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
FlaBrave695
September 27th, 2011
7:58 pm
Dang!!!!!!!!!!
TN Jeff
September 27th, 2011
7:58 pm
We kept Lowe in there for his bat and he’ll hang around for 2 more runs.
Ando
September 27th, 2011
7:58 pm
Wow Chipper…again…really?
Furman Bitcher
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Jeff I bet you had “clutch” ready to go and then added “not” right at the DP. LOL
G
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Chipper is worthless!! Please retire. He can’t stay healthy and hits into as many double plays as McCann.. He needs to stop talking so much here and start producing.
Jaime
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Please some hit and run
Bud Light
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Chipper = rally killer DP
later gator
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Chipper is really sucking when guys are on base, but there is good news Lowe is coming back out to make some more good pitches.
George Washington
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Well, he hit it up the middle, sort of. I’m surprised his legs didn’t just snap off running to first.
Brave rave
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Cant Jeff Blauser play short anymore?
NagoyaBrave
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
These chumps have already given up. Oh well, there’s always next year.
GT 2011
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
braves fan
September 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
and of course chipper has no paitence and another dp
OuttaGas
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
That’s how our veterans play right there, oh wait…..
later gator
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
G i am in agreement with you.
Kimbrel rocks
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
at some point this does start to get kinda funny. only the braves. and people wonder why turner field doesn’t sell out every night. sorry, but i am not using anymore of my money to watch these millionaires play like crap in person. rather sit here and be able to turn off the TV.
(i have been to 8 games this year, but not happening again)
Hater
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
Even I’m tired of the standard double play…1-6-3? Boring….let’s go for a 3-6-1 or maybe a 1-5-2
Mike
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
No way Freidi gets fired. The injuries excuse is already laid out, Parrish will get canned so it appears they fixed the problem.
I hope this organization starts to place a premium on developing some fundamentally strong position players. The pitching first philosophy hasn’t paid big premiums, at least not as far as post season success goes.
What a bummer… Lowe is laying another $15 million dollar egg and this feeble offense is beyond words.
Chad
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
He looked so devasted after that double play. I think we care more than they. Woe is us.
NagoyaBrave
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
It’s amazing these Phillies are almost as old as me and they are still kicking ATL tail. How can this be?
Brave rave
September 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
If Jody Davis and Brian McCant were in a 3 leg race who would win?
GT 2011
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
Tell us something we don’t Joe Simpson.
Alexander Hamilton
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
Mother of God Atlanta, relax.
I know this must be painful for you, but seriously what did you think would happen this season? You actually made it to the last series without anything even remotely resembling a pitching staff. Despite the challenges of attracting fans to The Ted; despite ownership that would charitably be described as “absentee”; despite the whole “Freddi sux” meme; despite the ‘we hate goat-of-the-game” meme; despite all that and Chipper not coming through every time you want , here you are.
Relax and enjoy these moments, they will not come again. The clock on the wall is ticking for us all.
braves fan
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
jeff
i said calf strain for gonzo 40 minutes ago inside sources
Jeff Schultz
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
“Chef” Tim — “Lowe wins the tool race tonight.”
Dude — that is the line of the night. And be forewarned: I might steal it.
Kimbrel rocks
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
@jeff—-where is that braves choke icon that was on a previous article of yours
later gator
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
Where does Chipper think that dirt pitch is going. And the carnage continues.
Fire Everyone
September 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
Saddest bunch of players i’ve ever seen.
Bud Light
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Isn’t it a shame that you have everything on the line and can’t hit yet Phillies have nothing at stake and are hitting ?
OuttaGas
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
phillies two more runs here this ining
Sonny Clusters
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Why did so many people get excited last year that Chipper might retire? Because he’s given us this again and again. We was sad when he said he’s coming back next year. More and more of the same. He hits but that’s his whole bag of tricks. As a team leader see where he leads. Again and again.
Roy Oswalt
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
My ERA wants to thank the Braves for showing up tonight.
NagoyaBrave
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Lowe must be released. These BRAVES are ridiculous holding out so long for this guy. IDIOTIC.
GT 2011
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Alexander, shut up.
FlaBrave695
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Heard on MLB Radio today DLowe would be on a short leash….its getting longer…
Sorry
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Close the doors, turn off the lights, you know it’s over tonight!
Hater
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Chipper’s okay with his double play, because he tried his best…oh, and he’s playing hurt…that’s what matters…not the win or the loss…it’s all about personal pride and being a tough-guy…
Atlanta = choke
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
If I may suggest a team to root for in the playoffs, since the Braves will certainly not be there, could I suggest the Rays? Can’t help but root for them.
LakeDawg
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
The last remnants of the B. Cox era need to be washed out. Scherhoultz (sp.?), Chipper, and Fredi
(apparently a B. Cox clone).
braves29
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
they do not deserve to win tonight or the play offs
B
September 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Keep the drunk in there. can’t believe there’s no one in the bullpen
Chad
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
enen the announcers have given up on this team
Rabid Dawg
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
F Gonzalez…..get him out of there!!!!
later gator
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
Will Freddie get off his dead ass and get him out.
OuttaGas
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
told you
Atlanta = choke
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
FlaBrave, it’s one of those extend-able dog leashes.
William
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
FIRE FREDDIE
Would anybody else but this incompetent, start Derek “gas can” Lowe in this position??????
Granny's Hammer
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
So RowsD, still think the Braves are a lock for the playoffs?
Brave-less
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
I had a feeling the Braves would get knocked from the playoffs in a series which would be a culmination of everything that has gone wrong this season.
Bullpen untouchables getting scored upon, Lowe pitching and stinking, offense not scoring, injuries
braves29
September 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
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