Advanced Search

Related News

Home » Sports » Baseball

Phillies' opening-day gala ruined by Braves

Source: Agencies | April 7, 2009, Tuesday | Print Edition

THE Atlanta Braves ruined Major League Baseball's opening day for World Series champion Philadelphia on Sunday, belting three home runs in the first two innings for a 4-1 victory over the Phillies.

Starting pitcher Derek Lowe gave up only two hits over eight innings, while Brian McCann cracked a two-run homer in the first and Jeff Francoeur and Jordan Schafer followed with solo shots in the second in Philadelphia.

Schafer's homer came in his first major league at-bat.

"I think we're going to surprise a lot of people," Schafer, the Braves' rookie center fielder, told reporters. "I definitely didn't expect for that (homer) to happen. I don't think my feet hit the ground going around the bases."

Lowe, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason, struck out four with no walks before handing over to reliever Mike Gonzalez.

"He was awesome," Braves manager Bobby Cox said of the sinkerball-throwing Lowe (1-0). "He had three-up, three-down in six innings and gave up two groundball hits."

The right-hander joined the Braves in January, signing a four-year US$60 million deal.

"It went about as good as possible for me tonight," Lowe said. "It was a fun game to be a part of."

Gonzalez gave up two hits and a run in the ninth before striking out Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez to end the game.

Eight hits

Brett Myers started for Philadelphia and gave up eight hits and three homers in six innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Myers (0-1) filled in for Cole Hamels, whose first start was pushed back because of elbow problems. Hamels, the National League championship series and World Series MVP, will pitch at Colorado on Friday.

Four relievers held the Braves hitless the remainder of the game but the damage had already been done.

Chipper Jones singled to left center to start the Atlanta offense. McCann, the next batter, homered to right to make it a 2-0 game.

Francoeur led off the second with his home run and after one out, the 22-year-old Schafer, who went 2-for-3, hit one out of the park to center.

The Phillies celebrated the franchise's second World Series title during an hour-long ceremony before the game. Led by the Phanatic and veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer, players entered the field from Ashburn Alley behind the stands in left-center field. They walked past adoring fans in the aisles, down stairs and onto a red carpet that stretched from the warning track to the infield.

Then manager Charlie Manuel raised the 2008 championship flag on the concourse behind the brick batter's eye.
Baseball



 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend