GaryMrMets
09-12-2005, 11:26 PM
Braves-Phillies Preview
.c The Associated Press
GAME: Atlanta Braves (83-60) at Philadelphia Phillies (75-68).
TIME: Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT.
The first part of September has seen the Atlanta Braves get much closer to winning a 14th straight division title and Andruw Jones make his case even stronger for his first MVP award.
Jones and the Braves look to continue wiping away any faint hopes the Philadelphia Phillies had of winning the NL East when the teams open a four-game series.
Atlanta has gone 8-2 this month to move a season-best 23 games above .500, building a seven-game lead over second-place Florida and an eight-game advantage over Philadelphia with 19 to play.
The Braves would not be in this position without Jones, an MVP favorite along with St. Louis' Albert Pujols.
Jones homered in all three games of Atlanta's weekend series at Washington to increase his major league-leading total to 49, also breaking the single-season franchise record. Jones has six homers and 13 RBIs in 10 games this month.
``All these records - I already proved what I can do this season. I just want to get it done, help my team, and get back into the World Series,'' he said.
Jones has eight more home runs than any other player in the majors - 10 more than Pujols - and his 121 RBIs lead the NL and are 14 more than second-place Pujols.
``He's totally a star now,'' Braves manager Bobby Cox said. ``Andruw is putting a lot of guys in his shadow right now.''
Two of Jones' home runs came Sunday, including one that followed Chipper Jones' homer in the ninth inning as the Braves rallied for a 9-7 victory over the Nationals.
Philadelphia's top slugger also is coming off a big series.
Pat Burrell had two homers and eight RBIs as the Phillies won two of three games from the Marlins. That performance gave Burrell the second 30-homer, 100-RBI season of his career.
He homered and drove in four runs Sunday as Philadelphia beat Florida 11-1 to pull within 1 1/2 games of Houston for the NL wild-card lead.
``That's what's exciting about it, it is late in the year,'' Burrell said. ``This is what you get up for, a chance to play when every game counts. ... The strong survive, so we've just got to stay strong and keep going.''
It was a much-needed series victory for a Phillies team which had lost five straight, including three in a row to the Astros.
STANDINGS: Braves - 1st place, NL East. Phillies - 3rd place, 8 GB, NL East.
BRAVES PROBABLE STARTER: Tim Hudson (12-7, 3.32 ERA). Hudson had won four straight outings before not getting a decision in a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Mets on Wednesday. The right-hander went eight innings, giving up two runs for the fourth time in five starts. He's pitched at least six innings in 11 consecutive outings. Hudson's only two starts against Philadelphia have come this season and he won both, allowing a total of three runs and 11 hits in 13 innings.
PHILLIES PROBABLE STARTER: Eude Brito (0-0, 2.79 ERA). The rookie left-hander is making his fourth appearance since being called up from the minors in early August. He started at Washington on Sept. 3 in his most recent outing, giving up two runs and six hits in four innings of a 5-4, 12-inning defeat. Two weeks earlier in his big-league debut, Brito held Pittsburgh to a run and three hits over five innings in a 4-3 victory.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Braves - Marcus Giles, .299 avg. and 94 runs; Andruw Jones, 49 HRs and 121 RBIs; Rafael Furcal, 40 SBs. Phillies - Bobby Abreu, .297 avg. and 93 runs; Pat Burrell, 30 HRs and 106 RBIs; Jimmy Rollins, 32 SBs.
SEASON SERIES: Braves, 7-5.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Braves - 3B Chipper Jones has hit safely in a season-high 10 straight games. ... SS Furcal needs one more steal for a new single-season career high. He also stole 40 bases in his rookie year in 2000. ... LHP Mike Hampton was activated from the disabled list Sunday, but Cox isn't sure yet how he'll fit into the rotation. Phillies - SS Rollins has a 17-game hitting streak, the longest by a Phillie since RF Abreu hit in 17 straight in 2002. Rollins is 10-for-17 (.588) over the last four games. ... Abreu has six hits, six RBIs and six walks in the last four games. ... 3B David Bell has gone 5-for-28 (.179) against Hudson.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Braves - 34-36 on the road; Phillies - 41-32 at home.
INJURIES: Braves - RHP Jay Powell (arm), 15-day DL. Phillies - LHP Randy Wolf (elbow), 60-day DL; 1B Jim Thome (elbow), 60-day DL.
09/12/05 06:34 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.
.c The Associated Press
GAME: Atlanta Braves (83-60) at Philadelphia Phillies (75-68).
TIME: Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT.
The first part of September has seen the Atlanta Braves get much closer to winning a 14th straight division title and Andruw Jones make his case even stronger for his first MVP award.
Jones and the Braves look to continue wiping away any faint hopes the Philadelphia Phillies had of winning the NL East when the teams open a four-game series.
Atlanta has gone 8-2 this month to move a season-best 23 games above .500, building a seven-game lead over second-place Florida and an eight-game advantage over Philadelphia with 19 to play.
The Braves would not be in this position without Jones, an MVP favorite along with St. Louis' Albert Pujols.
Jones homered in all three games of Atlanta's weekend series at Washington to increase his major league-leading total to 49, also breaking the single-season franchise record. Jones has six homers and 13 RBIs in 10 games this month.
``All these records - I already proved what I can do this season. I just want to get it done, help my team, and get back into the World Series,'' he said.
Jones has eight more home runs than any other player in the majors - 10 more than Pujols - and his 121 RBIs lead the NL and are 14 more than second-place Pujols.
``He's totally a star now,'' Braves manager Bobby Cox said. ``Andruw is putting a lot of guys in his shadow right now.''
Two of Jones' home runs came Sunday, including one that followed Chipper Jones' homer in the ninth inning as the Braves rallied for a 9-7 victory over the Nationals.
Philadelphia's top slugger also is coming off a big series.
Pat Burrell had two homers and eight RBIs as the Phillies won two of three games from the Marlins. That performance gave Burrell the second 30-homer, 100-RBI season of his career.
He homered and drove in four runs Sunday as Philadelphia beat Florida 11-1 to pull within 1 1/2 games of Houston for the NL wild-card lead.
``That's what's exciting about it, it is late in the year,'' Burrell said. ``This is what you get up for, a chance to play when every game counts. ... The strong survive, so we've just got to stay strong and keep going.''
It was a much-needed series victory for a Phillies team which had lost five straight, including three in a row to the Astros.
STANDINGS: Braves - 1st place, NL East. Phillies - 3rd place, 8 GB, NL East.
BRAVES PROBABLE STARTER: Tim Hudson (12-7, 3.32 ERA). Hudson had won four straight outings before not getting a decision in a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Mets on Wednesday. The right-hander went eight innings, giving up two runs for the fourth time in five starts. He's pitched at least six innings in 11 consecutive outings. Hudson's only two starts against Philadelphia have come this season and he won both, allowing a total of three runs and 11 hits in 13 innings.
PHILLIES PROBABLE STARTER: Eude Brito (0-0, 2.79 ERA). The rookie left-hander is making his fourth appearance since being called up from the minors in early August. He started at Washington on Sept. 3 in his most recent outing, giving up two runs and six hits in four innings of a 5-4, 12-inning defeat. Two weeks earlier in his big-league debut, Brito held Pittsburgh to a run and three hits over five innings in a 4-3 victory.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Braves - Marcus Giles, .299 avg. and 94 runs; Andruw Jones, 49 HRs and 121 RBIs; Rafael Furcal, 40 SBs. Phillies - Bobby Abreu, .297 avg. and 93 runs; Pat Burrell, 30 HRs and 106 RBIs; Jimmy Rollins, 32 SBs.
SEASON SERIES: Braves, 7-5.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Braves - 3B Chipper Jones has hit safely in a season-high 10 straight games. ... SS Furcal needs one more steal for a new single-season career high. He also stole 40 bases in his rookie year in 2000. ... LHP Mike Hampton was activated from the disabled list Sunday, but Cox isn't sure yet how he'll fit into the rotation. Phillies - SS Rollins has a 17-game hitting streak, the longest by a Phillie since RF Abreu hit in 17 straight in 2002. Rollins is 10-for-17 (.588) over the last four games. ... Abreu has six hits, six RBIs and six walks in the last four games. ... 3B David Bell has gone 5-for-28 (.179) against Hudson.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Braves - 34-36 on the road; Phillies - 41-32 at home.
INJURIES: Braves - RHP Jay Powell (arm), 15-day DL. Phillies - LHP Randy Wolf (elbow), 60-day DL; 1B Jim Thome (elbow), 60-day DL.
09/12/05 06:34 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.