Series 4: vs. Florida

April 12, 2011
Josh Johnson vs. Tommy Hanson

On paper, this looked like a good pitcher's match-up. A pair of inept offenses, pitchers with incredible stuff, chance for a 2-1 game very high. Instead, Johnson was rocked for five runs and exited after 3.1 ING. Hanson did only somewhat better, lasting 5.2 ING, but also giving up five runs. Peter Moylan stranded a sixth potential run and watched as Freddie Freeman opened the bottom of the sixth with his first homer of the season and the Braves would roll to a 11-5 win.

David Ross, entering after Brian McCann hurt himself on a double in the first, homered twice and drove in five. After Freeman's homer, Ross smacked one over the left-field wall with a pair of runners on to give the Braves a four-run lead. His moonshot to deep center added a pair. Chipper Jones reached base five times, including four times via the walk, and scored three runs. Dan Uggla had a two hit game and Freeman finished a triple short of the cycle.

Sparsley used Diory Hernandez, Matt Young, and Jairo Ascencio all got into action with Hernandez entering on a double switch and going 1-3. Young grounded out and Ascencio worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for a scoreless inning, striking out Hanley Ramirez to end it.

11-5 WIN (5-6)
W - P. Moylan (2-1)
L - B. Badenhop (0-1)

April 13, 2011
As we await Brian McCann's diagnosis, Matt Young was demoted and J.C. Boscan was promoted.

Anibal Sanchez vs. Jair Jurrjens

Walks are awesome. Marlins were so generous that they gave us eleven of them, which helped since our offense is typically so bad at scoring runs. We did add nine hits and set a new season high with 12 runs in the 12-5 rout. It was a close game with both starters working around tough situations for the first five innings. With both starters out, it was 3-1 Braves with a big boost from Nate McLouth's two run-shot in the third. Jurrjens opened the sixth by hitting a batter, giving up a hit, and hitting a third batter. With two lefties due up, George Sherrill got the call. A shallow fly-out and a K followed. Scott Linebrink got John Buck on strikes to end the threat.

While two walks led to a run in the seventh, charged to Peter Moylan, the Braves would use an awesome display of pretty much letting the Marlins hand them nine runs to cruise. Base hit, walk (1), two-run double, double, intentional walk (2), HBP, DP (scores a run), walk (3), RBI single, walk (4), RBI single, RBI walk (5), RBI single, RBI walk (6). Jason Heyward was intentionally walk and walked to score a run. He pulled his best Chipper Jones with four walks.

The game would have looked worse had Jairo Ascenio not giving up three solo homers in the ninth. Big offensive days from Nate McLouth (3-3, 2B, HR, 3 RS, 3 HR, 2 BB) and Chipper Jones (1-3, 2B, 3 RBI, RS, 2 BB). Dan Uggla reached .200 with two hits and drove in two.

12-5 WIN (6-6)
W - J. Jurrjens (1-0)
L - A. Sanchez (1-2)

April 14
Chris Volstad vs. Brandon Beachy

You simply can't keep putting runners on base. Bad things happen. Brandon Beachy allowed nine hits and walked three so in that sense, he was lucky to give up just four runs. But that was enough as the Braves offense managed very little against Chris Volstad in a 6-2 loss. The game was much closer and had much more hope before Craig Kimbrel gave up two in the ninth.

The offense did not have a single extra base hit, though the top two guys combined for five hits. But the rest of the lineup finished with three hits. Martin Prado neared .300 with his three hit game.

Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters were the only bright spots. The former struck out the side, though he allowed a single, while Venters needed just ten pitches to induce a trio of grounders.

6-2 LOSS (6-7)
W - C. Volstad (1-1)
L - B. Beachy (0-2)