Final
Jurrjens hopes to help Braves bounce back in the desert
May 19, 2011 - 2:38 PMVideo
His 5-0 record and stingy earned run average are proof.
With the National League loaded with talented pitchers such as Roy Halladay, Josh Johnson, Cliff Lee and Jaime Garcia, Jurrjens is the one who has a chance to become the Senior Circuit's first six-game winner when he takes the mound tonight in the finale of a two-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Jurrjens has won five of his first six starts this season to go along with one of the best ERA's in the majors at 1.66. The right-hander has ripped off four straight wins and last took the hill in Saturday's 5-3 triumph over Philadelphia, as he was reached for three runs -- two earned -- over 7 1/3 innings. He tied a season high with six strikeouts.
"Every game we get from the Phillies is a big game," Jurrjens said. "Everybody knows they're the team to beat in the National League, the team to beat in our division."
The Braves fell 2 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Phillies with last night's 5-4 loss in 11 innings to the lowly Diamondbacks. Julio Teheran held the hosts to just a pair of runs in four innings, but it was the bullpen that blew it. Closer Craig Kimbrel was saddled with the defeat and gave up two runs in the bottom of the 11th.
"We let one slip away," said Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones. "Got a little unlucky."
Alex Gonzalez had three hits, while Martin Prado, Diory Hernandez and Brooks Conrad each drove in a run for the Braves, who entered the game with four straight wins and a 12-4 mark in their previous 16 contests. Prado is riding a 10-game hitting streak. Atlanta opened a seven-game trip on a sour note and will also visit the Angels and Pirates on the road swing.
Arizona has won two straight and four of five games since a five-game slide, and received big hits from Kelly Johnson and Justin Upton in the bottom of the 11th in Wednesday's win. Johnson plated Josh Wilson with a hit and Upton's ensuing single allowed Ryan Roberts to score the game-winning run. Upton hit a chopper to Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who charged but couldn't field the ball cleanly, allowing Roberts to score the winning run.
"He threw me a good slider and I was trying to shorten [my swing] up and try to get something to the outfield for a sac fly," Upton said of his hit. "It didn't work out as planned, but it got the job done."
Joe Saunders did not figure into the decision and threw six innings of one-run ball, while Aaron Heilman picked up the win with a sloppy inning of work, allowing a run and three hits in the top of the 11th.
The Diamondbacks are 2-1 on a seven-game homestand versus San Diego, Atlanta and Minnesota, and will send rookie right-hander Josh Collmenter to the mound in Thursday's series finale. Collmenter is taking the place of Barry Enright in the rotation and is 2-0 with a 0.90 earned run average in eight games (1 start). He tossed six shutout innings and yielded two hits in Saturday's 1-0 win at Los Angeles in his first major league start.
"The way he commands the zone, he is able to throw to both sides of the plate," D'Backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "He throws the ball down and he elevates as well. He throws good sequences. When you have a guy hitting his spots, it makes it a lot easier to defend as well."
Collmenter, a right-hander, has never faced the Braves.
Atlanta and Arizona are squaring off this season for the first time since the Braves took four of seven matchups a year ago.
- ATLANTA: 1
ARIZONA: 2
Final
May 20 12:01 AM - Dan Uggla reached first on Justin Upton's error fielding scored Brian McCann with two out. Runner on first with two outs and Freddie Freeman due up.
Braves 1, Diamondbacks 2 Top 9, 2 OutsMay 19 11:58 PM - Juan Miranda triple to center scored Miguel Montero with two out. Runner on third and Gerardo Parra due up.
Braves 0, Diamondbacks 2 Bot 6, 2 OutsMay 19 11:12 PM - Chris Young two-out, solo Home Run (9) to left. Miguel Montero due up.
Braves 0, Diamondbacks 1 Bot 6, 2 OutsMay 19 11:06 PM - ATLANTA: 0
ARIZONA: 0
Top 1, 1 Out
May 19 9:43 PM
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