Braves Let One Slip Away

With the Braves one out away from getting out of the eighth inning the Diamond Jaxx scored 3 times to sneak one away from the Braves 6-4, in front of 998 at Pringles Park. The Braves lost their first game this season when leading after 6 innings as Glenn Tucker gave up a two-out two-run double to Jose Reyes in the eighth. The D-Jaxx added another run on a passed ball by Saltalamacchia to provide the final margin.

The Braves took the early lead on a RBI single by Salty in the first scoring Gregor Blanco. The D-Jaxx grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the first with a two-run Homer by the red-hot Micah Hoffpauir, who has gone 9 for 16, (.563 avg) in the series with 3 Homeruns, 2 Doubles, and 8 RBIs West Tenn padded their lead with a RBI Double by Scott Moore in the third.

The Braves responded from the most unlikely of sources as Josh Arteaga blasted his first homer of the season, a two-run shot to left tying the game in the fourth. Saltalamacchia then got a bases-loaded walk to give the Braves the lead 4-3.

Eric Schmitt (optioned from Richmond before the game) wound up taking the loss in relief (2.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HB).

Braves Starter Dave Coggin (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP) lasted through the fifth and was in line to pick up his first win until the three-run eighth by the D-Jaxx.

BRAVES BITES:
Jarrod Saltalamacchia extended his team-best hitting streak to 6 games (9-19, .474 avg).
Saltalamacchia also added 2 RBIs, giving him the team lead at 9.
Gregor Blanco added to his Southern League lead in Runs Scored (13).
From the bottom of the fourth through the top of the eighth neither team advanced a runner past second base.
Michael Rosamond broke out of a 0-6 slump with a pinch-hit leadoff double in the 9th.

The Braves and D-Jaxx play the final game of the five game series Thursday with the first pitch set for 7:05pm. The Braves On-Deck Circle powered by Nextel starts it off on SuperSport 930 at 6:05pm. Braves LHP Chris Waters (0-0, 3.00 ERA) faces off against RHP Juan Mateo (0-1, 3.60 ERA) for the D-Jaxx. If you're headed to or are already in Jackson, TN then take your radio and tune to 104.3-FM. You can also check out the Braves Minute, which is a 60 second recap of last night's game

by Bryan Eubank