Braves’ lead in NL East cut to 1 game
September 4, 2010
MIAMI (AP)—Whenever Florida left fielder Logan Morrison(notes) hits the ball hardtoward a gap, he starts thinking about turning it into a triple.
There’s typically just one flaw in that plan.
Florida Marlins ' Logan Mo… AP – Sep 3, 8:44 pm EDT Florida Marlins ' Gaby San… AP – Sep 3, 8:43 pm EDT YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 1; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100904/capt.6a9fb1948499489fb6c2cbfa7db67b26-6a9fb1948499489fb6c2cbfa7db67b26-0.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=81&yc=1&wc=249&hc=277&q=70&sig=aTHccw4wFkGXrVE.UCwVXw--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 2 Atl-Fla Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init(); Series at a Glance Atlanta 1 Florida 6 Fri, Sep 3 – Final Atlanta at Florida Sat, Sep 4 – 7:10 pm ET Atlanta at Florida Sun, Sep 5 – 12:10 pm ET
“I’m not the fleetest of foot,” Morrison said.
The Braves might argue that one. Morrison hit two stand-up RBI triples,Andrew Miller(notes) battled through five innings for his first win in more than ayear, and the Marlins beat Atlanta 6-1 on Friday night.
Atlanta’s loss, combined with Philadelphia’s 1-0 win over Milwaukee, cut theBraves’ NL East lead over the Phillies to one game.
“Not our night,” Braves left fielder Matt Diaz(notes) said.
Morrison became the eighth player to hit multiple triples in a game thisseason, according to STATS LLC, after hitting only one in his first 126 at-bats.Both came off Atlanta starter Kenshin Kawakami(notes) (1-10), who gave up five hits—all for extra bases—five runs and four walks in three innings.
“The worst ball game I’ve ever seen him pitch,” Braves manager Bobby Coxsaid.
Chad Tracy(notes) had two hits and two RBIs for Florida. Miller (1-0) allowed sevenhits and one run for his first victory since July 4, 2009, and four relieverscombined to finish with four no-hit innings.
Atlanta had at least one runner in scoring position every inning againstMiller, but never got the big hit.
“It’s been a few-and-far-between feeling for a while,” Miller said. “Itfeels great. Just have to do it a few more times.”
The Braves have been alone in first every day since beating Philadelphia onMay 31, when they held a half-game lead that eventually ballooned to as much asseven games.
By Saturday night, they may have company.
Roy Halladay(notes) will try for his 17th win in Philadelphia against the Brewers—while Atlanta faces Marlins’ ace Josh Johnson(notes), who has an 0.75 ERA in two startsagainst the Braves this season.
The Marlins were without manager Edwin Rodriguez, who served a one-gamesuspension handed down earlier Friday after baseball completed its review ofincidents that took place in Florida’s game against Washington on Wednesdaynight.
Florida pitcher Chris Volstad(notes) was suspended for six games, pitcher AlexSanabia(notes) for five, first baseman Gaby Sanchez(notes) for three. All three Marlins areappealing, and Sanchez drew loud ovations each time he appeared at the plateafter clothes-lining Washington’s Nyjer Morgan(notes) during the melee.
“I think it’s behind us,” said Marlins bench coach Brandon Hyde, whofilled in for Rodriguez. “It was a wild night two nights ago, but we’ve talkedabout it. It’s in the past and we’re ready to move on.”
The brawl may be history, but the Marlins landed plenty of hard shotsagainst Kawakami.
Florida’s first six hits all were either doubles or triples, includingMorrison’s long triples in the first and third innings. He has reached base in23 straight games.
“Nothing that LoMo does surprises me anymore,” Hyde said. “He just canflat-out hit.”
Morrison’s first-inning triple to the right field corner scored CameronMaybin(notes), then came home on Hanley Ramirez’s(notes) double for a 2-0 lead. Kawakami gothis first career RBI in the second, cutting Atlanta’s deficit in half.
But Morrison struck again in the third, this time going to deep center forhis triple, and Tracy followed four batters later with a two-run double thathelped Florida extend its lead to 5-1.
Dan Uggla(notes) made it 6-1 in the fourth with another RBI double.
NOTES: Atlanta OF Rick Ankiel(notes) struck out four times, the third time he’sdone that in his career. … Troy Glaus(notes) hit a pinch-hit single for the Braves inthe fourth inning, his first at-bat since Aug. 17 after a stint on the DL withleft knee inflammation. … Ramirez stole two bases, giving him 30 for thefourth time in his five full major-league seasons. … The Marlins recalled RHPChris Leroux(notes) and OF Scott Cousins(notes) before the game. … Uggla returned aftermissing two games with a right groin strain. He made a stellar defensive play inthe second, diving to knock down Diaz’s chopper, then throwing him out at first.
