Section 435 An Atlanta Braves blog. From the upper deck at Turner Field.

Rain for the Win!

Atlanta 5, Cleveland 4. Mike Hampton haters were shut up for the final time this spring. Hampton pitched 3 strong innings, giving up only one run. His pitch count was very impressive: 41 pitches, 31 strikes. He fooled a lot of guys in the 1st and 3rd, but the Tribe was able to string together two solid hits after a blooper in the second to plate a run.

The weather was ugly and it rained for much of the afternoon. Rain delayed the start of the fifth inning and probably cut off the last chance for Buddy Carlyle to pitch at Turner Field for a while. (Bye, Buddy! I’ll miss you!) The second string Bravos rallied for 5 in the 7th on some lousy pitching by Masa Kobayashi and a handful of errors.

Other notes:

• Damian Moss struck out the side in the 5th but was emminently hittable in the 6th. Sum Jung Guy (or whatever) couldn’t find the plate to save his life in the 7th, but escaped unscathed for the win. Not impressive, nonetheless.
• Brent Lillibridge looked like he was in over his head both at the plate and in the field both games this weekend, though he did make an excellent play to start a double play in the seventh. Enjoy Mississippi Richmond, son. We’ll see you next spring.

The umpires called the game in the seventh right after the Braves took the lead even though it was only raining lightly. I wish they would do that in the regular season.

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