Sports Page Atlanta

Mark Teixeira went deep three times, and the Braves got 7 strong innings from starter Tim Hudson, to beat the Mariners on Sunday.  With the win, the Braves take the series from the Mariners, after dropping the first game Friday night.

Teixeira had solo shots in the 2nd and the 4th, and added a two-run shot in the 7th.  It was the second three-home run game of his career, his first coming in 2006 as a member of the Texas Rangers in his hometown of Baltimore.

Tim Hudson scattered four hits, walked four, and struck out two over his 7 innings to earn the win.

The Braves continue the home-stand tomorrow, as the Brewers come to town for a three-game set.  Jo-Jo Reyes takes the hill for the home team, looking to continue his solid work, facing Brewers ace Ben Sheets.

Back on July 31, 2007, former Georgia Tech infielder Mark Teixeira was traded from the Texas Rangers to the Atlanta Braves along with Ron Mahay for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Beau Jones, Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz.

Last night was the first game against his old mates and he went 0-2 with a walk and a sac fly. He was also booed every time he took the plate.

Here is how Teixeira has done in his 114 games as a Brave compared to his last 114 games when he was a Texas Ranger…

                                           With Braves                 With Rangers

batting average                        .290                           .293

runs scored                                  75                               72

home runs                                   27                               26

runs batted in                           106                              85

You were once a fan of theirs when they were 18, 19, 20 or 21, but then they left you to get a job somewhere else. I am talking about Georgia Tech and Georgia baseball players who got drafted and now most are playing for teams not named the Atlanta Braves.

Some of them are doing a pretty good job so far…

Georgia Tech

• Mark Teixeira (Braves) .192 avg (5-for-26) 2 hr, 5 rbi, 4 runs scored
• Jason Varitek (Red Sox) .261 avg (6-for-23) 2 hr, 3 rbi, 3 runs scored
• Jay Payton (Orioles) 3-for-10, 3 runs scored
• Nomar Garciaparra (Dodgers) on DL (hand)

Georgia

• Jeff Keppinger (Reds) .435 avg (10-for-23) 2 hr, 4 rbi and 6 runs scored
• Robby Hammock (Diamondbacks) 1-for-7 with a walk and strikeout
• and pretty soon maybe Clint Sammons (Braves)

The pitcher’s duel we were promised between John Smoltz and Johan Santana lived up to its billing on Sunday, as Smoltz led the Braves to a 3-1 win over the Mets, finishing off the short, two-game sweep. Smoltz went five innings, giving up zero runs and striking out six, en route to his first victory of the year. Smoltz’ ailing shoulder did stiffen up a bit after the fifth, and the veteran pulled himself out of the game strictly as a precautionary measure. He is not expected to miss his next start.

Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Mark Teixeira took Mets’ RP Aaron Heilman deep for a two-run shot, giving the Braves a little insurance.which they would need. In the top of the 9th, Rafael Soriano had already given up one run, and had two on and two outs with the go-ahead run at the plate. Brian Schneider ripped a ball down the first base line. Teixeira, who was a gold glove 1B in the AL with the Rangers, laid out to prevent the game-tying double, and flipped it to Soriano covering, to seal the win.

With the win, the Braves move into a first place tie in the NL East after the first week of play (as I predicted), and will embark on a 10-day road trip that takes them to Colorado, Washington, D.C., and Florida.
photo credit: bangart