The Braves Blog

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Giants (63-48)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Braves (63-47)	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	X	3	6	0

Boxscore

It was a strange night at Turner Field.

• The Braves scored with runners in scoring position.
  • It was Troy Glaus that drove in the runs with runners in scoring position (and with 2-outs and a 3-2 count no less).
• The Braves didn’t score ANY runs off of a home run.
• Jonny Venters didn’t pitch
• Billy Wagner was so lights out he didn’t even make anyone nervous (except maybe the Giants)

Not to take anything away from the masterpiece that Tim Hudson pitched, but Wagner was just amazing tonight. His first pitch was a ball, the next 10 were strikes, only one of which was hit (foul). Even though I don’t think you can blame last night’s blown save on him, he has been a little off lately. Not tonight though.

Clubhouse Comments

Billy Wagner is one of 5 players in the running for the final All Star roster spot. Let’s help to make his final season an all star season! Click here (or on any of the Vote Wagner buttons) to cast your vote! Just like Chicago, there is no limit to how many times you can vote either!

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tigers (39-33)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
Braves (43-31)	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	X	3	7	0

Boxscore

Congratulation to Billy Wagner on achieving his 400th save, and to Brian McCann on hitting his 100th home run.

Clubhouse Comments

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Braves (32-22)	1	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	4	8	2
Dodgers (31-23)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	7	1

Boxscore

This one got a little interesting near the end, but the Braves held on for the win. Medlen pitched a great game but got into trouble in the 8th. Moylan came in with the bases loaded and gave up 3 runs before being replaced by O’Flaherty who struck out Andre Ethier to end the inning and stranding the tying and go-ahead runs.

Billy Wagner was given the night off and Saito was called on to pitch the 9th. After getting the first two batters out and getting a quick 0-2 count on , Saito was forced to leave the game with a hamstring injury. Venters replaced him and struck our Martin with his first pitch, ending the game.

As for Saito, David O’Brien at the AJC had this to say:

It was a potentially costly win for the Braves, who watched reliever Takashi Saito hobble off the field in the ninth inning with a left-hamstring injury. The 40-year-old setup man hopes to avoid the disabled list, but if he’s not doing better in a few days the Braves would probably DL  him. [source]

On a better note, congratulations to Troy Glaus on being named the NL Player of the Month for May, and to Jason Heyward for winning NL Rookie of the Month for the second time (the first time since Ryan Braun in 2007 that the same player has won it in back to back months).

Lastly, one of the game’s greats, Ken Griffey Jr., announced his retirement on Wednesday. In his recent column, Griffey always played the right way, Mike Bauman sums up my thoughts better that I could do myself.