina (3-4) and 19 year old phenom Bryce Harper (3-5) combined for 6 hits and 3 runs scored.  Washington's 6 run 8th inning erased a 2 run deficit.Danny Espinosa knocked in 3 and Stammen got the win despite a shaky inning in relief of Detwiler.

GAME 2
G.Gonzalez vs Maddux
Nats 5, Braves 1

Gio bested Maddux in this matchup of aces where the Nats effectively played small ball to defeat the future HOF'er.  Gio went 6 innings and gave up 1 run before handing it off to the Nats' pen, which held the Braves scoreless the rest of the way.  Danny Espinosa was 2-4 with 2 runs scored from the lead off spot.  Zimmerman knocked in 3, which was easy to do with the top 3 hitters in Washington's lineup reaching base 9 times.

GAME 3
E.Jackson vs Glavine
Nats 3, Braves 0

Edwin Jackson fanned 9 and was one out away from the illusive complete game shutout before giving way to Tyler Clippard who notched his 3rd save of the season.  Atlanta had runners on the corners with 2 out and long ball thread Andruw Jones at the plate.  Clippard reared back and blew the man from Curaco away with 3 fastballs that progressively went up the ladder.  Washington's offense chipped away for 3 solo runs off of future HOF'er Tommy Glavine and reliever Terry Mulholland.  Nats leffielder Michael Morse was 4 for 5 with a run scored.  Jackson wasn't only adept with the arm he was also lethal (2-3 + RBI) with the bat.  Washington increases their early season record to 5-1 with this road sweep.  Atlanta drops to 1-5.

Bucos Sweep Redbirds

Manager Bike Mike had high hopes for his 2004 Cardinal squad, but they are being roughed up in early going as the 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates swept the Redbirds, putting themselves in good early standing at 5 and 1.

All three games were close, but the Pirates got the hits when they needed them more so than St. Louis. The first two games ended up with 2-1 and 3-1 finales, both Cardinal runs scoring in the ninth innings.

Game 3 was a wild, back-and-forth affair that feature 2 home runs and 5 RBI by Jim Edmonds. But it was not enough as the Battlin' Bucs battled their way to a 9-8 victory.

Bike Mike

Phightin's take 2 of 3 from Braves

 

GAME 1 - Citizens Bank Ballpark
Phillies 2, Braves 1
Maddux vs Halladay

J-Roll greeted Maddux with a leadoff homer and Hunter Pence doubled home Utley in the top of the first and that was all Roy "Doc" Halladay needed.  The Braves got on the scoreboad in the 8th on a Veras RBI single.  Ryan Madson fanned 2 in the 9th to save the opening day win for Doc.

 

GAME 2
Phillies 8, Braves 5
Glavine vs C.Lee

The Phillies victimized Tommy Glavine for 4 in the 1st, 1 in the 3rd and 3 in the 4th to send the future HOF'er to an early shower.  Lee was throwing a shutout until the 7th when he gave up 4.  The Phillies pen held the Braves at bay the rest of the way with Madson getting his 2nd save in 2 days.  Placido Polanco was the hitting hero going 4 for 4 with 2 RBI's and a double.  Utley hit a 2 run shot 415 feet off Glavine in the 4th.

GAME 3
Braves 8, Phillies 2
Millwood vs Oswalt

After losing two straight behind two HOF hurlers the Braves pinned their hopes on salvaging win in the series on the shoulders of Kevin Millwood, who came though with 6 1/3 solid innings before giving way to Kerry Ligtenberg who took them to the finish line and notched a rare 2 2/3 inning save.  Leadoff man Rafael Furcal was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored.  Every Brave regular touched home except 1st baseman Wally "Absorbene" Joyner.

Nats take 2 of 3 from Amazin's

Game 1 - Nationals Park
Nats 3, Mets 1
Glavine vs G.Gonzalez

In a battle of crafty lefties Gio Gonzalez (9k's) was one Ryan Zimmerman 1st inning solo blast ahead.  After 6 innings both starters left with Gio up 1-0.  New York struck back and tied it in the top of the 7th on a pinch hit homer off the bat of Endy Chavez.  Washington took the lead in the 8th when they loaded the bases and Met reliever Aaron Heilman walked in 2 runs.  Tyler Clippard threw a scoreless 9th to notch the save and give the Nats the opening day win.

 

Game 2
Nats 5, Mets 2
P.Martinez vs Zimmermann

Pedro was on cruise control for 7 shutout innings, but it all came apart in the bottom of 8th when the Nats scored 5 unanswered runs to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead.  Mets manager Chris Gotay, when asked in the post game press conference if he felt he went with Pedro too long called it "His Grady Little moment".  Pedro quickly got the first two out in the inning then hit Flores with a pitch and served up a single to pinch hitter Steve Lombardozzi to put runners on the corners, which set the stage for an Ian Desmond 3 run blast to give Washington a 3-2 lead.  After Bryce Harper doubled Ryan Zimmerman hit his second home in as many days to give the Nats a 3 run lead.  Clippard came on in the 9th for his 2nd save in as many days.

Game 3
Mets 7, Nats 6
O.Hernandez vs Strasburg

Phenom Strasburg was lit up for 4 runs early, but vet El Duque' gave up 5, so the Nats clung to a 1 run lead until the top of the 9th when Clippard came on board to notch his 3rd save in as many days.  The Amazin's were to have none of it and dropped a 3 spot on the man with the sports specs.  Young David Wright came through with a clutch bases loaded / 2 out single to score two and put New York up by 1.  A wild pitch by Clippard would allow pinch hitter Cliff Floyd to score from third to make it a 2 run game.  New York was not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination as closer Billy Wagner gave up a trio of singles to start the bottom of the 9th.  Zimmerman's Sac Fly scored pinch hitter Morse to make it a 1 run game.  LaRoche grounded to second for the second out of the inning to advance the runners 90 feet for 19 year old rookie phenom Bryce Harper.  Wagner came sidearm with heat and blew away the wunderkind for the final out of the final game in a very entertaining opening series.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

August 10:  Reds 5 Pirates 2  

Reds used 2 late inning homeruns to win their home opener. Pirates grabbed early 2-0 lead on rbi double by McCutchen followed by Alvarez's rbi single. Cozart's single plated 1 run and the game entered the key 6th inning. The Pirates had men on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and after Mercer failed, Martin was walked intentionally. The Pirates lifted starter Locke but Marlon Byrd struck out. In the bottom of the inning, Cozart singled and with 2 outs Jay Bruce homered to give Reds the lead. Xavier Paul's pinch hit 2 run homer in the 7th provided the insurance. Cueto got the win.

August 11: Pirates 5 Reds 3

Pirates overcame an early Reds lead to even the series. Reds grabbed 3-0 lead in the first as Votto singled in the first run and Bruce smashed a 2 run homer. Pirates got 2 back in 2nd as Nercer doubled in a run followed by Martins double. Pirates took the lead in the 5th as Marte lead off with a double scored on an error by Paul fielding Tabata's single. Tabata took 3rd on the play and scored on McCutchen's sac fly. Alvarez doubled in insurance run in the 7th. Things got interesting in the 9th as Pirates reliever Melancon loaded the bases giving up 2 singles and hit a batter. After striking out pinch hitter Stubbs, Watson came on to retire Heisey for the save.

August 12: Pirates 4 Reds 2

Pirates pounded out 14 hits and used some clutch hitting to win the game and the series. Lirano pitched 6 innings holding the Reds to 1 run on 3 hits. Meanwhile the Pirates got single runs in the 2nd and 3rd as Mercer tripled in first run and McCutchen singled in the other. The Reds used an error by Rolen to add a run in the 7th and Sanchez's sac fly in 9th plated an insurance run. Melancon earned the save. Marte had 3 hits for the Pirates while Mercer doubled and tripled. For the 3 games, the Pirates had 36 hits.