Chopping Network: Braves, Mets split 4 games

Coming out of the All Star break the Braves lined up against the East Division leading New York Mets with a chance to take a bite out of the 4.5 game lead the Mets held on them. When the dust settled and the Mets left town, the 4.5 game gap was still there.

Atlanta and New York split the series with alternating wins. The Mets took the first game 10-9, winning in the ninth on an unearned run driven in by a Luis Castillo single off Peter Moylan. The Braves got in a hole (6-2) quickly as Derek Lowe didn't make it through the third inning. They came back to tie the score twice (7-7 and 9-9) before Kelly Johnson's misplay of Carlos Delgado's grounder opened the door in the ninth for the Mets win.

Game 2 of the set saw Chipper Jones slap two homeruns and Jordan Schafer (above) add another to support Jair Jurrjens' 6 hit, complete game, 5-1 victory over the Mets. Jurrjens (9-7) continues to give A+ outings for the Atlanta nine.

New York rode the coattails of Oliver Perez (10-5) to a 5-0 triumph in the third game. A close 1-0 game for 7 innings, the Mets broke it open scoring 4 runs in the last two frames, which wasted an excellent 7 inning, 4 hit, 0 ER performance by Javier Vazquez (5-7)

The Braves took the final game, 6-5, on a "walk off wild pitch" by Francisco Rodriquez, allowing Yunel Escobar to score from third. Nate McLouth, Jones and Schafer drove in the other 5 runs, all with clutch two out hits.

Coming up next, the Braves host the extremes: the Giants, who have nearly the worst record in the GABA and Brewers, who have the best record.

Braves-Mets box scores
http://www.anpabaseball.com/gaba/news/html/box_scores/game_box_1909.html
http://www.anpabaseball.com/gaba/news/html/box_scores/game_box_1920.html
http://www.anpabaseball.com/gaba/news/html/box_scores/game_box_1932.html
http://www.anpabaseball.com/gaba/news/html/box_scores/game_box_1956.html

Braves send Vazquez to Texas for Gonzalez, Main

Monday, June 28th, 2010 - The Texas Rangers traded 32-year-old reliever Mike Gonzalez and 21-year-old minor league starting pitcher Michael Main (pictured above) to the Atlanta Braves, getting 33-year-old starting pitcher Javier Vazquez in return. Braves GM Jobo Foster said the trade was made to bloster the bullpen with the reaquisition of Gonzalez, to make some financial room and to open a spot in the rotation for southpaw Aaron Poreda who, Foster says, has earned a shot with Atlanta. It is rumored that veteran starting pitcher Tim Hudson may be on his way out of the rotation if his performance does not show marked improvement.