Positives aplenty as Braves open road trip with W

By Bud L. Ellis
budmansbravesbeat.mlblogs.com

ATLANTA -- Doesn't this almost always seem to happen? Just when you're ready to give up on the Atlanta Braves, throw in the towel and start counting down the days until the Falcons open training camp, this happens:

The Braves give you reason to believe.

I know, it's a 162-game season, and I've been around through many a campaign. But my frustration level was at a season high following back-to-back losses Wednesday and Thursday to the Pirates to end the homestand.

Starting a nine-game road trip that also begins what likely will be a season-defining four-week stretch, the Braves responded with plenty of offense and a grind-it-out performance from a guy making his second big-league start, downing Baltimore 7-2.

Consider Friday's positive signs:

• Yunel Escobar gave the Braves a first-inning lead with a two-run homer and scored three times.
• Brian McCann went 4-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs, raising his average to .331.
• Garret Anderson drew a walk with the bases loaded.
• Martin Prado returned to the lineup with a solo homer.
• Rookie Barbaro Canizares went 2-for-5.

It was enough for Tommy Hanson, the super prospect who in his second start didn't have the electric stuff that he displayed in his major-league debut. But Hanson showed his grit and determination, grinding through 5 2/3 innings and dodging nine hits and five walks to secure his first big-league win.

The bullpen locked it up from there with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, although one must wonder with a five-run lead, why in the world Bobby Cox felt compelled to pitch both Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez?

Alas, no complains about a win that came on a night the Mets lose to the Yanks (Luis Castillo, meet Kelly Johnson) and the Phillies lose to the Red Sox. Now the Braves sit 5 ½ back in the NL East and just two games back in the wild-card race.

The win also came on a night where the Padres announced ace Jake Peavy - who nearly was traded to the Braves for a deal widely believed to include Escobar, a deal in which San Diego pushed hard for Hanson's inclusion - went on the DL with an ankle injury that will sideline Peavy for a month.

All in all, a pretty good kickoff to the road trip. But these are the Braves ... let's see what today brings.

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