Deja Vu

By TIm McManus
The Phanatic Magazine

Brian McCann hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to tie the game and Scott Thorman put Atlanta ahead with a solo shot in the 11th, as the Braves rallied to topple the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2, at Citizens Bank Park.

Tim Hudson got the start and allowed just one run on two hits over seven solid innings for Atlanta, which outhit the Phillies 10-6 but were held scoreless until the final inning. Macay McBride (1-0) picked up the win, and Bob Wickman notched his first save of the season.

Young lefthander Cole Hamels hurled seven-plus scoreless innings, scattering four hits while striking out eight for the Phillies, who fell 5-3 in 10 innings to the Braves in the season opener on Monday. Tom Gordon allowed the two-run blast in the ninth, though, and Ryan Madson (0-2) gave up the homer in extra innings to absorb the loss.

Carlos Ruiz homered and Shane Victorino drove in a run in defeat.

The Braves were shut down for almost the entire night, but finally broke through in their final at-bat. Jeff Francoeur started the frame by roping a double to center, and McCann followed with a blast to right that easily cleared the wall to knot the game at 2-2.

The scoring went silent until the top of the 11th, when Thorman belted a homer to right-center to put the Braves in front. Wickman then pitched around a two- out hit in the bottom of the inning to seal the comeback win.

The Phillies didn't get their first hit of the game until the bottom the fifth with two outs, but it was a big one. Hudson left a pitch up and inside, and Ruiz turned and launched it into the left-field seats to put the home team up 1-0.

The Braves threatened in the seventh, putting runners on the corners with two outs following singles from Andruw Jones and McCann and a groundout by Craig Wilson. Phils manager Charlie Manuel visited the mound and opted to stay with his starter, and it payed off as Hamels got Matt Diaz to ground out to end the inning.

The offense provided an insurance run in the eighth. Jimmy Rollins drew a one- out walk, swiped second, and then advanced to third on a throwing error by McCann. Victorino then cracked a double down the left-field line to make it 2-0.

Ryan Howard stepped in next and worked a walk, then tried to scored on Chase Utley's double off the wall in right. A perfect relay throw nabbed him at the plate, though, to end the frame.