The Worst to First Association

[motnahp]

Randy Johnson fired bullets and the Braves fell to the Diamondbacks 6-3. Johnson (6-3) pitched 8 innings, allowed 12 hits, walked 3, and struck out 12. Jose Valverde pitched a 1-2-3 9th for his 14th save. Scott Hairston was 2-3 with a triple and 2 RBI. For the Braves, Dale Murphy hit a 2-run homer (7). Charlie Puleo (5-2) had his toughest outing of the season. He had control problems, walking 5 in only 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with 5 runs.

FRI JUNE 3

ARI_____6___10___0
ATL_____3___12___1

[motnahp]

Trailing 2-1, the Diamondbacks put up a 4-spot in the 8th inning and beat the Braves 5-2. Chuck Cary (0-1) was shelled in his first appearance since returning from the disabled list. The lefthander allowed 4 runs in only 1/3 of an inning. Mike Koplove (1-1) collected the relief win, while Jose Valverde notched his 15th save.

Before the game the Braves activated Cary and IF/OF Jerry Royster from the disabled list. They sent IF Andres Thomas and RHP John Smoltz to AAA.

SAT JUNE 4

ARI_____5___9___1
ATL_____2___9___2

[motnahp]

Arizona broke open a 1-1 game with 4 runs in the 8th to beat the Braves 5-1. The Diamondbacks took 3 of 4 from the Braves. Andrew Good (4-2) picked up the relief win, while Jose ALvarez (1-2) was charged with the loss. Atlanta starter Pete Smith allowed only 1 run in 7 innings, but the bullpen trio of Joe Boever, Alvarez, and Jim Acker allowed 4 runs on 5 hits in 2 innings. Steve Finley (5) and Brent Mayne (1) homered for Arizona.

SUN JUNE 5

ARI_____5___10___0
ATL_____1____5___2

Season record: 32-26, 3rd place in NL East, 2 1/2 GB 1st place Philadelphia

[motnahp]

The Braves welcomed the Expos by shutting them out 4-0. Rick Mahler went the distance for his 2nd complete game of the season. He allowed only 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 8. The Braves broke the ice in the bottom of the 4th. With 2 outs, Dale Murphy and Ted Simmons hit back-to-back doubles and the Braves led 1-0. They added 3 more runs in the bottom of the 6th off losing pitcher Bill Stoneman (3-6).

MON JUNE 6

MON_____0___4___1
ATL______4___6___0

[motnahp]

Jerry Robertson (6-5) held down the Braves' bats, as Montreal won it 5-1. Robertson pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed only 4 hits. Tom Glavine (5-4) took the loss for Atlanta, allowing 5 runs (only 2 earned) in 7 innings. Coco Laboy, Ron Brand, and Ty Cline had 3 hits apiece for the Expos.

TUE JUNE 7

MON_____5___14___0
ATL______1____5___2

[motnahp]

The Braves beat the Expos 4-2 to take the series. Charlie Puleo (6-2) went 6 innings for the win. He allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 4 and struck out 3. Jim Acker, Paul Assenmacher, and Bruce Sutter (SV 11) pitched 3 innings of scoreless relief. Ted Simmons hit his 2nd home run and Ken Griffey added a pinch-hit RBI triple. Howie Reed (2-2) took the loss in relief for the Expos.

The Braves finished the homestand 3-7. They now travel to Houston for 4, followed by a trip to Florida for 3.

WED JUNE 8

MON_____2___11___1
ATL______4____7___0

Season record: 34-27, 3rd place in NL East, 2 1/2 GB 1st place Philadelphia

[motnahp]

Dale Murphy used his arm and his bat to lead the Braves over the Astros 4-0 in the Astrodome. The game was scoreless with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th inning. Murphy caught a fly ball off the bat of Greg Gross, then threw home to nail pinch runner Enos Cabell at the plate. Murphy then led off the top of the 9th with a solo homer (8) off Mike Cosgrove (2-3). Later in the inning, Gary Roenicke smacked a 3-run pinch-hit homer, his 2nd of the season. Paul Assenmacher (4-0) got credit for the win.

THUR JUNE 9

ATL_____4___8___1
HOU_____0___3___0

[motnahp]

Ken Oberkfell's error with 2 out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th gave the Astros a 7-6 win over the Braves. The Braves led 6-4 until Cliff Johnson's 2-run homer in the bottom of the 7th tied the game at 6-6. Joe Boever (0-2) took the loss for Atlanta, while Fred Scherman (2-4) collected the win.

FRI JUNE 10

ATL_____6___14___1 (10 innings)
HOU_____7___11___1

[motnahp]

Rick Mahler (7-4) recorded his 2nd shutout and 3rd complete game of the season as the Braves blanked the Astros 2-0. Mahler allowed only 6 hits, walked one, and struck out 4. Larry Dierker (4-7) went 7 strong innings, but took the loss for Houston. The Atlanta runs scored on a 4th inning groundout by Gary Roenicke and a 5th inning RBI single from Dion James.

SAT JUNE 11

ATL_____2___7___1
HOU_____0___6___0

[motnahp]

The Braves took 3 of 4 in Houston, winning the final game of the series 3-1. Tom Glavine (6-4) went 7 strong innings, then received scoreless relief from Jose Alvarez and Bruce Sutter (SV 12). Dale Murphy drove in all 3 runs for the Braves. He had an RBI single in the 1st, a sac-fly in the 7th and an RBI double in the 9th. Reliever Jim Crawford (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

OF Lonnie Smith suffered a wrist injury and will be placed on the 15-day DL.

The Braves will take Monday off, then travel to Florida for a 3-game series against the Marlins.

SUN JUN 12

ATL_____3___12___2
HOU_____1___8___0

Season record: 37-28, 3rd place in NL East, 2 1/2 GB 1st place Philadelphia

[motnahp]

The Braves jumped out to a 6-0 lead, saw the Marlins cut the lead to 6-5, then added a run to beat the Fish 7-5. Charlie Puleo went 6+ innings, allowing only 3 hits and 1 run. Chuck Cary relieved Puleo and allowed 4 runs in only 1/3 of an inning. Jim Eisenreich hit a 2-run pinch-hit homer (1) for Florida. For the Braves, Dion James was 2-5, including a bases-clearing triple. Gerald Perry was 3-5 with 2 RBI and Jeff Blauser was 3-4 with a triple and RBI. Puleo improved to 7-2, while Bruce Sutter picked up his 13th save. Jesus Sanchez took the loss and fell to 5-3.

TUE JUN 14

ATL_____7___11___0
FLA_____5____9___0

[motnahp]

Zane Smith needed only 86 pitches to stifle the Marlins, as the Braves won 6-1. Smith improved to 5-5, allowing only 5 hits, walking 2, and striking out 4. Ken Griffey had a 2-run homer (1), while Dion James, Gerald Perry, Ken Oberkfell, and Bruce Benedict each had two hits. Ryan Dempster fell to 0-9 with the loss.

WED JUN 15

ATL_____6___12___0
FLA_____1____5___0

[motnahp]

The Braves edged the Marlins 3-2 to sweep the 3-game series. Pete Smith (5-2) went 6 2/3 innings, allowing only 6 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 9. The bullpen combo of Paul Assenmacher, Jose Alvarez, and Bruce Sutter (SV 14) chipped in with 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Ron Gant was 2-5 with a triple and RBI. Chris Hammond (0-6) took the loss for the Marlins.

The Braves return home to start interleague play with 3 games against the Red Sox and 3 more against the Blue Jays.

THUR JUN 16

ATL_____3___7___0
FLA_____2___6___0

Season record: 40-28, tied for 2nd place in NL East with the NY Mets, 1/2 GB 1st place Philadelphia

[motnahp]

Boston's Joe Hesketh silenced the Braves' bats as the Red Sox took the opener of a 3-game series, 6-1. Hesketh went 7 strong innings and improved to 7-3. Atlanta's Rick Mahler was roughed up for 10 hits and 6 earned runs in 3+ innings. He falls to 7-5. Tom Brunansky homered (8) for Boston, while Wade Boggs and Tim Maehring contributed 3 hits apiece.

FRI JUN 17

BOS_____6___14___0
ATL______1____4___0

[motnahp]

Boston pitching shut down the Braves for the second straight game, as John Dopson (7-3) blanked the Braves for 6 innings. Matt Young and Jeff Reardon (SV 27) finished the job, as the Red Sox nipped the Braves 1-0. The game's lone run came on a Scott Cooper homer (1) in the top of the 7th inning. Tom Glavine allowed only 5 hits in 7 innings, but fell to 6-5.

BOS_____1___7___0
ATL______0___5___1

[motnahp]

The Braves salvaged the last game of the series with Boston, winning 1-0. Charlie Puleo and Roger Clemens each threw blanks for 6 innings, but got no decision. The game's only run came in the bottom of the 8th when Gerald Perry's fly ball scored Dion James from third. James was 3-4 on the day. Jose Alvarez (2-2) picked up the win. Bruce Sutter allowed 2 hits in the 9th, but survived for his 15th save. Matt Young (2-2) took the loss. After an off-day on Monday, the Braves will entertain Toronto for 3 games.

SUN JUN 19

BOS_____0___9___1
ATL______1___5___0

Season record: 41-30, tied for 2nd in NL East with NY Mets, 2 1/2 GB 1st place Philadelphia

[motnahp]

The Braves took the series opener from Toronto, 6-4. Atlanta led 2-0 through 5 innings behind Zane Smith. The Blue Jays chased Smith in the top of the 6th, scoring 4 times to take a 4-2 lead. The Braves responded in their half of the 6th with 3 runs off losing pitcher Dave Stieb (5-5) to take a 5-4 lead. Dale Murphy added a solo homer (9) in the 7th. Atlanta unleashed a 14-hit attack, with 6 players getting two hits apiece. Joe Boever (1-2) provided 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win and Bruce Sutter pitched a 1-2-3 9th for his 16th save.

TUE JUN 21

TOR_____4____9___0
ATL_____6___14___0

[motnahp]

Pete Smith shut out the Blue Jays on 3 hits, as the Braves won 3-0. It was Smith's 2nd shutout and 3rd complete game of the season. He is now 6-2. Ron Gant provided all the offense the Braves needed with a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning off losing pitcher Phil Huffman (7-7).

WED JUN 22

TOR_____0___3___0
ATL_____3___6___0

[motnahp]

Ozzie Virgil's 2-out double in the bottom of the 10th scored pinch runner Albert Hall with the winning run as the Braves swept Toronto with a 3-2 victory. Jose Alvarez (3-2) collected the win, while Steve Grilli (1-1) took the loss.

The Braves head to Tampa to continue their interleague play. They'll face the Devil Rays for three games, then head to the Bronx for three against the Yankees.

THUR JUN 23

TOR_____2___9____0 (10 innings)
ATL_____3___11___0

Season record: 44-30, wnd place in NL East, 1/2 GB 1st place Philadelphia

[motnahp]

Joe Kennedy (3-11) and Esteban Yan (SV 22) held the Braves to only 4 hits. Aubrey Huff belted a 3-run homer (5) off Tom Glavine (6-6) and the Devil Rays took the opening game of a 3-game series with the Braves, 4-1.

FRI JUN 24

ATL_____1___4___1
TB______4___5___1