Through two games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Atlanta Braves have let their outstanding starting pitching lead the way while sending a message to a potential playoff opponent.
There's no one they'd rather have on the mound trying to complete the sweep than Tim Hudson.
Unbeaten in seven career starts versus Arizona, Hudson looks to improve to 7-0 in August over the past two seasons when he gets the ball in Sunday's series finale at Turner Field.
The Diamondbacks (69-57) came into Atlanta having totaled three runs in losing the final two games of their series in Philadelphia, and they haven't fared much better offensively against the NL East's other postseason contender.
They couldn't score in five innings against the struggling Derek Lowe in a 4-2 loss Friday, and didn't fare much better Saturday. Brandon Beachy held Arizona to a run and four hits over six innings, and Dan Uggla homered twice as the Braves (75-52) cruised to an 8-1 victory.
"We're just having a tough time," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said of an offense hitting .160 during a four-game slide that's one short of the team's longest this season. "We're unable to get anything going right now."
Atlanta extended its wild-card lead over San Francisco to eight games, while the Diamondbacks stayed 2 1/2 up on the Giants in the NL West race.
"We're playing every game with a purpose, and that's to make the playoffs," Beachy said. "There's stuff on the line."
It seems Atlanta's cause should be helped by Hudson (12-7, 3.13 ERA) facing Arizona. He's 5-0 with a 1.54 ERA in seven starts against the Diamondbacks, holding them to a .199 average and no homers in 52 2-3 innings.
To make matters worse for Arizona, the right-hander is 10-0 with a 2.07 ERA in 15 day starts since 2010, and he's done his best work in August. Hudson is 6-0 with a 1.82 ERA in nine August outings the past two seasons.
That streak almost came to an end Monday. Hudson gave up four runs - two earned - and five hits over eight innings against San Francisco, but Atlanta rallied from two down with three runs in the ninth to win 5-4.
"It would have been a tough one to swallow, one of the tougher ones of the year," Hudson told the Braves' official website after allowing a pair of homers. "We felt like we had the game in hand. ... Then I make some pitches that I thought a couple of those guys couldn't handle, and they nuke both of them for homers."
No current Diamondbacks player has taken Hudson deep.
Other than Freddie Freeman, who homered Saturday, no Braves hitter seemed to have any idea how to get to Josh Collmenter (7-7, 3.47) when the rookie beat them 2-1 in Arizona on May 19. Collmenter pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only a single and a double to Freeman.
After rough starts against Los Angeles on July 29 and Aug. 5, Collmenter has bounced back. He limited Houston to two runs over seven innings in a 6-3 win Aug. 10, then held his own against Roy Halladay on Tuesday, allowing two runs over 6 2-3 innings as the Diamondbacks scored twice in the ninth to win 3-2.
2011年8月22日星期一
2011年8月5日星期五
Cardinals 3B Freese hit in helmet by pitch
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese took a pitch to the helmet and came away with a mild concussion and an RBI.
Freese collapsed to the dirt face first when he was hit just above the left temple on a 3-2 pitch from Florida's Clay Hensley in the third inning Thursday night. The bases were loaded at the time, forcing in a run that put the Cardinals ahead to stay.
"I'm glad we got the run in," Freese said with a slight smile after St. Louis' 7-4 win.
At the time, no one was thinking about the score as a soccer jerseys wholesale trainer rushed to the aid of Freese.
"The first 10 seconds or so, I couldn't really see," Freese said. "It stung me pretty good."
He rose to one knee after about a minute, then stood and slowly walked off the field.
After the game, Freese said he was still a little dizzy but feeling better. He bore a large red bruise where the ball hit.
"I doubt I'll play Friday, but the disabled list I don't think is a possibility," he said.
When Hensley came out of the game, he phoned Freese and apologized.
"Obviously it wasn't intentional," Freese said. "I understand. He didn't have much command of his heater tonight, and things like that happen."
Said Hensley: "You never want to go out there and hit people, much less in the head."
Freese collapsed to the dirt face first when he was hit just above the left temple on a 3-2 pitch from Florida's Clay Hensley in the third inning Thursday night. The bases were loaded at the time, forcing in a run that put the Cardinals ahead to stay.
"I'm glad we got the run in," Freese said with a slight smile after St. Louis' 7-4 win.
At the time, no one was thinking about the score as a soccer jerseys wholesale trainer rushed to the aid of Freese.
"The first 10 seconds or so, I couldn't really see," Freese said. "It stung me pretty good."
He rose to one knee after about a minute, then stood and slowly walked off the field.
After the game, Freese said he was still a little dizzy but feeling better. He bore a large red bruise where the ball hit.
"I doubt I'll play Friday, but the disabled list I don't think is a possibility," he said.
When Hensley came out of the game, he phoned Freese and apologized.
"Obviously it wasn't intentional," Freese said. "I understand. He didn't have much command of his heater tonight, and things like that happen."
Said Hensley: "You never want to go out there and hit people, much less in the head."
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