Series 13: vs. Philadelphia

May 13, 2011
With the Phillies coming to town, Chipper Jones looks like he will be activated tomorrow. He will have spent the minimum of 15 days on the DL. His activation will coincide with the callup of Mike Minor to make a start. I expect Jair Jurrjens to make another appearance for Gwinnett on Monday, the 16th. If that goes well, he will likely be activated next Saturday for a game against Anaheim. He could also make that start in Gwinnett and be held back for the 27th against the Reds because that game follows two of four days off. The Braves could use Minor on the 19th against the D'Backs, demote him, and have an extra player for the trip to Anaheim and the two game trip to Pittsburgh.

Elsewhere, pulled off a trade with the Chicago Cubs. J.J. Hoover heads to the Chicago system for Nick Punto and prospect OF Matt Szczur. Diory Hernandez was demoted to make room for Punto, who will be eligible for the series opener against Philly. Punto is a high OBP switch hitter capable of playing all over the infield at a high level. Szczur could turn into a .280/.340/.450 type player in center who plays above average defense and swipes 30 bases. There's always room on teams for those guys. Hoover was probably ranked 8th among starters. In addition, Arodys Vizcaino was promoted to AA to replace Hoover.

Cole Hamels vs. Julio Teheran.

The strikezone must have been microscopic as the teams combined for just 16 hits, but 26 walks. The 26th and final walk came in the 12th inning against J.C. Romero. After Freddie Freeman had walked to open the inning, Jairo Asencio was asked to put a bunt down. He did his job and Romero threw the ball away. An intentional walk to Martin Prado loaded them and after a popup, Nate McLouth, who was 0 for 6, walked to force Freeman and win the game 8-7.

Down 1-0 in the first, Prado tied it up with a homer off Hamels. The Braves would manufacture a go-ahead run in the third. Nick Punto, making his debut as a starter at third base, walked and with one out, Dan Uggla followed suit. A double steal advanced the runners and Brian McCann grounded out to put the Braves ahead. In the sixth, Jason Heyward (yes) walked and Freeman singled. A Julio Teheran bunt advanced the runners and with two outs, a passed ball scored Heyward and Punto beat out a grounder to plate Freeman. With a 4-1 lead, the Braves had some room to feel safe. However, the Phillies scored twice in the fifth with the help of two errors. After a rain delay, Dan Uggla smacked a solo bomb to make it 5-3. The rain delay forced a move to the pen and in the seventh, Peter Moylan came up a walk and a two-run homer to tie it.

In the seventh, with two outs, Jason Grilli couldn't find the strike zone and threw 13 straight out of the zone before getting a strike. He followed that with three more out of the zone to force home Atlanta's sixth run. Jonny Venters followed suit by walking two and giving up a single with two outs to load them before walking home the tying run. Another walk made it 7-6. Braves were able to use a wild pitch to score Uggla in the 9th with two outs. Uggla had, surprisingly, walked. He actually tied an Atlanta record with four walks and was able to score three times. Teheran was charged with one earned run and two unearned runs in his five innings. He added his first major league hit. He was on the hook for the win before Moylan had the first of two Atlanta blown saves.

8-7 WIN - 12 INNINGS (21-19, W3)
W - J. Asencio (2-0)
L - J.C. Romero (1-1)

May 14, 2011
Expected moves occured. Chipper Jones was activated from the 15 day DL, Mike Minor was called up, and Jairo Asencio and Wilkin Ramirez were demoted to Gwinnett. Minor gets the fun assignment of facing Roy Halladay.

Roy Halladay vs. Mike Minor

Sometimes, a rookie seems like the veteran who sees his spot come up against a rival, knows his bullpen is tired, and also knows his offense is not the best - and oh, he is facing Roy Halladay - and despite all of the distractions, takes the team on his back and says, "I got this." Mike Minor did that on Saturday. Minor allows three hits, four walks, and struck out three over seven frames as the Braves shutdown the Phillies 5-0.

Minor walked a pair in the first and stranded two runners in scoring position in the third, but seemed to settle down from there. Maybe retiring Ryan Howard to end the third inning threat helped. The two runs the Braves gave him definitely had to help. With one out in the third, Nate McLouth earned a rare Halladay walk. After Martin Prado singled, the pair sync'd up on a double steal. Brian McCann was retired without scoring a run, but Chipper Jones rocketed the first pitch he saw for an RBI single and after an error scored Prado, the Braves had a lead they would not surrender.

With two outs in the sixth, the Braves offense woke up on a Freddie Freeman single. With the count 3-1 to Minor, something odd happened. Minor homered. Yes, off of Roy Halladay. And it wasn't a wind-driven, weak homer. Minor went opposite field with authority, lining the pitch 376 feet. The Braves would get a third run of the inning when McLouth doubled and Prado singled him in. Minor followed with a three pitch seventh before getting replaced after 99 pitches as Cristhian Martinez opened the 8th. He struck out four over two innings to rest the others in the pen.

5-0 WIN (22-19, W4)
W - M. Minor (1-0)
L - R. Halladay (6-3)

May 15, 2011
Very unhappy...accidentally pressed "Finish Today" while fiddling with the minor leagues. First game I didn't play out all season.

Roy Oswalt vs. Brandon Beachy

Close one went extras until Raul Ibanez homered off Craig Kimbrel with two outs in the 11th. Brandon Beachy was very solid, going seven and allowing five hits, a run, a walk, and picking up six K's. However, Roy Oswalt matched him pitch-by-pitch. Literally. The two had identical pitching lines.

Jason Heyward had two hits to get his average sniffing .200 again. He scored Atlanta's only run in the fifth with a single and a stolen base that allowed Alex Gonzalez to drive him in.

Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty were solid and got the game to Kimbrel, who retired the first two he saw with ease before Ibanez went deep.

2-1 LOSS - 11 INNINGS (22-20, L1)
W - R. Madson (1-1)
L - C. Kimbrel (2-1)
SV - A. Bastardo (2)