Atlanta Braves humiliated 0-9 by San Francisco Giants as Jair Jurrjens leaks runs - MLB Update
Starter Jair Jurrjens crumbles on the mound as he cost the Atlanta Braves a humiliating 0-9 defeat against the San Francisco Giants in the first game of the three match series at Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia on July 17, 2012.
The confidence that the Braves carried into the series after hammering a four-match sweep to the New York Mets has now been seriously dented.
Giants, disregarding the dominance by the Braves’ offence in the season, keep them to just five hits in the game.
Meanwhile, Jurrjens is going to take some time to realise what happened with him on the mound. In little more than three innings, he gave up eight runs, while striking-out just one.
Atlanta had optioned him to the AAA affiliate earlier due to his continuous poor performances. He was sent there to make sure he gets his rhythm back. Recently, he was included in the rotation again as the management felt that he is back to his best.
However, with a dismal performance on the mound on Tuesday, the management will be reluctant to give him more chances in the season now.
"We just didn't get it done like a team," Jurrjens said. "I didn't make pitches, we didn't hit, we didn't field. That's a team loss."
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s offence takes a nosedive after exhibiting power against the Mets in the last series. None of the batters reached home-plate on Tuesday.
Third-baseman Chipper Jones was unable to get a hit.
Similarly, Jason Heyward who was impressive in the last game failed to make the most of his at-bats.
From the way the Giants humiliated Atlanta, one can understand how difficult it is going to be for the latter to bounce back in the series.
Unless Braves’ starters find a way out to block Giants’ batters in upcoming games, winning the series will never be easy. It will be interesting to see what changes Atlanta makes as they will be looking to fight back in the series.
Therefore, Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez will take some time out to think on the possible weak-links in the team now.
Furthermore, he will hope to see the offence coming back to a kind of form that it has enjoyed in the season thus far.
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