=== Atlanta Braves Team Report - May 19 === (My Sportsbook) - The Atlanta Braves are thankful they don't have to face Randy Johnson again tonight, but Bobby Cox's team is just hoping to get contact on the ball against Brandon Webb and the Arizona Diamondbacks when they resume a three-game set at Turner Field. The Braves have struck out an alarming 31 times over the last two games. Milwaukee's Ben Sheets fanned 18 Braves on Sunday and last night Johnson threw a perfect game, striking out 13 in a 2-0 Atlanta loss. It was the first no-hitter thrown against the Braves since the 1979 season. Mike Hampton pitched well in defeat, throwing a complete game, but fell to 0-5 this season. The Braves have dropped five of their last six at Turner Field. John Thomson will try and help the Braves get back on the winning track and forget about their latest struggles as he takes the mound tonight. The righty is winless (0-1) over his last three outings and has been drilled to the tune of 28 hits and 16 earned runs in that time, a span of 17 1/3 innings. He is 2-3 with a 4.71 ERA in eight lifetime appearances against the Diamondbacks. This is the first series between the teams this season with the only other set coming August 6-8 at Bank One Ballpark. Atlanta won five of the seven matchups last season. |
