Yes, you read it right up there. The Gwinnett Braves walked off TWICE in one game...albeit the first one that was overturned was more dramatic than the final game winner. Anyway, on to the game!
Ryne Reynoso started the game. My wife and I entered Coolray Field just as the first pitch was being thrown out. By the time we bought our tickets and got to our seats 3 rows behind the Braves dugout the score was already 4-0. I'm not sure what happened, but Ryne pitched a lot out of the stretch like this with base runners behind him in the first inning.
His pitching performance warranted Botelho to come out and give him a stern talking to. As Rex Hudler says in MLB10 The Show "Stop laying it in there MEAT!"
Eventually Reynoso settled down a bit (even though he threw 2 pitches to the backstop over JC Boscans head) and stopped giving up hits like this to the PawSox.
He also received a great defensive play from Joe Thurston on an over the shoulder catch heading out into shallow RF that saved a run. Here is Joe popping up from his sliding catch to fire the ball back into the catcher to keep the runner at 3rd.
Finally the top of the 1st was over, but the Braves were down 4-0 right out of the gates. Matt Young got the Braves offense started (after receiving a little chin music)
He whacked a solid hit and ended up going 4-5 and was a catalyst at the top of the order. I really like his line drive hits and his speed...way better than Gregor.
Freddie Freeman (DHing for this game) hits a rocket right here, but right at the first baseman who stepped on first to easily double off Wes Timmons. Freddie was upset that he hit the ball so hard but right to the guy. Those are the breaks.
Mitch Jones hit a solo HR in this game. This was the swing even though it doesn't look like the much, the ball cleared the LC wall easily.
Brent Clevlen has been consistent this year, hitting over .300.
Matt Young steals 3rd successfully after hitting a double.
Wes Timmons had some good pitches to hit as Matt Young was always on base in front of him. Here he drives Young home from 3rd with a deep fly ball to LF
Ryne Reynoso was finally lifted in the 5th after 4.2 innings and with Runners on base. Although he did not give up another run after that 4 run first inning.
Jeff Lyman relieved him and promptly gave up 2 runs in his 1 inning.
This was another over the shoulder catch, this time by Wes Timmons. The shot before this actually showed the catch, but the damn focus took too long and the shot was blurry.
Catcher JC Boscan
Jeff Lyman was relieved for Mariano Gomez (the tall lanky lefty)
Gomez pitched pretty good and didn't give up any runs, but got some help from his defense as Boscan tags out this runner trying to score.
Brandon Hicks, flashing the leather.
A guy I had never seen before, Christhian Martinez relieved Gomez and pitched 2 scoreless inning and ended up picking up the win.
Here's the token Barbaro Canizares shot for the game...they almost doubled this guy off of first, but he sneaked his foot back on the bag to be called safe.
And now to the 9th inning. Gregor Blanco pinch hits for Boscan to start the inning off...and promptly hits a slow roller to the first baseman for the first out. This would be the last out that PawSox got on the night though. The Braves were down 6-4 going into the bottom of the 9th.
Matt Young picks him up though with his 4th hit of the game.
Then uses his speed to steal 2nd and get into scoring position.
Wes Timmons then deposits one into LF to score Young and make it 6-5.
After a quick meeting on the mound to discuss how to pitch to Freeman...
Freeman gets his first and only hit through the whole into RF...Wes hustles into 3rd.
Barbaro comes through with a knock scoring Wes to tie the game.
And also allows Freeman to bust ass around the bases into 3rd.
Next, Mitch Jones deposits one over the left field foul pole for what appears to be a 3 run homer.
The PawSox manager argues while telling his players to stay on the field and away from the argument.
Meanwhile the Braves take this opportunity to celebrate the apparent walk off
The umpires huddle and discuss
Finally overturning the call and saying the ball was foul.
Now Manager Dave Brundage wants an explanation, and it appears the Ump just blew this call.
So the players re-take the field...and the PawSox closer was a bit rocked I think after all of the commotion as he immediately walks Mitch Jones to load the bases. Next up Brent Clevlen. He promptly draws a walk with this being ball 4 to score the winning run.
JC Holt (pinch running for Freeman at 3rd) scores and the Braves win 7-6 in the best walk off way possible...with a bases loaded walk! :-)
Matt Young tops it off with a chest bump on Clevlen...at least we go home a winner!
Here are a few shots of some ladies at the game for you guys.
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