GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ATLANTA (29-22) at MILWAUKEE (28-23)

Braves lose game to Brewers and Smoltz to injury

<h3>MILWAUKEE 5, ATLANTA 4</h3>MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy have beencarrying the Milwaukee Brewers offense this season, and Tuesdaywas no different.

Fielder hit a home run and Hardy drove home the go-ahead run asthe Brewers posted a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

The Brewers had to overcome an early 3-0 deficit as the Bravestouched Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets for three runs in the firstinning. The task was made a bit easier when Braves' starterJohn Smoltz left the game after straining his right shoulderduring fourth-inning warmups and re-injuring his right pinkyfinger while swinging the bat in the fourth inning.

Smoltz was trying to become the first eight-game winner in theNational League. Instead he allowed three runs and eight hitsbefore being relieved by Oscar Villarreal with game tied at 3-3.

Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets got off to a rocky start butsettled down to pick up the win. Sheets (5-3) allowed threeruns - all in the first - and 11 hits in six innings

With Sheets holding down the Braves after the first, Fielder andHardy came through to help the Brewers end a six-game losingstreak. Milwaukee had the best record in baseball on May 11 at24-10, but had lost 13 of 17 entering Tuesday's contest.

Fielder crushed an offering from Smoltz to deep right for atwo-run homer in the third to tie the game 3-3. Fielder hashomered in both games this series and has 17 for the season.

Hardy picked up his 44th RBI of the season in the sixth with asingle to make it 4-3. Hardy scored later in the frame whenRyan Braun stole second and Atlanta catcher Brian McCann threwthe ball into the outfield.

Scott Thorman pulled Atlanta within 5-4 in the seventh with asacrifice fly, but the Braves could not score in the ninthdespite putting runners on the corners with one out.

Francisco Cordero struck out Thorman and Matt Diaz to end thegame and pick up his 18th save of the season.

 

NL: ATLANTA at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATLANTA (4) AT MILWAUKEE (5) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Atlanta Starting Lineups -- K Johnson 2B, W Harris LF, E Renteria SS, B McCann C,
A Jones CF, J Francoeur RF, S Thorman 1B, P Orr 3B, J Smoltz RHP.

Milwaukee Starting Lineups -- R Weeks 2B, J Hardy SS, R Braun 3B, P Fielder 1B,
J Estrada C, G Jenkins LF, B Hall CF, C Hart RF, B Sheets RHP.

Umpires -- Bruce Froemming (HP), Bruce Dreckman (1B), Jerry Meals (2B),
Larry Poncino (3B).

Gametime Weather: 80 degrees, Partly Cloudy, wind in from center at 11 mph.


ATLANTA 1ST: K Johnson singled to center. W Harris homered to right,
K Johnson scored. E Renteria doubled to deep left center. B McCann flied out to
right. A Jones singled to left, E Renteria scored. J Francoeur flied out to
center. S Thorman struck out swinging. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3,
MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 1ST: R Weeks struck out swinging. J Hardy singled to right.
R Braun struck out swinging. P Fielder grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 0.

ATLANTA 2ND: P Orr flied out to center. J Smoltz struck out looking.
K Johnson singled to center. W Harris singled to center, K Johnson to third.
W Harris stole second. E Renteria grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 2ND: J Estrada hit a ground rule double to deep left. G Jenkins
singled to deep right, J Estrada to third. B Hall lined out to first. C Hart
singled to center, J Estrada scored, G Jenkins to second. B Sheets out on
batter's interference to catcher. R Weeks struck out swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits,
0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 1.

ATLANTA 3RD: B McCann grounded out to first. A Jones singled to center.
A Jones stole second. J Francoeur flied out to right. S Thorman flied out to
center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 1.

MILWAUKEE 3RD: J Hardy grounded out to shortstop. R Braun singled to
right. P Fielder homered to right, R Braun scored. J Estrada singled to
right. G Jenkins struck out swinging. B Hall doubled to left, J Estrada to
third. C Hart intentionally walked. B Sheets struck out swinging. (2 Runs,
4 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 3.

ATLANTA 4TH: P Orr grounded out to third. J Smoltz reached on infield
single to second. K Johnson flied out to left. W Harris grounded out to
second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 3.

MILWAUKEE 4TH: R Weeks lined out to second. O Villarreal relieved
J Smoltz. J Hardy fouled out to right. R Braun grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs,
0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 3.

ATLANTA 5TH: E Renteria flied out to right. B McCann flied out to right.
A Jones singled to center. J Francoeur singled to center, A Jones to second.
S Thorman flied out to center. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 3.

MILWAUKEE 5TH: P Fielder doubled to left. J Estrada grounded out to third.
G Jenkins intentionally walked. B Hall grounded into fielder's choice to
shortstop, P Fielder out at third, G Jenkins to second. C Hart grounded into
fielder's choice to third, G Jenkins out at third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)
ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 3.

ATLANTA 6TH: P Orr flied out to left. C Woodward hit for O Villarreal.
C Woodward reached on infield single to second. K Johnson safe at first on
error by second baseman R Weeks, C Woodward to second. W Harris fouled out to
third. E Renteria flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error)
ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 3.

MILWAUKEE 6TH: P Moylan relieved O Villarreal. T Gwynn Jr hit for B Sheets.
T Gwynn Jr reached on infield single to catcher. R Weeks sacrificed to
pitcher, T Gwynn Jr to second. J Hardy singled to right, T Gwynn Jr scored,
J Hardy to second advancing on throw. R Braun reached on infield single to
second, J Hardy to third. M McBride relieved P Moylan. P Fielder struck out
swinging, R Braun stole second, J Hardy scored, R Braun to third on throwing
error by catcher B McCann. J Estrada lined out to left. (2 Runs, 3 Hits,
1 Error) ATLANTA 3, MILWAUKEE 5.

ATLANTA 7TH: C Villanueva relieved B Sheets. B McCann doubled to deep
center. A Jones flied out to center. J Francoeur singled to left, B McCann to
third. B Shouse relieved C Villanueva. S Thorman hit sacrifice fly to left,
B McCann scored. M Diaz hit for P Orr. M Wise relieved B Shouse. M Diaz struck
out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 4, MILWAUKEE 5.

MILWAUKEE 7TH: W Harris at third base. M Diaz in left field. G Jenkins
struck out swinging. B Hall flied out to center. C Hart singled to left.
T Graffanino hit for M Wise. T Graffanino singled to left, C Hart to second.
C Paronto relieved M McBride. R Weeks popped out to second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) ATLANTA 4, MILWAUKEE 5.

ATLANTA 8TH: D Turnbow relieved M Wise. J Saltalamacchia hit for C Paronto.
J Saltalamacchia struck out swinging. K Johnson popped out to third. W Harris
singled to right. E Renteria struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)
ATLANTA 4, MILWAUKEE 5.

MILWAUKEE 8TH: B Carlyle relieved C Paronto. J Hardy struck out swinging.
R Braun flied out to center. P Fielder reached on infield single to pitcher.
J Estrada grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 4,
MILWAUKEE 5.

ATLANTA 9TH: F Cordero relieved D Turnbow. C Counsell at third base.
B McCann walked. A Jones grounded out to pitcher, B McCann to second.
J Francoeur singled to center, B McCann to third. S Thorman struck out swinging.
M Diaz struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 4, MILWAUKEE 5.</div>

 

NL: ATLANTA at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">ATLANTA (4) VS MILWAUKEE (5) - FINAL

ATLANTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
K Johnson 2b 5 1 2 0 0 0 1 .279
W Harris lf-3b 5 1 3 2 0 0 3 .397
E Renteria ss 5 1 1 0 0 1 5 .317
B McCann c 4 1 1 0 1 0 1 .276
A Jones cf 5 0 3 1 0 0 1 .230
J Francoeur rf 5 0 3 0 0 0 2 .289
S Thorman 1b 4 0 0 1 0 2 7 .239
P Orr 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182
b-M Diaz ph-lf 2 0 0 0 0 2 3 .342
J Smoltz p 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 .095
O Villarreal p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
a-C Woodward ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .242
P Moylan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
M McBride p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
C Paronto p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
c-J Saltalamacchia ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .313
B Carlyle p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Totals 42 4 15 4 1 7 23

a-reached on infield single to second for O Villarreal in the 6th; b-struck
out swinging for P Orr in the 7th; c-struck out swinging for C Paronto in the
8th.

BATTING: 2B - E Renteria (12, B Sheets); B McCann (15, C Villanueva). HR - W
Harris (1, 1st inning off B Sheets 1 on, 0 Out). SF - S Thorman. RBI - W Harris
2 (9), A Jones (34), S Thorman (25). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out -
E Renteria 3, M Diaz 1, S Thorman 2. Team LOB - 13.

BASERUNNING: SB - W Harris (6, 2nd base off B Sheets/J Estrada), A Jones (2,
2nd base off B Sheets/J Estrada).

FIELDING: E - B McCann (6, throw).


MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
R Weeks 2b 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 .243
J Hardy ss 5 1 2 1 0 1 0 .301
R Braun 3b 5 1 2 0 0 1 1 .300
F Cordero p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
P Fielder 1b 5 1 3 2 0 1 3 .290
J Estrada c 5 1 2 0 0 0 3 .276
G Jenkins lf 3 0 1 0 1 2 1 .292
B Hall cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 .256
C Hart rf 3 0 2 1 1 0 2 .281
B Sheets p 2 0 0 0 0 1 5 .080
a-T Gwynn Jr ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .333
C Villanueva p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
B Shouse p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
M Wise p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
b-T Graffanino ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .194
D Turnbow p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
C Counsell 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234

Totals 38 5 15 4 2 8 23

a-reached on infield single to catcher for B Sheets in the 6th; b-singled to
left for M Wise in the 7th.

BATTING: 2B - J Estrada (12, J Smoltz); B Hall (13, J Smoltz); P Fielder (13, O
Villarreal). HR - P Fielder (17, 3rd inning off J Smoltz 1 on, 1 Out). S - R
Weeks. RBI - C Hart (10), P Fielder 2 (40), J Hardy (44). Runners left in
scoring position, 2 out - J Estrada 1, B Sheets 2, R Weeks 2, C Hart 1. Team
LOB - 12.

BASERUNNING: SB - R Braun (2, 2nd base off M McBride/B McCann).

FIELDING: E - R Weeks (3, ground ball).


----------------------------------------------------
ATLANTA - 300 000 100 -- 4
MILWAUKEE - 012 002 00x -- 5
----------------------------------------------------

ATLANTA ip h r er bb so hr era
J Smoltz 3 1/3 8 3 3 1 5 1 2.82
O Villarreal 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 0 0 3.37
P Moylan (L, 1-1) 1/3 3 2 1 0 0 0 2.59
M McBride 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 2 0 5.00
C Paronto 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 7.98
B Carlyle 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 9.00

MILWAUKEE ip h r er bb so hr era
B Sheets (W, 5-3) 6 11 3 3 0 2 1 3.82
C Villanueva (H, 6) 1/3 2 1 1 0 0 0 3.24
B Shouse (H, 7) 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.65
M Wise (H, 11) 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.05
D Turnbow (H, 11) 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 3.63
F Cordero (S, 18) 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0.43

IBB - C Hart (by J Smoltz), G Jenkins (by O Villarreal). Pitches-strikes: J
Smoltz 58-40; O Villarreal 30-18; P Moylan 10-8; M McBride 23-15; C Paronto
2-1; B Carlyle 11-8; B Sheets 93-67; C Villanueva 11-6; B Shouse 2-1; M Wise
5-3; D Turnbow 21-15; F Cordero 19-11. Ground balls-fly balls: J Smoltz 3-2; O
Villarreal 4-1; P Moylan 1-0; M McBride 0-2; C Paronto 0-1; B Carlyle 1-1; B
Sheets 4-12; C Villanueva 0-1; B Shouse 0-1; M Wise 0-0; D Turnbow 0-1; F
Cordero 1-0. Batters faced: J Smoltz 19; O Villarreal 7; P Moylan 4; M McBride
6; C Paronto 1; B Carlyle 4; B Sheets 30; C Villanueva 3; B Shouse 1; M Wise 1;
D Turnbow 4; F Cordero 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Bruce Froemming. 1B--Bruce Dreckman. 2B--Jerry Meals. 3B--Larry
Poncino.

T--3:01. Att--27,559.
Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 11 mph, in
from center.</div>

 

Braves lose game to Brewers and Smoltz to injury

<h3>MILWAUKEE 5, ATLANTA 4</h3>MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy have beencarrying the Milwaukee Brewers offense this season, and Tuesdaywas no different.

Fielder hit a home run and Hardy drove home the go-ahead run asthe Brewers posted a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

The Brewers had to overcome an early 3-0 deficit as the Bravestouched Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets for three runs in the firstinning. The task was made a bit easier when Braves' starterJohn Smoltz left the game after straining his right shoulderduring fourth-inning warmups and re-injuring his right pinkyfinger while swinging the bat in the fourth inning.

"The older me takes a little more precautions so I don't createsomething longer to heal, but I don't anticipate missing astart," Smoltz said. "His stride was a little bit shorter thanmine and I hit the back of it and slipped. It was a fluke, justhit the wrong spot on the mound."

Smoltz was trying to become the first eight-game winner in theNational League. Instead he allowed three runs and eight hitsbefore being relieved by Oscar Villarreal with game tied at 3-3.

Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets got off to a rocky start butsettled down to pick up the win. Sheets (5-3) allowed threeruns - all in the first - and 11 hits in six innings

"I made a couple of early mistakes and they pounced on it and Iknow it looked bad from afar, Sheets said. "But I don't thinkyou can get any more of a team win than this, everyone had ahand in it."

With Sheets holding down the Braves after the first, Fielder andHardy came through to help the Brewers end a six-game losingstreak. Milwaukee had the best record in baseball on May 11 at24-10, but had lost 13 of 17 entering Tuesday's contest.

"We were on a little bit of a losing streak there but we'restill in first place, nothing really to panic about," Fieldersaid. "For us, whenever the heart of the lineup can get itgoing, it's a good thing."

Fielder crushed an offering from Smoltz to deep right for atwo-run homer in the third to tie the game 3-3. Fielder hashomered in both games this series and has 17 for the season.

"Prince got us going with that big two-run homer, it gave ussome life there," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "The guys feedoff his energy, he's got a lot of passion and they feed off ofthat."

Hardy picked up his 44th RBI of the season in the sixth with asingle to make it 4-3. Hardy scored later in the frame whenRyan Braun stole second and Atlanta catcher Brian McCann threwthe ball into the outfield.

Scott Thorman pulled Atlanta within 5-4 in the seventh with asacrifice fly, but the Braves could not score in the ninthdespite putting runners on the corners with one out.

"We left a ton of people on base, but I thought we did mostlyeverything right and still lost," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.

Francisco Cordero struck out Thorman and Matt Diaz to end thegame and pick up his 18th consecutive save of the season.