Maybin and Wood Lift Braves to 3-2 Victory Over LA

It has been a while since the Atlanta Braves won a game in Dodger Stadium.  The last time was during the 2013 regular season.  Atlanta wins the final contest of three-game set with the Dodgers late Wednesday night 3-2.

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This series finale was definitely a pitcher’s duel for the first six innings.  Alex Wood rebounded wonderfully from missing his last start because of the flu.  After not pitching for 11 days, Wood went seven innings, allowing just one earned run, and striking out six Los Angeles Dodgers.  For this long of a stretch between starts, you have to feel impressed by Wood’s performance.

Zack Greinke was terrific for the Dodgers in six innings of work.  He struck out nine and allowed just one earned run in his start.  But it was a high pitch count (97) that kept Greinke from working deeper into the ball game.  His lone mistake was a fastball up in the zone to Cameron Maybin in the top of the third inning.

Cameron Maybin crushed Greinke’s offering over the left-centerfield wall for the Braves first home run in ten ball games.  If you were to say that the 2014 Atlanta Braves did not hit a homer in ten games, you would assume that the team would be on a ten game losing streak, all shutouts.  It’s a different team in a different year.  Maybin went 2-4 tonight and raises his season average to .261.  He is no doubt the starting centerfielder for the Atlanta Braves.  I love getting productivity from centerfield.  Am I dreaming, Atlanta Braves fans?

Nick Markakis perhaps had the most important hit of the game, an RBI ground rule double in the eighth inning to plate Jace Peterson to give the Braves the decisive third run.  Jim Johnson pitched a perfect eighth inning of relief.  He struck out two batters and lowers his ERA to 2.42.

Though Jason Grilli did record his fourteenth save on the year, again it wasn’t pretty.  Rookie OF Alex Guerrero hit an opposite field solo shot to give the Dodgers a second run in the game.  I don’t know who this guy is but he can rake at the plate.  Excellent find for the LA Dodgers.  Fate would have it that Alberto Callaspo would make the final out of the game by flying out to Maybin in center.

Atlanta heads to San Francisco to take on the Giants for a four game set.  It’s great to get out of LA with a victory before going to the reigning World Series Champions’ place.  The Giants are playing well in an odd-numbered year which is odd for them.  San Francisco only wins World Series in even-numbered years (2010, 2012, 2014).  More on this series in the morning.  Glad to not get swept in LA.  Go Braves!