LIVE: Braves can clinch tonight (and it starts with Lowe)
The Braves will do more scoreboard watching tonight, and hope to have another banner to raise.
Amid all of the angst of the Braves’ collapse (10-18), the injured starters (Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson), the slumping hitters (Martin Prado, Jason Heyward, Brian McCann) and the overused bullpen, guess what? The Braves can actually clinch the wild card tonight.
OK, for that to happen, the Braves need to hit a long-odds parlay: 1) The maligned starter, Derek Lowe, needs a strong outing to defeat the Phillies at Turner Field; 2) The St. Louis Cardinals need to lose for a second straight game in Houston. Those two developments would give the Braves the National League wild card spot for the second straight year, and render Wednesday’s regular-season finale against Philadelphia meaningless.
Few expected the Cards to lose to the Astros Monday night. It happened (5-4 in 10 innings). But the Braves’ postseason chances mostly hinge on Lowe. If he and the Braves win tonight, at worst the magic number is down to one, with Tim Hudson on the mound Wednesday against Joe Blanton (advantage: Braves).
What the Braves need is the Lowe of Sept. 2010, not 2011. Last season, he went 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA (29 strikeouts, three walks) in his final five regular season starts. But this has been the worst season of his career. He’s 9-16 with a 4.92 ERA. He’s 0-4 in his last four starts with an 8.24 ERA (though his last start at Florida was solid).
The other obvious issue for the Braves is a lack of offense. They lost 4-2 on Monday, have scored two or fewer runs in four of their last five games and three or fewer in six of their last 10. They’re also hitting only .239 in the month of September and .181 (32-for-177) with with runners in scoring position this month.
They’ll need to break out of that against the Phillies’ Roy Oswalt, who has been strong in two starts against the Braves this season (1-0, 2.08 in two starts) but in his career is only 1-3 with a 5.15 ERA.
As you prepare to scoreboard watch, your second favorite team, the Astros, will start Henry Sosa (3-5, 4.68) against the Cardinals’ Jake Westbrook (12-9, 4.48).
And with that, I turn it over to you. We wait to see what Lowe gives us.
Can this be an omen? There was a rainbow over Turner Field two hours before the Braves' game.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,258 comments Add your comment
Ridonkulous
September 27th, 2011
8:15 pm
That Alex Gonzalez is a real gamer. He has a good three days and then takes a week off. Why has he been on a team a year for the past six? Only the Braves were cheap enough and dumb enough to bring him back.
IlliniBrave
September 27th, 2011
8:15 pm
@BRAVESFAN: such actions would represent a total lack of class.
How fitting for the Phillies and their fans!!!
Space Monkey
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
The only person in the entire stadium surprised by this outcome is Gonzales. Look, I know Lowe tries, but he’s washed up. He can’t miss bats anymore. And you can’t pitch to contact against the Phillies. He should retire and maintain some dignity. And you can’t tell me that a Gwinnett relief pitcher would have been less effective than Lowe, much less Minor or Tehran.
Runner-
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Thrashers left, Braves stink, Falcons stink, Hawks stink… What’s happened???
Shadowfax419
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Been a Braves fan since they came to Atlanta…This is the worst EVER!!! At least Bobby would have pulled Lowe b4 he gave up 4!!!! What’s the deal? Don’t wanna get in the gutter, but what gives?????? It’s not like you gotta save a pitcher for the playoffs if you don’t make it. Lowe has been suck#$g for a while. I think he’s a great pitcher, but he’s not shown it lately. PULL HIM AND PUT SOMEONE ELSE IN! Man, between the Falcons and the Braves the last couple of weeks…it’s tough to be an Atlanta fan. Crossed fingers that things change. Otherwise, it’ll be a tough October.
BRAVESFAN
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
I predict a spike in sales in the south this weekend.
Brave-less
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Ok, I thought the Braves would lose the first 2 games and at least win the third but this offense (the same offense that scored 1 run in 2 losses to the Nats) is going to carry them all the way to a sweep.
Chief
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Tech…3 win’s over the junior varsity and a unc team with an interim coach. Congrats
monarch
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
can’t believe he’s still in there
later gator
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
How in the most important game of the season can you have this piece of garbage pitching.
CJ
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Last 31 innings the braves have 3 runs! That’s 1 run per 10 innings! Fantastic
LOB Braves
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Oh yeah. Leave Blowe in there.
Silky-d
September 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
This is pathetic! Kenchin Kawakami would have been a better option than Derrick Lowe…just pathetic. What are you going to say tomorrow morning Leo about Lowe? I thought he had more left in the tank? D. Lowe has nothing left but batting practice!!!!
KC
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
Oswalt, if you want you can turn around and throw left handed tonight… or work on your knuckle ball. Have fun! This is the saddest group of hitters I’ve ever seen.
CJ
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
Are you kidding me? 2 games left and you still keep this pathetic pitcher in there?
Ridonkulous
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
The Braves are so dead men walking that even Joe Johnson would add life to this team.
BRAVESFAN
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
I predict a spike in sales in the south this weekend…
For Home Depot
FlaBrave695
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
Finally, DLowe is gone…
Chief
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
Standing ovation for lowe
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
And why are the commercials so loud? Are deaf people not buying enough stuff?
Jeff Schultz
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
There goes Lowe. Here come the boos.
kerryb
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
I can’t believe that he would start Delgado but won’t start Teheran. But he’ll go with a worthless over paid pitcher stealing money from them. Is he worried about hurting Derrick Lowe’s feeling and sending him on a drinking binge?
LakeDawg
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
Chad
September 27th, 2011
8:12 pm
Chipper = what’s wrong with the Braves- too laid back, way back. David Justice played with fire and spoke his mind and they ran him out of town = no more championships.
————————————————————————————————————————————-
BINGO!!!
monarch
September 27th, 2011
8:17 pm
finally – the wife was going to switch TV to Dancing…..
Larry
September 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
Yes, it is overwhelmingly and convincingly clear that Fruiti Gonzalez is an idiot. But, who is even a bigger idiot than he?
Answer: Anyone that purchases a ticket to a Braves game next season that enables this idiot to manage the Braves.
Have some courage and make a difference…don’t go!
Chief
September 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
Really sports south…..ryan howard commercial
Aggrevated Brave
September 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
Enter your comments here
Felix
September 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
Now, 4 runs too late, Fredi wakes out of his stupor to get Lowe out of there.
rally
September 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
It is obvious that the Braves want no part of the playoffs. They know that they will be humiliated one more time. Better to go ahead and lose and blame it on injuries.
Larry Parrish has to be the worst batting coach ever. He could not hit himself. He hit some homers but struck out over 100 times per season and usually hit about .230. Get rid of him pronto.
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
September 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
I’m watching Nebraska at Wyoming.
Ridonkulous
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
Why are they taking Lowe out … Chip says he’s struck out two?
The Natue Boy
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
Who gets the champagne that’s on ice, if it’s not used..??? I’m a vulture….
kerryb
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
I love the fans giving Freddie and standing ovation for coming out to take him out and the fans booing Lowe all the way back to the dugout. Much deserved. We need to pay a team in the offseason that is crazy enough to take him off our hands.
IlliniBrave
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
Would not want to be the person formerly known as D-Lowe when spring training opens. Braves fans have a long memory and he will catch so much s*** it won’t be pretty. Better off DFA’d and finding another team.
Shadowfax419
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
UNBELIEVABLE!!! Lowe starts the 5th???????????????????? Gonzalez is absolutely NOT Bobby Cox!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh what a surprise…leadoff hit! Done with the Braves this year!
George Washington
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
Fans at Turner Field SAW the Phillies HAMMER the ball and DRILL Braves pitching. And while the local patrons were SCREWED, they realized the biggest tool in the Ted was there own Derek Lowe.
Old Dawg Fan
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
I do pull for Tech, is the only positive going on with Ga. sports right now.
Kimbrel rocks
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
hey fredi and frank wren: it’s a real smart to leave the top minor league pitcher in baseball and PLAYER OF THE YEAR on the bench (Tehran) while letting derek blowe lose 10-15 games this year. makes a lot of sense. thanks for such a great year.
KC
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
*Handing over the remote* she can watch whatever she wants tonight. I’m done.
monarch
September 27th, 2011
8:19 pm
is there any hope
OuttaGas
September 27th, 2011
8:20 pm
Bye Bye Blow, last game in a braves uniform, feeling great about that
john
September 27th, 2011
8:20 pm
I sit in awe that FG waits for 4 runs to pull blowe. Fire this clown, he has no right to be managing this team. What a way to go out Atlanta, but hey I am sure you guys have all ready have nice dinner plans and a movie planned after this game. If you dont sweat it why should the fans?
Tucker T
September 27th, 2011
8:20 pm
I don’t know which is worse. If the Braves back into the playoffs and get swept in the first round with everyone knowing that they didn’t belong or if they don’t make it all and be known as the team that blew such a huge lead. I am actually pulling for the Cards to put this sad team out of it’s misery. This has been one of the greatest choke jobs in the history of baseball regardless of whether they make it or not. Just sad.
Life long Braves fan
September 27th, 2011
8:20 pm
I am totally disgusted. This team has no heart and it starts with the manager. Where is the fire and the passion? This team has went down hill ever since Constanza went to the bench. I will not renew my tickets for next year unless major changes are made. Parrish is a joke. Prado and Jair along with a prospect might get us a every day left fielder. The fork was stuck in this team three weeks ago. They are done.
Braveitis
September 27th, 2011
8:20 pm
INSANITY….do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Face it , Lowe and our hitters are not worthy of post season.
Jay
September 27th, 2011
8:20 pm
Lowe = Loss. Gonzalez didn’t want to win, otherwise he would of pitched someone other than Lowe. This team has been an embarassment to the state of GA for a month now. Time for them to finish choking and get it over with.
Robbie
September 27th, 2011
8:21 pm
Fredi has a condo rented on South Beach the first of October….And he and Blowe are off on their rendezvous Thursday morning.
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 27th, 2011
8:21 pm
If I’m Frank Wren, I look D Lowe right in the eye and tell him, here’s 5M, get, lost.
If you don’t want it, you’ll get the rest in Danville, Derek.Oh. and your throphy wife, tell her it makes Pearl, MS. look like Vegas.
BRAVESFAN
September 27th, 2011
8:21 pm
We need a goon to finish the game!
The Natue Boy @ KC
September 27th, 2011
8:21 pm
that post drew blood…OUCH….