A doubleheader post today–two games for the price of one.
On Tuesday evening, Ben Sheets and his blister got behind early, 3-0, after the first inning…but Sheets settled down, Prince Fielder got his 17th homer of the season, and the offense battled back for 15 hits, and beat the Braves and John Smoltz, 5-4, to bring both team’s records to 29-23.
Wednesday’s start by Dave Bush was even more impressive–just one ER over 7 IP–but the Braves’ Tim Hudson kept the Braves in it, taking a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the 7th, but giving up the go ahead run on a wild pitch with backup catcher Damian Miller on third. But the 2-1 lead evaporated in the top of the 8th, when the overworked bullpen collapsed–a pair of walks and a hit off Derrick Turnbow netted 3 runs, then, after situational lefty Brian Shouse surrendered a double to Braves’ catcher Brian McCann, Chris Spurling got tagged for 5 hits and 3 more ER’s to finish up the Braves’ 7-run 8th. Prince Fielder tried to get a rally going in the bottom of the 8th with his league leading 18th homer of the season off Braves’ reliever Rafael Soriano, but the Braves manufactured yet another run in the 9th to finish up the 9-3 pounding of the Brewers.
Sure, it was a day game after a night game, but skipper Ned Yost used 5 relievers in last night’s win (Spurling was the only one that got the night off), and came back with Spurling plus Turnbow, Shouse, and Wise each pitching Wednesday in back-to-back appearances. The bullpen will get over 24 hours to rest up, as tomorrow’s game is another evening affair.
On deck for tomorrow night–the Marlins and former Brewer Wes Obermueller. The Mets tagged Obermueller for 7 ER over 4 IP in his last start…let’s hope he has that same stuff tomorrow night. Claudio Vargas will try to keep the relievers in the pen.
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