Wednesday, April 27
(13-13) Atlanta Braves - 7
(9-16) San Diego Padres - 0
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In a game where the Braves had things under control early, Tommy Hanson was able to settle in right off the bat and cruise to seven shutout innings. The 7-0 Braves win gave them the series and sends them home on a good note.
Hanson faced 26 batters and retired 21 of them. The rest reached on four singles and one walk. Despite this, the Padres actually reached scoring position three times, including third base once, but they never could score. The four batters faced with runners in scoring position: groundout, strikeout, single, strikeout. The single only advanced the runner to third. He struck out 10. This is how you pitch a shutout.
Hanson was almost strictly fastball/slider, which is good to see because it means he has the fastball working. He lived on the outer half with all of his pitches, consistently hitting the outside corner at 90-93 with the fastball.
For the second straight day, Chipper Jones put the Braves on the board in the first inning with an RBI groundout following a leadoff double by Martin Prado, worth .029 WPA. The Braves scored in the first inning in all three games this series.
They unloaded in the second inning for five runs. An error by Brad Hawpe scored two runs, worth .172 WPA, the biggest swing in the game. Chipper tripled in two runs, worth .104. Brian McCann capped it with an RBI double, worth .030.
The Braves cruised after that as Hanson shut down the Padres. He gave up just four baserunners following the five-run second inning for the Braves.
Stat of the Day:
Hanson's last double-digit strikeout game was June 10, 2010.
The Game Changer:
Brad Hawpe's error resulted in two runs for the Braves in the second inning, worth .172 WPA.
WPA Winners:
(ATL) Martin Prado: .239
(ATL) Chipper Jones: .130
(ATL) Tommy Hanson: .118
WPA Losers:
(SD) Mat Latos: -.382
(SD) Brad Hawpe: -.043
(ATL) Alex Gonzalez: -.043
For more on the series, Braves fans check out Talking Chop and Padres fans check out Gaslamp Ball.