Series 10: vs. Milwaukee

May 2, 2011
Last time we saw the Brewers, in, what is Algonquin for "the good land," they swept us in four games. Don't need to equal that, but it would be nice to take this series at home and get on a roll before heading to Philly.

Mark Rogers vs. Tommy Hanson

Embarrassing is a word. Deflating. The kind of game that makes you want to give up baseball.

Final score: 25-9. After two, we led this 5-3. But Tommy Hanson sucked. But so did the rest of the bullpen. Only Craig Kimbrel and Peter Moylan were kept out. Joe Mather, who entered during a double switch after Nate McLouth got hurt (yay for that), pitched the ninth and gave up six more runs. But he did homer so that...equals out?

The saddest part is our offense actually managed nine runs.

25-9 LOSS (16-14)
W - L. Hawkins (2-0)
L - T. Hanson (0-2)

May 3, 2011
Nate McLouth has neck stiffness from yesterday. That's better than...well...broken neck. He is day-to-day. With a righty and two lefties to follow in the series, I may hold him back for pinch hitting. One move...Cristhian Martinez was demoted for Jairo Asencio.

Yovani Gallardo vs. Julio Teheran

Can't say we didn't have a chance in this one, which is better than yesterday. Bases loaded in the ninth, Nate McLouth's replacement Joe Mather flew out to end this 3-1 loss.

Atlanta took the initial lead with Martin Prado driving in Mather with an RBI double in the third, but the offense could not muster much against Yovani Gallardo after that and Julio Teheran was not perfect. Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer off the rookie in the fourth, the only runs Teheran allowed while pitching six and giving up four hits. He struck out eight and walked none.

George Sherrill allowed a run in the 8th to build the Brewers lead to 3-1, but the Braves loaded them against John Axford, who walked a pair and gave up two hits. David Ross followed a Jason Heyward leadoff walk with a double play. A walk to Freddie Freeman preceded back-to-back singles by Dan Uggla and Eric Hinske, but Atlanta couldn't score.

3-1 LOSS (16-15)
W - Y. Gallardo (5-1)
L - J. Teheran (1-1)
SV - J. Axford (4)

May 4, 2011
Hey, a good sign. Brian McCann was sent on a rehab assignment starting today. He has been out since April 12th with a strained rib cage muscle. In 11 games this year, McCann is hitting .297 with 1 HR and 6 RBI. Sadly, even though he has been out for three weeks, he is still tied for fourth on the team in doubles. If all goes well, he might be activated Saturday.

Nate Robertson vs. Brandon Beachy

Back to .500. Brandon Beachy gave up runs in each of the first three innings, but overall kept the Brewers in check. However, as is the norm, the offense was not heard from. Beachy went six, allowed the three runs, and K'd 9.

Diory Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth and Dan Uggla hit his second homer in the fifth to get the Braves within a run. However, Eric O'Flaherty struggled with his location and gave up a run in the seventh. Craig Kimbrel, in because he was a fresh arm, gave up two more in the ninth.

The Braves will attempt to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Brewers tomorrow and avoid falling under .500.

6-2 LOSS (16-16)
W - N. Robertson (1-0)
L - B. Beachy (2-4)
SV - M. DiFelice (3)

May 5
Randy Wolf vs. Tim Hudson

Despite losing yet another key performer, Atlanta is able to come from behind and take this one 9-5. Two runs off Tim Hudson in the first put the Braves in a hole, softened to some degree by Alex Gonzalez's third homer in the bottom of the first. However, with a runner on, Tim Hudson got Rickie Weeks to fly out after a long at-bat. He immediately called for the team doctors and was removed. Jairo Asencio came in and gave up back-to-back homers to make it 5-1.

Braves began to chip away. In the fourth, Jason Heyward walked against Randy Wolf and Dan Uggla followed with a double. With both runners in scoring position, the Braves scored via a wild pitch and sacrifice fly from Joe Mather to make it 5-3. In the sixth, an Uggla doubled plated Gonzalez. And in the seventh, Atlanta tied it when right before Gonzalez flew out to end the inning, Eric Hinske scored on a wild pitch. Hinske had doubled as a pinch hitter and reached third on a grounder.

A wild 8th put Atlanta on top. Heyward singled. On what should have been a double play, Mat Gamel threw the ball wide of second base. With two runners on, Joe Mather was called on to bunt. Gamel threw that past Prince Fielder to plate Heyward. Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked before Diory Hernandez doubled to left to score a pair. J.C. Boscan followed with his first RBI on a squeeze bunt. Asencio went 3.1 important innings before Scott Linebrink tossed two and George Sherrill got the game to the 8th with a scoreless frame.

9-5 WIN (17-16)
W - G. Sherrill (1-1)
L - T. Saito (1-2)