Sports Page Atlanta

Arizona 6, Atlanta 1 (box)
Richmond 4, Durham 3 (box)
Jacksonville 2, Mississippi 1 (box)

MLB - Atlanta: Braves hitters faced a foe yesterday that had all of the answers. Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb continued his run at a Cy Young Award by pitching six innings and giving up only six hits (all singles) and one earned run. More troubling to the Braves, however, was Mike Hampton’s performance. Hampton only pitched four innings and gave up six earned runs on five hits.

AAA - Richmond: Richmond needed ten innings yesterday, but a win is a win as the R-Braves beat Durham 4 to 3. Brandon Jones had three singles and a stolen base and Jason Phillips drove in two while hitting a home run (his third of the season). Ryan Basner recorded the win in relief (his second) and Jorge Julio notched his 7th save.

AA - Mississippi: Mississippi hitters were only able to muster five hits yesterday and Jordan Schafer had two of them. Thomas Hanson started for the Braves and pitched well going six innings and only allowing two hits while striking out ten, and not surrendering a run.

Adv. A - Myrtle Beach: Did not play.
A - Rome: Did not play.

San Francisco 3, Atlanta 2 (box)
Richmond 5, Durham 4 (box)
Jacksonville 10,  Mississippi 9 (box)
Myrtle Beach 9, Kinston 6 (box)
Rome 1, Charleston 0 (box)

MLB - Atlanta: This one-run game skid has got to stop soon. Today marked the 26th time in a row that the Braves lost a one-run ball game. Brian McCann collected three of the Braves five hits as Tim Lincecum is proving just hot tough of a pitcher he really is. Chuck James struggled again allowing three runs and five hits in four innings. James gave up another home run today (his 10th in seven starts) in the first inning to Aaron Rowand.

AAA - Richmond: Josh Anderson made it two games in a row with a home run as he led the R-Braves to a 5-4 victory going 3 for 4 with two doubles, a home run and two RBI. Brandon Jones kicked in another two RBI as he went 2 for 4. Damian Moss got the win in relief (his 4th) and Jorge Julio saved the game (his 5th). Starter Jo-Jo Reyes went only five innings giving up four runs and seven hits.

AA - Mississippi: Starter Calros Sencion only made it 3.2 innings as he gave up four earned runs, three hits, and struck out four while walking six. But, the M-Braves scored some runs, and Sencion wasn’t on the hook for the loss. Matt Young, Greg Creek, and Jose Camarena each had two RBI for the M-Braves and the team even took an 8-7 lead into the ninth inning. But Luis Valdez gave up three earned runs and three hits in the 9th to blow his 8th save of the year and take his third loss.

Adv. A - Myrtle Beach: Willie Cabrera was in left field instead of the DH spot tonight, but he continued to swing a hot bat going 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI in the Pelicans 9 to 6 victory. Most of the offense came from Randy Gress’s three RBI and Eric Campbell, who hit his 17th home run and went 1-4 with two RBI. Georgia Southern’s own Dustin Evans gave up a home run Carlos Rivero, but managed to lock it up and earn the win in relief (his 2nd). Nick Fellman earned his 6th save of the season as he struck out two and walked one in 0.2 innings.

A - Rome: 20-year-old Jeffrey Locke earned his fifth win of the season as he pitched six shutout innings, allowing five hits and striking out five while walking two. And continuing with the trend of 20-year-old pitchers, Craig Kimbrel earned his third save as he pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two batters. Rome only managed five hits tonight, but scored on a fielding error by Charleston pitcher Jairo Heredia.

Matthew Pouliot of Rotoworld came out with his mid-season top 150 prospects in the world of Minor League Baseball. What I like about what he does is that he gives analysis of many of the top players and predicts when they will break into the majors.

The Atlanta Braves had 6 players in the top 150, which is tied for 7th in the majors for the most players by a team on the list and it is also tied for 1st among National League teams.

Outfielder Jason Heyward led all Braves and was selected 9th overall. Pouliot predicts that he will make the majors in 2011. Other Braves include: Tommy Hanson, Gorkys Hernandez, Jordan Schafer, Brandon Jones and Freddie Freeman.

Here is the complete Top 150 Minor League Baseball prospects.