Braves-Cardinals series thread

[General]

Braves open a series at St. Louis. Smoltzie vs. Mulder tonight, will be shown on TBS.

[General]

Johnny Estrada, who sat in favor of Brian McCann two of the previous three games, is getting a start tonight even though John Smoltz is pitching.
McCann had been acting as Smoltz's personal catcher for more than a month, but it seems manager Bobby Cox tired of that arrangement. Now it looks like McCann will be playing more against righties and Estrada against lefties

[General]

2-0 Cards in the first on Pujols' 30th HR of the year.

[General]

The reason Johnny Estrada caught John Smoltz last night is that he is having trouble swinging left-handed due to his sore back.
He's been in pain ever since getting blindsided by Darin Erstad on June 6 and has recently received two cortisone shots to relieve the discomfort. It's too painful for him to swing effectively from the left side right now, so you can expect Brian McCann to get starts against right-handers, and for Estrada and McCann to split time. However, Cox will probably not make the mistake of having Smoltz throw to Estrada again, after getting rocked last night and taking his first loss since, inronically, June 6. The same night Estrada was injured.

[General]

By the way, we lost.

[General]

At the beach right now, but stopped by to check for the game update: 2-1 Braves on an Andruw Jones bomb and a Francouer run. Beteit doubled in Francouer. Once again, 2-1 so far. Probably not gonna post any more updates, as I sadly am condemned to spending a couple more hours at the mother****ing beach...where I can only check for updates on my cell. Anyhow, 2-1! Hudson's been pitching well so far, reducing his walks. Remember, he has struggled in games where he walks more than 3 batters. One walk through 4.1 IP so far.

[General]

4.2 IP now.

[Fishercat]

Andruw Jones, we are not worthy of ye. Cripes.

[General]

Talk about a monster night: 2-5, 2 HRs, 5 RBI. Game just ended with 8-1 Braves the final score. Hudson pitched very well, going 7 innings and giving up only one run, striking out 4, and, most importantly, walking only one. Farnsworth pitched the 8th inning flawlessly and Reitsma finished off the 9th. Let the Andruw for MVP talks continue!

[General]

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Tim Hudson gave up one run in seven innings for his 100th career win, while Andruw Jones homered twice, one a grand slam, and the Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-1 on Saturday.

Hudson (8-6) struck out four, walked one and allowed six hits to earn his first victory since July 16. He was 0-1 in three starts in that span. Hudson, acquired in an offseason trade with Oakland, is 100-45 for his career.

Jones' grand slam in the sixth inning was the fourth of his career and came in his fourth multihomer game of the season and 26th of his career. He leads the majors with 35 home runs.

Cardinals starter Jason Marquis (9-10) retired the first 12 batters before Jones led off the fifth with a homer to tie it 1-1. Wilson Betemit made it 2-1 later in the inning with a double that drove in Jeff Francoeur who had singled.

Marquis has lost four straight, with seven losses in his last 10 starts. He is the only Cardinals starter without at least 10 wins. He allowed six runs and five hits in five innings.

The Braves scored four in the sixth when Jones homered after two walks and a single loaded the bases.

The Cardinals scored in the first when Mark Grudzielanek extended his season-high hitting streak to nine games with an RBI single to drive in John Rodriguez who had singled with one out.

The Cardinals had two on, with one out in the sixth on singles by Albert Pujols and Grudzielanek. But John Mabry struck out and Abraham Nunez lined out to end the threat.

Rodriguez and Pujols both reached base to lead off the eighth but Pujols was doubled up on a fly ball to short right field when he rounded the base and couldn't beat the throw back to first. It was the first double play Jim Edmonds hit into this season.

Rafael Furcal and Marcus Giles each drove in a run in the ninth to make it 8-1.

The Braves have won 10 of their last 14 and the Cardinals are 3-3 for the homestand which ends Sunday. The Cardinals were attempting to reach 30 games over .500 for the first time this season.

Game notes
Giles' ninth-inning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games (22-for-47). ... Chris Reitsma of the Braves is 9-for-9 in save opportunities since blowing one on June 29. ... Atlanta's Chipper Jones missed his fourth straight game with a strained rotator cuff. ... Grudzielanek had three hits to extend his season-high hitting streak to nine games (17-for-37). ... Francoeur extended his hitting streak to eight games (14-for-35) with a single in four at-bats. ... The crowd of 48,565 pushed the Cardinals past the 2.5 million mark and was the 27th sellout of the season.

[General]

Tim Hudson credited his success today to the rediscovery of his split-fingered fastball.
''I haven't had a good one in three years, but it was there today,'' Hudson said. ''I only threw it about 10 times, but it was great to have it back.'' More than anything, we just want to see Hudson avoid oblique problems. If the splitter sticks around, that would be nice, too.

[General]

Andruw Jones had a grand slam and a solo homer today in the Braves' 8-1 win over the Cardinals.
He broke a tie with Derrek Lee for the major league lead in home runs. With 35 now, he's just one away from matching his career high. The grand slam was the fourth of his career and the multihomer game his 26th.

[ATLien]

Mother****ing Druw with the bombs tonight. Me likey.

[ATLien]

Jorge Sosa was a MONSTER today.

7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 5 K

KJ & Francoeur homered.

It's 3-1 Bravos in the 9th right now.

[ATLien]

****

Walk off Grand Slam for St. Louis, game over.