Series 14: vs. Houston

May 16
Wandy Rodriguez vs. Derek Lowe

Rarely will you see Michael Bourn thrown out. Maybe once in a career will it end a game. However, that is how today's matchup with the Astros ended. Craig Kimbrel came in to perserve the 5-3 lead. After a groundout, Bill Hall singled to right. Robinson Cancel rocketed a ball up the middle to put runners on first-and-second. After a fielder's choice wiped out Cancel and replaced him with Bourn at first with Hall at third, Hall attempted to steal on a 0-1 pitch. The fastball was high and away and Brian McCann's throw was on the money.

Atlanta won despite only picking up two hits. They used a hit batter, a wild pitch, a sac fly, and the usual nine walks (including a pair of go-ahead bases loaded walks) to win this one and "bang" out five runs.

Derek Lowe went six, picking up a quality start. George Sherrill pitched the seventh and got the win.

5-3 WIN (23-20, W1)
W - G. Sherrill (2-1)
L - J. Bulger (0-1)
SV - C. Kimbrel (10)

May 17
Looking to add more depth, we added Willy Aybar on a one-year contract with a team option for 2012. Aybar will earn an even million for the rest of the season and has a $2.5M option with a $250K buyout. Aybar hit .230 in 100 games for Tampa Bay last year. He played in 36 games with Atlanta in 2006 after being acquired in the Wilson Betimet trade. Aybar will join the team in Arizona tomorrow. Brooks Conrad will likely be desiginated for assignment.

Brett Myers vs. Tommy Hanson

Of all the improbable wins, this one may take the cake. Atlanta, down by five runs in the ninth, ties it with five in the ninth and Freddie Freeman singles home Brian McCann to win it in the tenth. The Braves had been mystified for eight innings against Brett Myers, who allowed only two hits, a walk, and picked up six K's. He probably wish he had not been pinch hit for in the ninth after 95 pitches. The Astros had just added two of Cristhian Martinez to push their lead to five.

However, in the ninth, new pitcher Sergio Escalona began to struggle after getting Nate McLouth to ground out. Martin Prado doubled, McCann singled, and Dan Uggla singled in Prado. After closer Wilton Lopez replaced Escalona, Jason Heyward delivered a huge two-run triple to bring the Braves within two. Chipper Jones, pinch-hitting for Alex Gonzalez, worked a walk before Freeman singled in his best friend Heyward. Down a run, Nick Punto grounded out to first to advance the runners, but he recorded the second out. David Ross got the call from the bench and took two strikes before, on a 1-2 count, essentially hit a swinging bunt that he beat out to plate Jones and tie it at five. McLouth, who began the inning with an out, ended it with one.

After Peter Moylan put a pair of runners, but worked around it in the top of the tenth, Prado beat out a grounder to open the tenth before McCann was hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, a wild pitch prompted the 'Stros to walk Heyward intentionally. Jones hit a hard grounder to second that Anderson Hernandez made a diving stop to throw out Prado at home. That set up Freeman, who worked the count full before sending a hard-hit ball between first and second for the win.

6-5 WIN - 10 INNINGS (24-20, W2)
W - P. Moylan (4-1)
L - W. Lopez (1-3)