Derek Lowe pitched four solid innings and J.C. Boscan came through with the winning run in the eighth as the Braves got their revenge on the Cardinals, 2-1.
Lowe gave up a double to Matt Carpenter in the first and a single to Nick Stavinoha for the only two hits allowed over four shutout innings. Following the double to Carpenter and an error by Joe Mather that put two on with two outs in the first, Lowe struck Mark Hamilton out to end the inning. Following the leadoff single by Stavinoha in the second, he got a groundout and two strikeouts. So Lowe was spot on when he needed to be, and he was the rest of the time, as well.
Lowe struck out four and walked one over the four innings. He picked up five groundouts to two flyouts.
Scott Linebrink gave up a single over a scoreless fifth. He wasn't exactly fooling anybody, but that seems to be the norm so far with him. Cristhian Martinez was a little shaky to begin the sixth, hitting a batter and allowing a single to Matt Holliday. Two straight force outs on ground balls scored a run. So at least he got grounders when he needed them.
Stephen Marek allowed a single and a walk but pitched around it with a strikeout and groundout for a scoreless seventh. Juan Abreu dominated the eighth, striking out two, including Holliday, and getting an infield popout for the other out. He's bound to have those types of innings with stuff like that. Julio Teheran gave up a one-out single, but otherwise got two flyouts and a groundout for a scoreless ninth.
Martin Prado reached base three times in three trips, with two singles and a walk. Jason Heyward picked up a double and a walk. Dan Uggla drove in Prado for a run in the first on a single. Boscan drove in the other run in the eighth following the Heyward double.
Wilkin Ramirez grounded out to the pitcher, walked and struck out in his three trips. Matt Young grounded out to shortstop in his only at bat. Joe Mather went 0-3 with a strikeout and error, and he hasn't shown the Braves much so far this spring, though I still believe his spot is pretty secure.