I've been rough on the Braves' offense lately, and they did their best to get me to shut up tonight. Matt Diaz continues his torrid hitting, collecting 3 more hits, making him 19 for his last 27. Matty D rocked Cliff Lee for a home run, as did Garret Anderson and Yunel Escobar. That trio combined for 8 hits and 6 RBI. Chipper Jones joined the home run part as well, but remains mired in a slump as he went hitless in his other 4 at bats. Rookie Reid Gorecki contributed as well, playing center field and scoring twice.
Cliff Lee had been utterly dominant for the Phillies since being picked up from the Indians, but the Braves were able to pound out 10 hits and 6 runs in 5 innings, sending the lefty to his first loss as a Phillie. For his part, Atlanta starter Derek Lowe was able to support his offense's outburst, stymieing Philidelphia for just 1 run over 5.2 innings, collecting his 13th win in the process.
Atlanta gains a game on Philadelphia, putting themselves 7 games back in the Eastern Divison race. They also gained a game in the Wild Card standings, now sitting just 3.5 games out. The Wild Card leading Rockies have lost 2 straight to San Fransisco, who now sit just 1 game behind them in the Wild Card standings. If the Giants can complte the sweep tomorrow, the two teams will be tied. It's worth noting that, after this weekend, Colorado and San Francisco still have three more head-to-head games, which could go a long way in hepling the Braves quest to win the Wild Card.