The Series Cynic: Braves limp home following painful road trip
The Braves are reeling after their third consecutive series loss, but help is on the way...at least they hope.
After Atlanta’s worst nine-game stretch (3-6) since late April—when they lost nine consecutive games—there isn’t too much for Braves fans to get excited about (making my job harder).
But here goes nothing.
Thanks to an extra-inning victory on Friday night and a Brad Lidge blown save on Saturday, Atlanta avoided a 2-7 road trip and what would be a microscopic division lead of just 0.5 games.
Despite that faint glimpse of good fortune, Braves All-Star second baseman Martin Prado might be headed to the disabled list following an ill-advised head first slide into home plate—fracturing a knuckle in his right pinky.
Additional bodily damage suffered by Braves players include: shortstop Alex Gonzalez’ battle with gastritis—an inflammation of the lining of the stomach—and pitchers Kris Medlen and Jair Jurrjens’ adventures in the batter’s box which ended with both being plunked by opposing pitcher’s fastballs.
Needless to say, it was a rather taxing road trip for Atlanta.
But as the old saying goes: there’s no place like home—or in this case, Turner Field—where the Braves are 34-13.