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Thursday, Sep. 14 1:10pm ET
Braves finish homestand 6-3 | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ATLANTA (AP) -- Andy Ashby managed to survive a first inning that could have been a disaster. The Atlanta right-hander gave up only two runs in the inning and Javy Lopez broke out of a 2-for-26 slump with a pair of run-scoring singles as the Atlanta Braves rallied to beat the Florida Marlins 5-3 Thursday. Ashby (10-12) gave up a two-run single in the first to Mike Lowell, then held Florida scoreless until the eighth inning. "I was just out of synch a little bit, but after I got my rhythm going I made the pitches I needed to," Ashby said. Atlanta, which began the day with a two-game lead over second-place New York in the NL East, won its second straight and completed a 6-3 homestand. Ashby, 6-5 since the Braves acquired him from Philadelphia on July 12, allowed three runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings. "The first inning was a big one for us. They easily could have gotten four runs, instead they got two," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "But Andy was able to turn it around, get the strikeout and pop. After that he was picture perfect." Lowell's single put Florida ahead 2-0 and left the Marlins with runners at the corners for Derrek Lee with one out. Ashby struck out Lee and retired Alex Gonzalez on a flyout. "The strikeout was big," Ashby said. "Thank God we made the pitches and didn't give up more than two runs." John Rocker, Atlanta's third pitcher, walked his first batter on four pitches leading off the ninth, then struck out the side for his 21st save in 23 chances. Lopez, who went 2-for-3 with a walk, singled off Reid Cornelius (3-9) for a 3-2 lead in the sixth after Wally Joyner walked and Brian Jordan singled. Keith Lockhart, who also drove in two runs, followed with a sacrifice fly. Chipper Jones singled off Ricky Bones with two outs in the seventh, stole second and scored on a single by Andres Galarraga to make it 5-2. Preston Wilson's RBI double chased Ashby in the eighth. Cornelius (3-9) dropped to 0-7 in 12 starts since beating Montreal on July 2, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. "Yeah, you think about it," he said of the losing streak, "but you have to put it out of your mind and just pitch. I just happen to be in this streak right now. No one says the game of baseball is fair." Lopez and Lockhart hit run-scoring singles that tied the game in the fourth. Game notesUmpire Steve Rippley missed his second straight game due to an illness. He was replaced by Morris Hodges, who umpired in the Pacific Coast League this season. ... Before beating Montreal 3-2 in his last start, Ashby hadn't won since July 8, going 0-4 with a no-decision. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Florida Clubhouse Atlanta Clubhouse RECAPS Boston 7 Cleveland 4
Atlanta 5 AUDIO/VIDEO   Andy Ashby says the defense came up big in Atlanta's win over Florida.wav: 140 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Tom Glavine wants his team to play the way that they can.wav: 118 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Chipper Jones knows that the next games are the most important.wav: 110 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 | |||||