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Yawn. This is a virtual Jim posting this, through the wonders of the 'Schedule for Publish' button on the platform here, which saves me from the need to rise early on a Sunday morning, in order to post a meaningful preview of an East-coast day game. Or, more likely, hurl two sentences up, about ten minutes before first-pitch and then go grumpily back to bed. Can't help wishing we should have saved some of those runs from yesterday and spread them about a little bit. Judicious use of those eleven superfluous runs we scored there, could have won us five games since May 7, and given us a record of 7-3 in the past ten games. If only...
However, it certainly will improve morale in the visitor's locker-room, even as we face what promised to be a tougher test today, in the shape of Derek Lowe. He has been the solid, reliable pitcher the Braves expected when they signed him as a free-agent, almost impossible to homer off [only two in 47.1 innings thus far]. That said, his W-L record is in part the result of excellent support: 33 runs have been scored by Atlanta in his past four starts, in which he is 4-0, even though his ERA in those games was a middling 4.26. Dan Haren is unimpressed...
However, it's Jon Garland we need to worry about today. He needs to bounce-back after a very poor start against the Reds, failing to get through four innings. Thus far, however, he has been good to very good in most of his outings - but when he is bad, boy, does Garland really blow chunks. ERA in his wins: 1.74. ERA in his no-decisions: 3.95. ERA in his losses: 17.18. Needless to say, I'm hoping he skews towards the front of that spectrum in this start. A win would give us the series on the road, and would certainly be a commendable result. It won't be easy, but if we play anywhere near as well as we did yesterday, we will have a chance.
Lineup
- Lopez - 2B
- Parra - CF
- Upton - RF
- Drew - SS
- Reynolds - 3B
- Montero - C
- Byrnes - LF
- Tracy - 1B
- Garland - P
Will follow. Like I said, this is virtual Jim, the real one likely still being rolled up in bed with a breakfast cookie of some kind... Should be Dbackskins on the recap tonight, I believe.
[Edited by snakecharmer] We're in a rain delay to start the game - half an hour at the earliest, looking more like an hour. So if you turned on FSNAZ to see Mark Grace - In My Own Words, well... that's what they're airing instead.
[Edited again] Well it's nearly noon (Pacific) and apparently the weather channel says the game might get under way at 4pm. But come on in and hang out with us while we try to find dominos and cards to play with. Just like camp.
[Edited yet again] The game has been postponed; no makeup date has been announced.