Recap: Atlanta vs. Florida
Sports Network | August 28, 2008
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Brian McCann smacked a three-run homer and the Braves pitching staff shut down the powerful Florida lineup, as Atlanta topped the reeling Marlins, 4-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set. Charlie Morton (4-8) pitched well to pick up the win, his second in his last eight starts. The rookie yielded two runs on four hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts through six innings for the Braves, who had lost eight of their previous 10. Martin Prado added a pair of hits and an RBI, and Chipper Jones went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk for the victors. Anibal Sanchez (2-3) battled his way through five innings, picking up the loss after allowing four runs on five hits and five walks for Florida, which has failed to win consecutive games since July 30-31. Luis Gonzalez drove in a run and accounted for half of the Marlins' four hits, as the club now stands six games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets, with whom Florida opens a three-game set at home on Friday. After Atlanta squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the home first, Prado singled in Brandon Jones an inning later to put the Braves on the board. The home team tacked on three more runs in the fifth on one swing of the bat from McCann, whose 22nd home run of the season brought in Josh Anderson and Chipper Jones. Morton faced the minimum through five, but struggled to get through the sixth. Back-to-back doubles by Dan Uggla and John Baker plated a run, and Paul Lo Duca worked a walk before Hanley Ramirez smoked a shot to the left field wall, where Brandon Jones perfectly timed his jump to snag a long out. Gonzalez followed with a run-scoring double down the right-field line, but Lo Duca was thrown out at the plate trying to make it a one-run game. Julian Tavarez, Jeff Bennett and Mike Gonzalez each threw a scoreless inning behind Morton, and Gonzalez picked up his seventh save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth. Game Notes The Marlins finished their nine-game road trip with a 4-5 record...Atlanta leads the season series, 9-6...The Braves' Rafael Soriano had season-ending surgery on his right elbow on Thursday, but should be ready by spring training next season...On Friday, Atlanta heads to Washington for three games with the Nationals...Time of game was 2:27. Game Notes The Marlins finished their nine-game road trip with a 4-5 record...Atlanta leads the season series, 9-6...The Braves' Rafael Soriano had season-ending surgery on his right elbow on Thursday, but should be ready by spring training next season...On Friday, Atlanta heads to Washington for three games with the Nationals...Time of game was 2:27.
