GaryMrMets
07-05-2003, 02:46 AM
Ortiz Notches 11th Victory as Braves Rally Past Expos 8-6
By KEITH PARSONS
.c The Associated Press
ATLANTA (July 4) -- Russ Ortiz gave up four runs early, but kept his team in it. That allowed Andruw Jones and the rest of the Atlanta Braves to do their thing.
Jones homered for the second straight game and Ortiz won his fourth straight start as Atlanta beat the Montreal Expos 8-6 Friday night.
Jones had four hits, Rafael Furcal added two RBI, and Robert Fick and Javy Lopez had two hits apiece for the Braves, who won for only the fourth time in 10 games. They beat the Expos for the first time in five tries this season at Turner Field.
"We're in a tough part of the season,'' Jones said. "Everybody is a little mentally tired, and we're taking that on the field with us. We came out of it a little bit.''
A season-high crowd of 48,923 was at the game, the Braves' second home sellout this year.
Ortiz (11-4) moved into a tie with Colorado's Shawn Chacon for the most victories in the NL. He fell behind 4-1, then settled down and retired 10 of his last 12 batters.
"For the most part, I felt like I threw the ball pretty well,'' Ortiz said. "The only time I threw the ball in the middle of the plate, they hit it, and that's when they scored their runs.
"My whole thing is to go out there, don't give up runs early and at least give us a chance to win. So every time I went out there, especially after the third, I just kept trying to keep them at bay.''
Ortiz lasted six innings and gave up four runs and five hits, including solo homers by Michael Barrett and Wil Cordero. It was Barrett's second homer in as many games.
"You can't go out there and try to outscore people,'' Montreal manager Frank Robinson said. "You have to hold them down.''
John Smoltz pitched the ninth for his 31st save in 33 chances.
Atlanta increased its lead in the NL East to 5 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 2-1 to the Florida Marlins earlier Friday. The Expos fell seven games back.
"Just what the doctor ordered,'' Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
The Braves closed to 4-3 with two runs in the fourth, then went ahead with four in the sixth.
Fick and Lopez had back-to-back singles and moved up a base on the first sacrifice bunt of the season by Vinny Castilla. Pinch-hitter Matt Franco singled to drive home Fick with the tying run, moving Lopez to third, and T.J. Tucker relieved Tomo Ohka (7-8).
Furcal, who hadn't hit into a double play all season, hit a sharp grounder just to the left of second baseman Jose Vidro, who bobbled the ball for an instant and had to settle for throwing out Furcal at first.
That allowed Lopez to score the go-ahead run. After Marcus Giles and Gary Sheffield walked, Chipper Jones greeted lefty Joey Eischen with a two-run single to right for a 7-4 lead.
"I feel bad I cost us two runs,'' Eischen said. "I've got to make Chipper hit the ball. I didn't want Andruw up there with the bases loaded. Andruw's more of a clutch hitter in those situations.''
Montreal got two unearned runs in the seventh, thanks to an error in left by Chipper Jones, but Darren Holmes got out of the jam.
"We all just feel fortunate to play as poorly as we did and still win this game,'' Chipper Jones said. "It wasn't one of our better outings. But we can all go home and sleep a little better after this one.''
The Expos scored two in the first after some sloppy play by the Braves. Endy Chavez led off with a liner to right-center, and when Andruw Jones and Gary Sheffield both jogged to the ball, Chavez slid safely into second for a double.
Brad Wilkerson then hit a roller toward first, and neither Ortiz nor Fick could get to it in time. Ron Calloway later drove in Chavez and Wilkerson with a double to right-center.
Barrett's shot leading off the second extended the lead to 3-1, and after Andruw Jones cut it to 3-2 by connecting in the second, Cordero homered with two outs in the third for a 4-1 lead.
Ohka gave up five earned runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
"He couldn't get a tempo going,'' Barrett said of Ohka. "He couldn't get into a rhythm. In the sixth and seventh innings, things went out the window.''
Notes
... Sheffield made his first error of the season in the seventh, misplaying a single by Calloway.
... Castilla hadn't sacrificed since 1995.
... Before the game, the Expos announced RHP Dan Smith will have shoulder surgery for a right rotator-cuff inflammation. He's likely out for the season.
07/04/03 23:43 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By KEITH PARSONS
.c The Associated Press
ATLANTA (July 4) -- Russ Ortiz gave up four runs early, but kept his team in it. That allowed Andruw Jones and the rest of the Atlanta Braves to do their thing.
Jones homered for the second straight game and Ortiz won his fourth straight start as Atlanta beat the Montreal Expos 8-6 Friday night.
Jones had four hits, Rafael Furcal added two RBI, and Robert Fick and Javy Lopez had two hits apiece for the Braves, who won for only the fourth time in 10 games. They beat the Expos for the first time in five tries this season at Turner Field.
"We're in a tough part of the season,'' Jones said. "Everybody is a little mentally tired, and we're taking that on the field with us. We came out of it a little bit.''
A season-high crowd of 48,923 was at the game, the Braves' second home sellout this year.
Ortiz (11-4) moved into a tie with Colorado's Shawn Chacon for the most victories in the NL. He fell behind 4-1, then settled down and retired 10 of his last 12 batters.
"For the most part, I felt like I threw the ball pretty well,'' Ortiz said. "The only time I threw the ball in the middle of the plate, they hit it, and that's when they scored their runs.
"My whole thing is to go out there, don't give up runs early and at least give us a chance to win. So every time I went out there, especially after the third, I just kept trying to keep them at bay.''
Ortiz lasted six innings and gave up four runs and five hits, including solo homers by Michael Barrett and Wil Cordero. It was Barrett's second homer in as many games.
"You can't go out there and try to outscore people,'' Montreal manager Frank Robinson said. "You have to hold them down.''
John Smoltz pitched the ninth for his 31st save in 33 chances.
Atlanta increased its lead in the NL East to 5 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 2-1 to the Florida Marlins earlier Friday. The Expos fell seven games back.
"Just what the doctor ordered,'' Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
The Braves closed to 4-3 with two runs in the fourth, then went ahead with four in the sixth.
Fick and Lopez had back-to-back singles and moved up a base on the first sacrifice bunt of the season by Vinny Castilla. Pinch-hitter Matt Franco singled to drive home Fick with the tying run, moving Lopez to third, and T.J. Tucker relieved Tomo Ohka (7-8).
Furcal, who hadn't hit into a double play all season, hit a sharp grounder just to the left of second baseman Jose Vidro, who bobbled the ball for an instant and had to settle for throwing out Furcal at first.
That allowed Lopez to score the go-ahead run. After Marcus Giles and Gary Sheffield walked, Chipper Jones greeted lefty Joey Eischen with a two-run single to right for a 7-4 lead.
"I feel bad I cost us two runs,'' Eischen said. "I've got to make Chipper hit the ball. I didn't want Andruw up there with the bases loaded. Andruw's more of a clutch hitter in those situations.''
Montreal got two unearned runs in the seventh, thanks to an error in left by Chipper Jones, but Darren Holmes got out of the jam.
"We all just feel fortunate to play as poorly as we did and still win this game,'' Chipper Jones said. "It wasn't one of our better outings. But we can all go home and sleep a little better after this one.''
The Expos scored two in the first after some sloppy play by the Braves. Endy Chavez led off with a liner to right-center, and when Andruw Jones and Gary Sheffield both jogged to the ball, Chavez slid safely into second for a double.
Brad Wilkerson then hit a roller toward first, and neither Ortiz nor Fick could get to it in time. Ron Calloway later drove in Chavez and Wilkerson with a double to right-center.
Barrett's shot leading off the second extended the lead to 3-1, and after Andruw Jones cut it to 3-2 by connecting in the second, Cordero homered with two outs in the third for a 4-1 lead.
Ohka gave up five earned runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
"He couldn't get a tempo going,'' Barrett said of Ohka. "He couldn't get into a rhythm. In the sixth and seventh innings, things went out the window.''
Notes
... Sheffield made his first error of the season in the seventh, misplaying a single by Calloway.
... Castilla hadn't sacrificed since 1995.
... Before the game, the Expos announced RHP Dan Smith will have shoulder surgery for a right rotator-cuff inflammation. He's likely out for the season.
07/04/03 23:43 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.