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With two key teammates injured, Andruw Jones knows the Atlanta Braves need power and production from him right now. No problem. After all, he had a huge season under similar circumstances last year. Jones hit a pair of two-run homers, Kyle Davies pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game and Atlanta slowed down the New York Mets with a 7-1 victory Tuesday night. |
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Because the Braves have had to reach out for young arms like Ken Ray and Peter Moylan for bullpen help in the early season, some fans may see it as an omen for a long year -- one without Leo Mazzone. Mark Bowman gives reasons for hope in this week's mailbag. |
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John Smoltz gave the Braves pitching staff a much-needed lift. Smoltz served as the Braves' stopper with a four-hit shutout to lift Atlanta past Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres 2-0 Saturday night. Smoltz (1-1), relying more on a changeup he says he threw about 25 times, recorded his 16th career shutout and 51st complete game. |
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Jeff Francoeur continued his recent tear with a two-out eighth-inning homer that allowed the Braves to claim a 5-4 win over the Padres at Turner Field on Friday night. |
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--2B Marcus Giles won't let a little thing like a .056 batting average stop him as long as he is getting on base with walks. Besides, his hitting always improves once the regular season starts. --RHP Blaine Boyer's next target will be emerging pain free after pitching on back-to-back days. The rookie is rehabbing from an inflamed rotator cuff, and he has an outside shot at being ready for Opening Day. |
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Everyone around the Braves is breathing more easily now that left-handed starter Horacio Ramirez has turned in a good outing. Make that a great outing. It was about a week ago, after several poor starts, that pitching coach Roger McDowell and manager Bobby Cox strongly suggested to Ramirez that he dump his cutter. That kind of suggestion sounds a lot like an order to a struggling young pitcher, so Ramirez stopped throwing it immediately. |
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BravesCenter's Bill Shanks and Kike Seda talked exclusively with Braves' right-hander Jorge Sosa after his performance Monday against the New York Yankees. |
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Atlanta Braves closer Chris Reitsma strained his left hamstring Monday night and failed to make it through the ninth inning of a 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees. Reitsma was in obvious discomfort after throwing a pitch that Luis Garcia hit for a two-out single in the ninth. The right-hander got a visit on the mound from manager Bobby Cox and came out of the game. The Braves are counting on Reitsma to anchor a questionable bullpen. |
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BravesCenter's Bill Shanks has some notes from Kissimmee, Florida, where the Braves beat the Astros Tuesday 5-4. |
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Marcus Giles doubled twice and walked before calling it a day after just 3 1/2 innings, and Brian Jordan had a two-run double Tuesday in the Atlanta Braves' 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros. The Braves had three doubles in a four-run first inning against Wandy Rodriguez, the Astros' fourth starter. Although he settled down with four consecutive scoreless innings, Rodriguez lost for the fourth time in five spring appearances. |
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A slew of sore muscles, a plague of flu and players off to the World Baseball Classic have put the Braves about two weeks behind in their player evaluations. So far, hitters are ahead of pitchers. ROTATION: 1. RHP John Smoltz 2. RHP Tim Hudson 3. RHP Kyle Davies 4. RHP John Thomson 5. |