First Series: Braves @ Philles

[DravenX]

(0-0) vs. (0-0)

4/2 Game 1: John Smoltz (0-0, -.-- ERA) vs. Brett Myers (0-0, -.-- ERA)

#	Pos	Player	#	Pos	Player
1	2B	Kelly Johnson	1	SS	Jimmy Rollins
2	SS	Edgar Renteria	2	RF	Shane Victorino
3	3B	Chipper Jones	3	2B	Chase Utley
4	CF	Andruw Jones	4	1B	Ryan Howard
5	C	Brian McCann	5	LF	Pat Burrell
6	RF	Jeff Francoeur	6	3B	Wes Helms
7	1B	Scott Thorman	7	CF	Aaron Rowand
8	LF	Ryan Langerhans	8	C	Rod Barajas
9	P	John Smoltz	9	P	Brett Myers

4/4 Game 2: Tim Hudson (0-0, -.-- ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (0-0, -.-- ERA)

#	Pos	Player	#	Pos	Player
1	2B	Kelly Johnson	1	SS	Jimmy Rollins
2	SS	Edgar Renteria	2	RF	Shane Victorino
3	3B	Chipper Jones	3	1B	Ryan Howard
4	CF	Andruw Jones	4	2B	Chase Utley
5	RF	Jeff Francoeur	5	LF	Pat Burrell
6	C	Brian McCann	6	3B	Wes Helms
7	1B	Craig Wilson	7	CF	Aaron Rowand
8	LF	Matt Diaz	8	C	Carlos Ruiz
9	P	Tim Hudson	9	P	Cole Hamels

4/5 Game 3: Chuck James (0-0, -.-- ERA) vs. Adam Eaton (0-0, -.-- ERA)

#	Pos	Player	#	Pos	Player
1	2B	Kelly Johnson	1	SS	Jimmy Rollins
2	SS	Edgar Renteria	2	RF	Jayson Werth
3	3B	Chipper Jones	3	2B	Chase Utley
4	CF	Andruw Jones	4	1B	Ryan Howard
5	C	Brian McCann	5	LF	Pat Burrell
6	RF	Jeff Francoeur	6	3B	Wes Helms
7	1B	Scott Thorman	7	CF	Aaron Rowand
8	LF	Ryan Langerhans	8	C	Rod Barajas
9	P	Chuck James	9	P	Adam Eaton

Well the 2007 season has arrived with the final Spring game today against the White Sox. I'm sure everyone is ready to get the season going and see how the new additions to the bullpen pan out. I'm also looking to see how Kelly Johnson and Mike Hampton perform.

I have a good feeling about this season but that is if everyone can perform the way we all know they should so only time will tell.

[SLAM]

Nice game thread Draven.

[RZ]

Pretty Decent first game so far.. tied 3-3 with 1 out in the bottom of the ninth..

[RZ]

First game of the season goes into extra innings...

[RZ]

EDGAR!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 run HR in the top of the 10th, no outs.....

[RZ]

Outstanding first game of the season... Braves win 5-3 in 10 innings.

[RZ]

Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3, 10 innings
By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer - April 2, 2007

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Edgar Renteria showed he's a better hitter than bunter.

After twice failing to execute a sacrifice, Renteria ripped his second homer -- a two-run shot -- in the 10th inning to lead the Atlanta Braves over the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 in the season opener Monday.

Renteria's solo shot off starter Brett Myers with two outs in the eighth inning tied it at 3.

John Smoltz went six innings, Bob Wickman (1-0) pitched out of a jam in the ninth and Chad Paronto tossed a scoreless 10th for the save.

Kelly Johnson walked to start the 10th against Ryan Madson (0-1). Renteria fouled off two bunt attempts before hitting a liner into the right-center field seats.

Jimmy Rollins homered and Myers pitched 7 2-3 strong innings for the Phillies.

Brian McCann had a two-run homer for the Braves.

Myers retired seven straight batters before Renteria ripped an 0-2 pitch off the brick wall beyond the center-field fence to tie it at 3.

Leading 2-1, Smoltz ran into trouble in the sixth after retiring Philadelphia's two most dangerous hitters -- Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Pat Burrell blooped a single and Wes Helms followed with a double just out of Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones' reach to tie it at 2.

Aaron Rowand then hit a pop-up to shallow center that bounced off second baseman Johnson's glove, scoring Helms for a 3-2 lead. Johnson, a converted outfielder, appeared to lose the ball in the sun and it was ruled a single.

The Phillies missed a chance to add an important insurance run in the seventh after Rollins doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs against former Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez. But Gonzalez fanned Shane Victorino and Howard, and retired Utley on a grounder to shortstop to keep it at 3-2.

Utley prevented the go-ahead run from scoring in the ninth by making a diving stop on Ryan Langerhans' infield single up the middle. Tom Gordon then struck out pinch-hitter Brayan Pena to leave the bases loaded.

A sellout crowd of 44,742 turned out for the fourth season opener at Citizens Bank Park. They were rowdy right from the start, booing Burrell in pregame introductions and giving Howard, the reigning NL MVP, a standing ovation.

A few minutes later, some fans wiped tears during a touching tribute for longtime coach and former player John Vukovich, former All-Star outfielder Johnny Callison, former pitcher Cory Lidle, former pitching coach Vern Ruhle and longtime organist Paul Richardson. Each died in the offseason.

McCann gave the Braves a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with a line-drive homer into the right-field seats.

Rollins cut it to 2-1 with a solo shot in the fifth.

Smoltz allowed three runs and eight hits, striking out seven in six innings in the best of his four opening-day starts. Smoltz came in with a 7.71 ERA as a starter in season openers.

Myers gave up three runs and four hits in his first opening day assignment. He struck out nine and walked two.

In a surprise lineup switch, manager Charlie Manuel flip-flopped Utley and Howard in the 3-4 spots. For months, Manuel said he preferred to leave Utley in the No. 3 hole and Howard in the cleanup spot with Burrell batting fifth.

The issue of who should protect Howard in the lineup was a major topic in the offseason, especially after the Phillies failed to land free-agent slugger Alfonso Soriano. Howard was intentionally walked in the ninth, but Wickman got Utley to foul out to third base to leave the winning run at second base.

Notes: The Phillies are 56-67-2 in season openers. The Braves are 18-24 in openers since moving to Atlanta, including 9-14 on the road. ... "VUK" was painted inside the third-base coaching box to honor Vukovich, who passed away last month. Vukovich's son, Vince, threw out the first pitch.

[ATLien]

that was fun.

[DravenX]

Ed Montague was pathetic. He is a 32 year vet and he can't see the ball that well. He needs to retire. I started to laugh when he called a strike to Howard at one at bat. It was a delayed call. This ump needs to go back to camp and learn the basics again.

[Weston M]

A good start to the season for our Braves. If today was any indication then our bullpen situation has been solved. Smoltz pitched well allowing just 3 in six innings(should have been two, they gave the Phillies a hit on Johnson's drop.) Big props to the bullpen for pitching four shutout innings. Look forward to Wednesday's game.

weston

[DravenX]

Smoltz wasn't too bad and he should of got the win if it wasn't for the defensive. I was out taking care of a little business during that time but I will see what happened later.

McCann got the game rolling with a 2-run homerun. I would like to see him hit 30 homeruns in a season.

Gonzalez didn't looked too good IMO. He had to pitch himself out of trouble with 2 K's. He shouldn't be getting into thos situations.

Renteria, what can I say? Obvious choice for player of the game with 2 homeruns. First homerun was to tie the game and 3 and the second was to take the lead to make it 5-3.

Francoeur, was not patient once again. His aggresive habbits are not working.

The important thing is the Braves won but if they keep playing like this the rest of the season, they will miss the playoffs once again.

[General]

Not a bad way to start it off. Happy that Edgar is continuing his extremely solid season from last year.

[Weston M]

Braves clinch the series with victory in 11. 3-2 ATL as Wickman picks up his first save. McCann goes yard in the 9th to tie game at 2-2.

weston

[ATLien]

Chuck James is pitching tomorrow.

Saturday's Smoltz-Glavine should be incredible. I plan on going to that game and Friday's.

[Weston M]

The Braves begin the season with a 3-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies capping it off with an 8-4 victory today. Next series: a 3-game set vs. the New York Mets in Atlanta.

weston