So I was all optimistic we would take a nifty three game winning streak into Philly and get our road trip off to a dandy of a start. `Tis not to be. The Braves phought the good phight all game behind a maximum effort from John Smotz, but Mike Remlinger didn't have anything in the tank when he entered the ballgame in the eighth. He also entered the ballgame in the eighth inning the night before against Colorado and gave up two hits while only recording one out before he was relieved. Those two hits were singles, and our Cormier was able to get out of the jam. But on Wednesday night Remlinger gave up a single and then a homerun. That homerun proved to be the difference in the game. Remlinger was allowed to stay in after the homerun and gave up two more hits before Ken Ray got him out of the jam.
This begs the question, why are we using Remlinger on back to back days now that our bullpen is back at full strength with the addition of McBride. I wonder if this was one of those situations where Remlinger was run back out there because he had a bad outing the night before, and Cox wanted him to get in the game and get straightened out.
Remlinger has already been used 17 times this season, and while he's only pitched 10 innings, he is starting to show signs of wear. It may have been a nice nostalgic run to have him back in a Braves uniform and having some success for a month, but that run of luck is running out, and it may be time to face the fact that he is no longer an effective reliever. I'm sure the Braves will give him more time, but I would send him out and recall Moylan.
That bad outing spoiled what should have been a great come back game for Atlanta, who was trailing 3-0 and came back to tie it in the sixth and then go ahead in the eighth. Andruw Jones saw his homerun swing return with the game tying blast in the sixth, his first homerun since April 19th. And Francoeur finally got mad enough that people keep walking LaRoche to pitch to him that he slapped a broken bat single up the middle to drive in the go-ahead run. John Smoltz also pitched good despite being in trouble in the early innings of the game.
Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 5 at Citizens Bank Park
Atlanta Record: (12-15)
Philadelphia Record: (13-14)
Winning pitcher - Rheal Cormier (2-0)
Losing pitcher - Mike Remlinger (1-2)
SV - Tom Gordon (9)