10 Sep

fork, please

Former Mississippi Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson was brilliant Wednesday night against Houston. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox … not so much. And the Braves may be done in the playoff chase. Hanson threw eight shutout innings at the Astros. Struck out seven. Walked none. Hit 95 mph in the eighth. And, with Atlanta holding just a 1-0 lead, Cox pulls him. He’s headed for the Hall of Fame, sure, but everyone watching this game knew this was a bad move. Let the kid finish. The Braves’ bullpen cannot be trusted with a 1-run lead. To no one’s surprise, Rafael Soriano gives up three hits plus an intentional walk in the bottom of the ninth and Houston wins 2-1. (Kudos to former Jackson General Lance Berkman, who got the biggest hit, a one-out, one-on double off the wall in left.) A crucial game that should have been won was lost, and the Braves are 8 1/2 games out in the wild card race and 9 back in the National League East. 

P.S. Throw some ice water on Seth Smith. He’s that hot. The former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss star, the reigning NL player of the week, got a two-out, two-run, game-winning hit for hard-charging Colorado on Wednesday. The Rockies, who’ve won six in a row, lead the wild card and are just 2 1/2 back of Los Angeles in the West. In those six wins, Smith is batting .522 with 12 RBIs. … Props also go out to former Mississippi State standout Jonathan Papelbon, who recorded his 35th save for Boston on Wednesday. He has 35 or more saves in each of the last four seasons.

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