Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
VI Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
MLB Scores Matchups Teams Standings
 
 · Regular Season
Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Recap: Braves , Marlins
 •  BT Movements
Game: 0
Venue:
Date: May 07, 2009 12:10 PM EDT
  

MIAMI (AP) -Jair Jurrjens enjoyed the rare luxury of pitching with a lead. And it turns out he's good at it.

Saddled with poor run support in previous starts, Jurrjens benefited from two home runs by his Atlanta Braves teammates and pitched seven innings Thursday to beat the slumping Florida Marlins 4-2.

Advertisement

``To have the lead was awesome,' Jurrjens said. ``Every time my team scored, I was able to shut them out the next inning.'

Casey Kotchman homered and hit an RBI double for the Braves, who scored four runs in Jurrjens' previous four outings. David Ross hit a two-run homer to help Atlanta complete a two-game sweep.

Marlins right-hander Anibal Sanchez (1-4) allowed both homers and four runs in 4 2-3 innings before leaving the game because of discomfort in his pitching shoulder. Sanchez underwent surgery on the shoulder in June 2007 and returned last July.

``He was in pain,' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ``You always think worse-case scenario, but I don't know.'

Sanchez was to undergo X-rays and an MRI exam.

Florida extended a club-record streak of 20 consecutive games without a win by a starting pitcher. During that span the starters are 0-10, and the last starter to win was Sanchez against Atlanta on April 16.

Lack of offense has been part of the problem. Emilio Bonifacio led off the first inning with a single, but the only other hits Jurrjens allowed were a pair of homers by Hanley Ramirez.

``He hit two great pitches,' Jurrjens said. ``I tip my hat to him and say, `You beat me this time.' He's one of the best.'

Jurrjens (3-2) struck out four and walked two. His ERA climbed from 1.89 to 2.01.

``He has been putting a bunch of zeros up,' Kotchman said. ``Eventually we've got to get Ws out of guys who are sporting sub-2.00 ERAs.'

The Marlins lost their third consecutive game to finish a 1-3 homestand, during which they fell out of the lead in the NL East for the first time this season. They're 4-13 since an 11-1 start.

Florida begins a six-game trip with Dan Uggla batting .190, Cameron Maybin at .202 and Cody Ross at .221.

``You've got nine guys in the lineup,' Ramirez said. ``You need them all. One or two guys can't do it all. We need to get going.'

For the Braves, the sweep came at the start of an eight-game trip. They were swept at home by Florida for the first time ever April 14-16.

Atlanta took a 2-1 lead in the second when Kelly Johnson led off with a single and Ross hit his third homer. Kotchman hit his first homer in the third, and hit Sanchez's final pitch for a two-out RBI double in the fifth.

Rafael Soriano struck out Ramirez with two on to end the eighth inning, and Mike Gonzalez completed the four-hitter with a perfect ninth for his fifth save in six chances.

``Just a real well-played game,' Cox said.

Even struggling Braves outfielder Jordan Schafer went 2 for 4, hiking his average to .239. The rookie had struck out 14 times in his previous 20 at_bats.

``We took all the rope and belts and everything out of his locker,' teammate Chipper Jones said. ``Today was a step forward, and something to build his confidence. He's going to need some games like today.'

Notes: With runners in scoring position, Atlanta went 0 for 5 and Florida went 0 for 3. ... Before the game, Jones was pleased to learn manager Bobby Cox was giving him the day off. ``I walked by Bobby and he kind of smirked at me, and I went, `I love you, man.'' ... Ramirez's multihomer game was his ninth. ... The Braves' bullpen has allowed only two homers this season.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2012
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 ATL         
 FLA         
BT MOVEMENTS

 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Receive a 20% discount on all Daily Picks. Signup Today!
 
 
Las Vegas Travel
 
 

NFL
NFL Picks
NFL Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

NBA
NBA Picks
NBA Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

MLB
MLB Picks
MLB Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores


NCAA FB
NCAA FB Picks
NCAA FB Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

NCAA BK
NCAA BK Picks
NCAA BK Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

NHL
NHL Picks
NHL Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores


More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
UFC
WNBA
Soccer

Features
Free Odds
Mobile Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Join us on Facebook


Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sportsbook Reviews

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Contact Us
User Feedback

Sportsbooks
BetOnline.ag
Bodog.ca
Bookmaker
Bovada.lv
SBG Global.eu
Sportsbook
TopBet.com

Rotation Schedules
Baseball:

 
Mar 28 - June 5

Copyright © 1997-2012, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.