Braves bang out three home runs, overpower Nationals
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| Regular Season Series |
| Atlanta leads 10-8 (as of Wed 9/20) |
| Fri 4/21 |
@WAS 7, ATL 3 |
Recap |
| Sat 4/22 |
Postponed/Delayed |
Information |
| Sun 4/23 |
ATL 3, @WAS 1 |
Recap |
| Fri 5/12 |
@ATL 6, WAS 2 |
Recap |
| Sat 5/13 |
@ATL 8, WAS 5 |
Recap |
| Sun 5/14 |
WAS 8, @ATL 1 |
Recap |
| Mon 6/5 |
WAS 5, @ATL 4 |
Recap |
| Tue 6/6 |
@ATL 5, WAS 3 |
Recap |
| Wed 6/7 |
WAS 5, @ATL 2 |
Recap |
| Mon 8/14 |
ATL 10, @WAS 4 |
Recap |
| Tue 8/15 |
@WAS 5, ATL 0 |
Recap |
| Wed 8/16 |
@WAS 9, ATL 6 |
Recap |
| Thu 8/17 |
ATL 5, @WAS 0 |
Recap |
| Fri 8/25 |
WAS 7, @ATL 6 |
Recap |
| Sat 8/26 |
@ATL 10, WAS 1 |
Recap |
| Sun 8/27 |
@ATL 13, WAS 6 |
Recap |
| Mon 9/18 |
ATL 6, @WAS 1 |
Recap |
| Tue 9/19 |
@WAS 9, ATL 2 |
Recap |
| >Wed 9/20 |
ATL 7, @WAS 3 |
Box Score |
| · Complete Schedule: Nationals | Braves |
| Scoring Summary |
| ATL | WAS |
 | 1st | A Jones singled to center, C Jones scored. | 1 | 0 |
 | 1st | R Zimmerman homered to left. | 1 | 1 |
 | 3rd | B McCann homered to right, P Orr and C Jones scored. | 4 | 1 |
 | 4th | B Castro reached on infield single to shortstop, R Zimmerman scored, N Johnson to third. | 4 | 2 |
 | 5th | A Jones homered to left. | 5 | 2 |
 | 6th | J Francoeur homered to left. | 6 | 2 |
 | 9th | E Renteria doubled to deep right center, T Pena Jr scored. | 7 | 2 |
 | 9th | B Harper singled to left, B Schneider scored. | 7 | 3 |
| · View complete Play-By-Play |
| Game Information |
| Stadium | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
| Attendance | 19,027 (45.4% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:45 |
| Weather | 66 degrees, cloudy |
| Wind | 13 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Marvin Hudson, First Base - Jerry Layne, Second Base - Bob Davidson, Third Base - Mark Wegner |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- As Atlanta clings to its slim postseason
chances, starter Lance Cormier gave the Braves just what they
needed.
| Elias Says |
Wickman Bob Wickman agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Braves on Wednesday, after saving 30 games this season -- 15 for Cleveland and 15 for Atlanta. The only other pitcher to notch at least 15 saves each for two different teams in the same season was Jeff Shaw, who had more than 20 for both the Reds (23) and Dodgers (25) in 1998. Wickman came close to doing it in 2000, when he split 30 saves between the Brewers (16) and Indians (14).• For more Elias Says, click here
|
Cormier allowed two runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings and the
Braves hit three home runs in a 7-3 victory over the Washington
Nationals on Wednesday night.
"Lance came up with another gem I thought," manager Bobby Cox
said. "His curveball was really working, and that's a great pitch,
because nobody can hit that thing."
Atlanta, which has 10 games remaining, closed within five games
behind Los Angeles and Philadelphia, the NL wild-card leaders. The Braves have been
in the playoffs every year since 1991.
Brian McCann hit a three-run homer in the third and Andruw
Jones, who had an RBI single in the first, hit a solo shot -- his
36th -- in the fifth.
Jeff Francoeur added a solo homer, his 26th,
in the sixth.
The Braves have 202 home runs this season, fifth-most in
franchise history.
"Especially considering we don't play in a hitter's park,"
it's impressive, said McCann, who has 21 homers. "We've got a lot
of guys with power."
Cormier (4-5) won for the second time in his last three starts.
He walked four, struck out five and gave up
Ryan Zimmerman's 19th
home run in the first inning.
"I'm just trying to continue to believe that I've got the stuff
to be a starter," Cormier said. "Just go out there when you have
the chance to start and give it everything you have."
Ramon Ortiz (10-15) allowed five runs and eight hits, including
the home runs to McCann and Jones, in five innings. In his last
eight starts, he is 1-6 with an 8.08 ERA. He has lost all three
games since his near no-hitter against St. Louis on Sept. 4, and he
is tied with the Cardinals'
Jason Marquis for the National League
lead in losses.
"Every time I make a mistake -- home run," Ortiz said. "I
don't want to think about my last three games. I have to keep
pitching well. I want to finish strong. I want to do the best I can
my last three games."
Zimmerman's homer gave him 99 RBI for the season, tops among NL
rookies. He scored in the fourth on
Bernie Castro's infield single.
Cormier left with one out in the seventh after
Nook Logan
reached on a bunt single and
Jose Vidro walked. Reliever Chad
Paronto forced groundouts from
Alfonso Soriano and
Felipe Lopez to
end the threat.
Edgar Renteria had an RBI double in the ninth for Atlanta.
Brian Schneider of the Nationals doubled in the ninth to extend
his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games. He scored on a
two-out single by
Brandon Harper.
Game notes
Braves 3B Chipper Jones left the game after the sixth
inning because of soreness in the second toe on his right foot. Cox
said he could start Thursday at Colorado. ... Braves closer Bob
Wickman agreed to a $6.5 million, one-year contract extension for
2007. ... Nationals RHP Brett Campbell will miss the next 7-10 days
with a back strain. ... Self-help guru Dr. Phil McGraw threw out
the ceremonial first pitch. ... Zimmerman's last homer was Sept. 2
against Arizona. ... Logan has seven bunt hits since being acquired
from Detroit on Sept. 1. ... The Braves' record for home runs in a
season is 235 in 2003.