Braves’ Delgado rocked early in 8-4 loss to Red Sox
BOSTON — One week Braves pitcher Randall Delgado can look like a talented rookie who has begun to figure things out and put it all together, and the next he’ll look like … well, a rookie pitcher.
Saturday night was the latter. Delgado gave up four runs and didn’t make it out of the second inning of a 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, snapping the Braves’ three-game winning streak and evening the series at a game apiece.
“He couldn’t command anything, really,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves are 3-2 on a six-game trip that ends with Sunday afternoon’s series finale.
Delgado (4-8) gave up six hits and two walks in 1-1/3 innings, easily the shortest of his 21 career starts. The 22-year-old hadn’t lasted fewer than four innings in any start, and pitched a career-high eight innings in his previous start Sunday against Baltimore, allowing just three hits and two runs in that impressive performance.
“When you’re bringing a young starter along there are going to be some days when it’s not going to look as good,” Gonzalez said. “Sometimes you’re going to feel like the young man’s turned a corner, and you take a step backwards. That’s where we feel like it is today.”
The Braves chipped away at the lead and got to within 6-4 before Daniel Nava’s two-run, two-out single off reliever Jonny Venters in the seventh inning pushed the lead back to four runs.
“I felt [when trailing] 4-1, 6-2, 6-4, that we had a chance,” said Chipper Jones, who had an RBI double in the sixth off the right-field wall. “But when you’re on the comeback trail, can’t give up runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. And we gave up two huge ones there in the [seventh]. That was pretty much the nail in our coffin.”
Red Sox left-hander Franklin Morales (1-1) made his second start since 2009 and had eight strikeouts in six innings while limiting the Braves to seven hits and three runs (two earned) with one walk. He had been in the bullpen all season until moving to the rotation last week, the only reason he was replaced after throwing only 86 pitches.
Franklin’s early exit cracked the door open a little more for a possible comeback, but the two-run hit off Venters seemed to seal the deal. Those two runs were charged to Anthony Varvaro, who had pitched well for most of two innings and gave up no runs except those that scored on the hit off Venters, after Varvaro had allowed a one-out double and walk.
Venters struck out the next batter but threw a wild pitch that moved both runners up. Nava drove both in with a hard-hit grounder through the right side of the infield.
“We bring in Jonny to try to get a sinkerball,” Gonzalez said. “I know people at home are probably thinking, [why] bring in a lefty to face a righty and then the next inning bring the righty to face the left-handers. But you feel like you know your guys better than everybody else.”
Venters has allowed 28 hits and 10 walks in 19 2/3 innings during 26 appearances since the beginning of May, posting an alarming 5.49 ERA and .341 opponents’ average in that period (which doesn’t including inherited runners allowed to score, such as the two Saturday).
“He throws a wild pitch, so two guys go to second and third,” Gonzalez said. “Then a ball that’s just a foot out of reach of [first baseman] Freeman … [Venters] is going to be OK, though. I think. The sinkerball is sinking, and the ground balls are getting through.”
The Braves had a prime scoring opportunity in the first inning, when they got things started with a leadoff single by Michael Bourn (3-for-5, two RBIs, two stolen bases) and a walk by Martin Prado. After a double steal they had two in scoring position with none out, and Brian McCann drove in one run with a single off the glove of second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
But that was it for the Braves’ bats for the first four innings.
Morales went into shutdown mode, striking out Dan Uggla and Freddie Freeman before Jones lined out to end the first inning with the Braves up 1-0. After McCann’s single in the first inning, Morales recorded 12 outs in a span of 12 batters, and the Red Sox built a 5-1 lead before the Braves got another runner to second base against the lefty.
“We needed to get more out of the first than we did,” Jones said. “We really had a chance to set the tone for the ballgame and have them play catch-up, and hopefully give our young guy a little bit of breathing room. But unfortunately we only got the one, and they come out of the top of the first feeling good about things as opposed to being down two or three runs.”
The Braves trailed 5-1 before Jason Heyward almost singlehandedly created a run in the fifth, after leading off with an infield single and going to second on Morales’ throwing error to first on the play. He hustled to third on a pop foul, then scored on Bourn’s two-out single to cut the lead to 5-2.
The Red Sox answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth after reliever Cristhian Martinez allowed three consecutive hits to start the inning, including Cody Ross’ RBI double.
Delgado had a 3.28 ERA and .188 opponents’ average in his previous four starts, but the Red Sox got four hits against him in the first inning, including three singles followed by Will Middlebrooks’ two-out double high off the towering left-field wall. Adrian Gonzalez’s single drove in one run, and Middlebrooks brought home another for a 2-0 lead.
“I don’t know, just a bad day today,” Delgado said. “I felt good with my pitches, everything. But I gave up hits.”
Gonzalez said he thought Delgado looked uncomfortable or frustrated on the mound, but the pitcher insisted otherwise.
“I felt comfortable, like, with the curve and the change-up,” he said. “I mean, maybe I left the pitches right in the middle, but I felt good with all my pitches. But they hit them. They hit the ball at the right time.”
The Sox kept up their charge in the second inning, after No. 9 hitter Mike Aviles singled and Nava was hit by a pitch with one out. Pedroia followed with a two-run double for a 4-0 lead.
Gonzalez had Delgado walk David Ortiz with first base open and one out. When Delgado followed that by walking former Braves catching prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia to load the bases, Gonzalez had seen enough.
Delgado gave up grand slams at Arizona on April 22 and at Tampa Bay on May 19, but Gonzalez said he took him out Saturday not because of that but because he’d already thrown nearly 60 pitches and labored the entire way. He brought in Martinez, who induced an inning-ending double-play grounder by Adrian Gonzalez.
But plenty of damage had already been done against Delgado.
“He didn’t have it,” Jones said. “He didn’t have location tonight. When a young pitcher struggles with location, it snowballs on him fast. And it snowballed on him. You’ve got to really get him to slow himself down. He just wants to get it and go, get it and go, get it and go. And it’s harder to make adjustments that way.”
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74 comments Add your comment
TheOnlyBravesFan
June 23rd, 2012
10:35 pm
get ‘em next time Kid
Mack
June 23rd, 2012
10:35 pm
Only 1 1/3?? Come on Freddie. He’s gotta learn sometime.
TheOnlyBravesFan
June 23rd, 2012
10:36 pm
oooh first! (just to know annoy you guys)
Got a Chipper Jones bobble head
June 23rd, 2012
10:37 pm
FYI headline writer. An 8-4 loss is not a rout. You must be from another city or you would not try to make the game worse than it was. Just remember you make your living in this city so try to be a little more respectful for the hand that feeds you. While the loss was still a loss it was in no way a rout. Have a good night.
WTF
June 23rd, 2012
10:39 pm
A real bad game by the Braves team…The first inning was AWFUL, yet pretty typical for Uggla – HR, BB or K (when driving the ball would score a run). Why does Freddy insist on using Venters when the game isn’t in doubt?
WTF
June 23rd, 2012
10:42 pm
Mack, Only 1 1/3?? Come on Freddie. He’s gotta learn sometime.
How BIG of a hole do you want in the 2nd inning?
cowdogit
June 23rd, 2012
10:43 pm
McDowell is such a great pitching coach , I heard through the grapevine he may replace Fredi at the end of the season .
ehh
June 23rd, 2012
10:45 pm
stop calling it a streak when it’s less than six games. send venters and delgado down like JJ.
Yes Way José
June 23rd, 2012
10:50 pm
We need Georgie!
Yes Way José
June 23rd, 2012
10:51 pm
Georgie would be hitting .400 right now!
JAFO
June 23rd, 2012
10:56 pm
DOB- very candid and accurate take on JV (maybe another string). Thank you. Calling it as you see it is never a bad thing (most of us see it as well). The kid was lights out last year. The wp and extra bases are hitting the scoreboard. The eraser isn’t working as well this season.
Sarah
June 23rd, 2012
10:57 pm
Medlan stretched out and ready to start and they continue to give the ball to Minor and Delgado. Put Medlan in the rotation and send Delgado and Minor down were they belong. Trade for a pitcher who can actually get the job done. This is stupid and we will continue to lose.
Quack Quack
June 23rd, 2012
11:11 pm
@Sarah….Yeah, Medlan was spot on. After all he went through to get back up, I’m with you. Give him the ball.
Tomorrow’s another day…..
GO BRAVES!!
rc35
June 23rd, 2012
11:28 pm
I don’t understand the logic of sending Medlen to AAA so that he could return to the starting rotation and then using him as a mop-up man in single-inning outings. Bringing him on in relief of Delgado would have made a lot more sense. But then, that’s modern baseball…so many dollars, nobody worries about cents/sense.
JNick
June 23rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Who is Medlan? We have a guy named Medlen, but no one named Medlan or Medlin…
JV didn’t pitch badly – he got the groundball, it was just in a bad spot. Game was much closer than it seemed. I do think FG pulled Delgado a little too quickly. Minor has not pitched badly in his last few starts – two against the Yanks – one where FG took him out too early, and one where he took him out too late. Delgado is inconsistent, yes, but if you take Medlen out of the bullpen, who do you replace him with? Gearrin has shown multiple times that he’s unstable….Todd Redmond could be an option, but I don’t think he’s thrown a pitch at the ML level, so…who knows. Could be another AAAA player like Constanza…
Faux Positive
June 23rd, 2012
11:28 pm
What have the Braves against pitching Medlan? Is he disliked by management? Why wont they give him a start? How long will mcdowell last?
dawg4u
June 23rd, 2012
11:41 pm
Agree that Medlen needs to come up and sit down Delgado. We can just chalk up another loss when he pitches. Down 5-1 after 3 makes it an uphill battle. Is Medlen still not ready? Also to the poster with the bobble head name – where is the word “rout” used in this article?
jo killa
June 24th, 2012
12:09 am
delgado will be fine but i agree give todd redmond a shot if somethin happens he can really pitch his last start he had 9 ks the man can pitch
intellibird
June 24th, 2012
12:19 am
I think I heard that Medlen wants to be a starter. If so, I would let him try it. What was his record previously as a starter?
Sorry that Venters has lost his Mojo. Gotta find it again and then everything will wbe alright. We are losing too many games in the middle innings.
If we’re not gonna use Medlin as a starter, then use him in place of Venters and send Venters down to Gwinett to figure his stuff out.
Amen.
intellibird
June 24th, 2012
12:33 am
Okay, Medlen is a career 10-8, and in 2010 was 6-2. If I’m not mistaken, he was being used as a starter then. He had arm problems, surgery, or what.
I’m sure Freddie is on top of things. Good job on bringing Jair back. Guess nobody will be bad-mouthing him right now.
Maybe manager and management know what they are doing. Delgado pitched 8 inneings in his last outing, so I wouldn’t be calling for his arse.
Go Braves!
Kevin
June 24th, 2012
1:19 am
I’m more sick of people spelling the names of Braves players wrong than us losing. Come on people, it’s MEDLEN. Use your Internet properly and GO BRAVES!
LakeDawg
June 24th, 2012
1:21 am
The Braves suck.
snoopy
June 24th, 2012
1:30 am
fire FG, Start KM, hire Terry Francona
Justin
June 24th, 2012
1:50 am
I want the braves to get some bullpen help asap i mean Martinez is awful, venters don’t know what the hell has happend to him need some more arms for that pen. Hopefully Wren will get another SP and RP b4 the deadline.
Justin
June 24th, 2012
1:51 am
I think Minor will be a beast as a LH setup man but i doubt that will happen
NickB
June 24th, 2012
2:00 am
young starters are up and down people, go look up Glavine and Smoltz’s forst few years in the big league……
medlen gets exposed as a starter and has a 4.23 ERA starting, his walks go up and his K’s go down, he’s perfect where he is, though I would have not allowed Varvaro to go the extra inning there , woulda brought Medlen in for the 7th and 8th
intellibird
June 24th, 2012
2:31 am
Francona will bring beer into the clubhouse. Just what this team needs.
MikeY
June 24th, 2012
5:08 am
Fredi and Frank have completely mismanaged the Medlen situation. Last night his role appeared to be last inning mop-up w/ the Bravs down 4 runs. If he was starting, in my opinion he would be our #3 starter. So please, Barves mgt, put Medlen into the rotation, and if need be, find a trade for another good arm for the bullpen. Trading for a reliever will be a lot cheaper (in dollars and prospects) than a starter.
GO BRAVES!!
Johnny Vaught
June 24th, 2012
7:08 am
Venters needs to go to the minors to figure out how to throw strikes. Uggla is no clean-up hitter. I’m beginning to join some fans who question Fredi’s managerial moves.
WTF - the original
June 24th, 2012
7:25 am
They say plagiarism is a sincere form of flattery. And theft just means you have some good stuff. But taking someone’s ‘handle’? Well. well. I’m happy for the ‘new’ WTF. But there are more original ways to ID yourself. Why not WTF2…or Son of WTF.
And oh yeah…the Braves are still mediocre and are destined for 3rd in NL East. But that’s like being 1st in the NL West.
WTF - the original
June 24th, 2012
7:26 am
And what in the h-e-double L is this meebo crap?
MD Braves fan
June 24th, 2012
7:49 am
As long as that virus known as Bobby Cox is still infecting this team, his buddy Fredi is going to manage the Braves and you will have a lathargic and complacent team.
biscuit
June 24th, 2012
7:59 am
Medlen belongs back in the rotation. Delgado and Minor are still too young and likely to lapse into rookie league play on occasion. Do that at this level and you get rocked. It’s Pro ball everyday here, son! Venters I can’t explain.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:06 am
One bad outing and everyone throws him under the bus. CRY CRY CRY. It’s one loss. Live with it. As long as you have the management you have, it will happen over and over again.
alanfalcon
June 24th, 2012
8:23 am
Bad, just really bad, at least Freddie woke up early and got him out of there, this kid is not stable, good stuff yet questionable concentration on getting the job done.
Winchester
June 24th, 2012
8:28 am
Delgado, Minor, Venters, Martinez, and Varvaro are minor league pitchers. Wren & Gonzalez expect this bunch to get them to post season play. This will not happen.
How does the opposition always find a way to win against the Braves? This time it’s a Boston pitcher who has only 2 starts in the last 3 years? The answer is easy. The Braves field a team with minor league pitchers, has an offense that cannot play ball, and has an inept coaching staff in the dugout.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:36 am
@Winchester I have been complaining about management all year. Everybody Complained. Nothing goes right. NOW YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT MANAGEMENT. Hurrah for you. Where you been all year. Wake up. As long as you have FW and FG and the BOSS(CHIPPER) this team is a 500 club at best and is not in playoffs. When everybody sees that then they will have nothing to CRY about.
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
8:50 am
@Whiskey; You said it, & the core of players you mentioned to build around, solid, yeah, I hope they (the brass) doesn’t get carried away to trade any of ‘em.
timboy6
June 24th, 2012
8:52 am
You should NEVER bring Venters in a game with runners on base! Even last year when he was getting people out he still threw a lot of pitches in the dirt increasing the chances for a wild pitch. Fredi continues to bring him in the game with runners on and is setting him up to fail. He has always struggled with control. Let him start an inning with nobody on and he stands a chance of getting through the inning. That being said, he needs a trip to the minors to figure things out.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:54 am
@74bravesjersey Good morning little buddy. I really think that they will trade away Heyward to find a broken down pitcher. I really hope not, but as stupid as they are,I really think it will happen. You want some fish?
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:56 am
@timboy6 That shows you how stupid our management is.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
8:56 am
Enter your comments here
74bravesjersey
June 24th, 2012
9:13 am
@Whiskey; Nothin’ don’t surprise me anymore w/folks like these runnin’ the show. They’ve been crazy enough to let good young talent go for over da hill, past there prime diminished skill fellers still hang’n on. So ya went fish’n yesterday? Catch anything?
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
9:18 am
@74bravesjersey Got some Blue Channel Catfish. Altogether about 30 #’s worth. Got to go for now be back in hr.
bobbymahlon
June 24th, 2012
9:25 am
Has anyone noticed our number three,four and five hitters have the lowest batting averages in the current lineup. Chipper and Heyward should be moved up and Freeman and McCann should be moved down. Uggla has not exactly been knocking the fences down with men on either. Uggla and Freeman have been striking out way too much. How about the following batting order.
Bourn
Prado
Heyward
Chipper
Uggla
McCann
Simmons
Freeman
The reason I have Freeman behind Simmons is to make the other team burn up relievers with alternate left and right hand hitters.
mpimentel
June 24th, 2012
9:53 am
C’monm guys. Was just a game…I really likes this season braves so many options in so many sptos, hope that gonzo makes the betters choice once in a while!!
a fan
June 24th, 2012
10:18 am
MD Braves fan
You are despicable and stupid, calling a Hall of Fame manager a “virus” shame on you.
Buster brave
June 24th, 2012
10:31 am
@ WHISKEY RIVER,I LOOKED UP STUPID IN THE DICTIONARY AND SAW A PICTURE OF YOU NEXT TO IT…………
drew
June 24th, 2012
11:03 am
Hey Braves, please pay me what ya pay Venters and I’ll do just as good a job as he does !!!!!!!!
Sweet Old Buck
June 24th, 2012
11:09 am
What is it with Freeman and strikeouts? Three more last night.
IlliniBrave
June 24th, 2012
11:30 am
Which is a bigger problem: being next to last in the league in Quality Starts or having bullpen issues? I.e., is it more important to figure out how to get your starters to last 6 good innings or have a planned out lefty-righty series of relievers to mop up after you know your starter won’t last more than four innings? It seems to me that the Braves tail is wagging the dog.
IlliniBrave
June 24th, 2012
11:32 am
So… can we please see if Medlen or perhaps even Varvaro or Martinez could be a starter? Something different?
Ozzie
June 24th, 2012
11:41 am
If the Braves win 4 and loss 1 the rest of the way no one would complain. I know the lost sucked but every time this team losses a game its scorched earth blogging.
I want FG gone and Wren b/c I think they are middle of the road guys and I believe the Braves need a complete mgt reboot. Fresh set of eyes, ears and brains to take the club to the next level.
But that aside lets at least wait until they lose 4-5 more games in a row before we nuke things.
Bottom line this is a inconsistent club that needs 1-2 starters (a truce Ace and a 200 inning guy) and a LF bat. Until they get those things it will be win 4, lose 4 etc. Basically a .500 team trying to hang around a WC spot.
1991 braves
June 24th, 2012
11:47 am
SHOCKER!! Chipper not in lineup today. This guy should do everyone, including himself a big favor and hang it up. He only wants to go to all the other teams ball parks so he can get a going away gift. Braves should make he retire, that would be a nice going away gift. The funny thing is the manager has to ask this ego maniac when he wants to play, yet he is getting $15 million. What a joke this franchise has become. There is so much dead weight on this team, Jones, Hinske, Wilson, Diaz, Minor, Uggla, Valvaro, Martinez, Francisco, just to name a few. OOPS, that is the whole bench that this mastermind G.M. put together. Let’s enjoy another big laugh today at Fenway.
Seattle Braves
June 24th, 2012
12:03 pm
Idea line-up vs Boston
Bourn
Simmons
Prado
McCann
Uggla
Chipper
Heyward
Freeman
Diaz
Simmons deserves to hit 2nd. Not saying Prado isnt doing a great job (Prado can hit anywhere in the lineup). But I think this kid has the potential to be a Jeter like player. So he needs to hit higher in the lineup. If the Braves trade or not resign bourn, then he can replace him at leadoff.
benchwarmer
June 24th, 2012
12:18 pm
The bench is bad. starting pitching is inconsistant and losing Beachy hurt. Bullpen has not been as good as last year, but who thought it would be? needs? how about something coming off the bench that doesn’t have OUT written on his jersey. Need at least one more decent mid reliever. Find out what is wrong with JV maybe in Gwinnett. And trade for a decent experienced pitcher to take the load off the kids. Probably need to seriously consider replacing Freddi G with a guy who can fill out a decent line up card and doesn’t act like he never been a manager before. Poor adjusment ability, just doesn’t seem to know when or what to do.
Gene
June 24th, 2012
12:25 pm
History has shown that the Braves will not bounce back with Minor, unless he gets knocked out early and the Braves score some late inning runs, which they usually don’t do. This team alternates between playing hard and playing possum.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
12:28 pm
I am back. I understand that Buster brave thinks I am stupid. No Problem. I have known that for years. no big deal. But remember it takes one to know one.
Largo
June 24th, 2012
1:16 pm
The box scores usually show Venters doing fine, not giving up runs, having a pretty good ERA. It doesn’t, however, show that he is giving up plenty of runs but they are charged to the pitcher he relieved. What a Bum..
BrandonLee49
June 24th, 2012
1:44 pm
One More example of Mr Inept FG, Yanking Delgado prematurely, and inserting one of FG’s Cousins who let up More Runs than Delgado !!!!!!
truth5
June 24th, 2012
1:48 pm
Mccann can ruin a wet dream
1991 braves
June 24th, 2012
1:52 pm
Only the braves would have a #3 hitter in their lineup that is hitting .239, and a cleanup hitter that is hitting under .250, actually Uggla is back to his last season slump, he is hitting under .150 his last 15 games.Yet Fredi the magnificant still has him hitting 4th. Hope McCANT isn’t hoping to sign a big contract next year, until this guy proves he can hit the ball to left field, he is kidding himself. He is the only hitter i know of that still pulls the ball with a shift on. LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
truth5
June 24th, 2012
1:56 pm
Mccann and uggla really have struggled. Bourn and Prado can get on base, but we have no one to move them. I’d move Heyward and Jones up in the order, what could it hurt? Mccant will either hit into a dp or will hit right into a shift, and Uggla is an almost guaranteed strikeout.
DOB Needs To Ask Tough Questions!
June 24th, 2012
2:45 pm
As an avid cap tipper, you have to tip your cap to the Bosox today.
And Venters is the prime example of a pitcher overused for two consecutive years.
Le Fan
June 24th, 2012
3:32 pm
I am SICK AND TIRED of watchimg Mike Minor pitch
His whole demeanor spells loser
Every curveball, every change up is so predictable and he gets hammered
And DELGADO is another one..one game up, three games down
This team is never gonna make the playoffs with such an inconsistent pitching staff..
Even Hanson n Hudson ..lyou never knows whos gonna show up when they pitch
TarHeel 1
June 24th, 2012
3:39 pm
Fredi is a joke. 7 runs oh we may need to change the pitcher
chas
June 24th, 2012
4:01 pm
ideal line up.anybody but mc cann and francisco, also roster without delgado and minor. these two pitchers should be in the minors. mccann and francisco should be somewhere else
nick p.
June 24th, 2012
5:20 pm
got to ask, how many more wins do you sacrifice by running minor out there? two things have to happen, either Fredi has to have someone warm in the bullpen ready to go starting 4th inning like a Medlin, or send minor down to minors and have him work it out like jurrjens or never to be heard again, i just hope that the real jurrjens is back and can pick up where Beachy left off!
Angel Wings
June 24th, 2012
5:24 pm
@nick p. Would you please tell me how J-Hey did. No one else will talk to me because Lady-cop scares them away.
nick p.
June 24th, 2012
5:27 pm
J-het did awesome, as far as i saw he was 3 for 3 with single, dbl, hr
Angel Wings
June 24th, 2012
5:31 pm
Thank you somebody is finally not scared of me. Just moved and have not got cable hooked up yet. Wuill have for Tues game. Chico is my first assignment and I guess it will be OK. Don’t know anyone and you know how people feel about cops.
Whiskey River
June 24th, 2012
5:44 pm
@nick p. Completely agree. When he walked the first two guys, I saw it coming. 2 walks leads to 3 runs. Error leads to 3 runs . That’s 6. Score 9 to 4. Left 4 men in scoring position. No clue FG thru the game away. He needs to change lineup
MD Braves fan
June 24th, 2012
6:16 pm
A Fan :
Bobby Cox is a joke. 14 division titles, arguably the best starting rotation in history and 1, count em , 1 title. You are the idiot.
Runnin
June 24th, 2012
7:42 pm
9 – 4