ATLANTA BRAVES ORGANIZATION NOTEBOOK
RICHMOND...RHP TREY HODGES remained stuck on 15 wins when he lost his
third straight start as the Braves fell to Durham, 4-3, on August 24. He
allowed three runs -- one earned -- over five innings...2B JESSE GARCIA
belted a pair of homers, including a two-run shot in the bottom of the
ninth to lift the Braves over Durham, 6-5, on August 25. Garcia hit
safely in 10 straight games August 18-27, raising his average from .291
to .306...OF TRAVIS WILSON did not walk in 33 consecutive games July
21-August 27 (34-122, 6 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 1 SB)...LHP RAY BEASLEY
allowed no walks in 18 consecutive games July 14-August 24 (15 IP, 21 H,
7 R, 6 ER, 14 SO), going 1-1 with a pair of saves...3B MIKE HESSMAN was
leading the league with 26 home runs through August 28. RHP DOUG LINTON
was leading the league in strikeouts (152).
GREENVILLE...LHP HORACIO RAMIREZ yielded one run and three hits with two
walks, striking out seven over 7 1/3 frames in a, 2-1, win over Tennessee
on August 22 to improve to 4-0 in his last six starts. In his next start
on August 27, Ramirez allowed just one run and scattered five hits,
striking out four in seven frames to extend his winning streak to five
games as the Braves defeated Orlando, 11-2...OF JERMAINE ALLENSWORTH
drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift
Greenville over the Tennessee Smokies, 7-6, on August 23. Allensworth,
who singled and scored on a home run by OF CHUCK THOMAS with two outs in
the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings, brought home
OF RYAN LANGERHANS with his 17th double of the season, giving him nine
RBI in 11 games against Tennessee this year...1B ADAM LAROCHE reached
base safely by a hit or a walk in 31 consecutive games July 20-August 22
(31-120, 6 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI)...RHP BILLY SYLVESTER saved 13 games in 18
appearances July 16-August 24 (17 2/3 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 12 BB, 22
SO).
MYRTLE BEACH...RHP KEVIN BARRY, who was second in the league with 26
saves, did not allow a run in 17 games July 12-August 21 (16 1/3 IP, 10
H, 1 BB, 23 SO), going 1-0 with 12 saves during that stretch...LHP RAY
AGUILAR was leading the league in ERA (1.62) through August 28. The
Pelicans are the only team in the National Association that has two
players with 20 saves this season...RHP KENNY NELSON won three straight
starts August 10-22 (20 2/3 IP, 17 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 16 SO). Nelson
allowed just an unearned run and four hits over six innings in his last
outing on August 27 but did not figure in the decision as Myrtle Beach
picked up a 4-3 win over Wilmington in 10 innings. RHP JOSH TILLERY, who
had been 0-3 with a 5.18 ERA in his last 27 games, yielded two runs and
five hits in 3 2/3 innings of work but earned his first win since May 6.
MACON...RHP MATT WRIGHT spun eight solid innings to help down Asheville,
5-1, on August 23. The 6-4, 220-pound Texan yielded one run, scattered
three hits, issued a walk and struck out three batters. The 20-year-old
retired 15 of the first 16 batters. Five nights later, Wright spun
seven-plus solid innings in a 5-1 triumph at Columbus, improving to 10-1
since June 15. He yielded one run, scattered four hits and issued one
walk, striking out nine for the fifth time this season, raising his
overall record to 10-8 with a 3.18 ERA in 152 2/3 innings pitched. Wright
retired 18 straight batters between the second and eighth frames en route
to the win and has an impressive 1.64 ERA over his last 15 appearances,
including 14 starts...LHP MACAY MCBRIDE pitched eight scoreless innings
(6 H, 2 BB, 6 SO) in a 4-0 win at Asheville August 24 and LHP MATT
MERRICKS spun seven scoreless innings (3 H, 1 BB, 2 SO) in a no-decision
at Columbus on August 27...3B ANDY MARTE homered twice (2-5, 3 RBI) on
August 25 in an 8-6 loss at Asheville. He was leading the league in RBI
(99) and was second in home runs (20) through August 28.
DANVILLE...OF MATT ESQUIVEL went 4-for-5 and drove in a career-high seven
runs as the Braves routed Princeton, 15-1, on August 22. The 19-year-old
Texan doubled home two runs in the first inning and scored after he led
off the fourth with a base hit into left field. Esquivel then belted a
three-run homer in the seventh and singled home two runs and scored in
the ninth to cap his memorable performance. He has recorded four games
with three or more RBI in his first season as a professional. OF ARDLEY
JANSEN ripped two triples and a home run in the same game. Two nights
later, Esquivel hit a pair of home runs and drove in five runs in a 7-5
win at Princeton...LHP FERNANDO TADEFA earned his league-leading 16th
save by sealing a 7-5 win at Princeton on August 24...LHP DAN MEYER (3-3,
2.74) fanned 10 batters in seven shutout innings and yielded just three
hits in a 4-3 win at Princeton on August 23...OF JEFF FRANCOEUR went deep
three times in two games at Bluefield August 26 & 27.
