On May 7, 2010 Philadelphia Phillies Jamie Moyer still baffles opposing hitters at age 47 becomes the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a shutout when he blanks Atlanta, 7-0, and the first to accomplish the feat in four different decades. The Phillies right-hander, who is 47 years and 170 days, easily surpasses…
The Braves stage a late-game homer barrage to beat the Phillies, 4 – 3. Trailing 3 – 0 entering the bottom of the 9th, after being muzzled for 8 innings by Kyle Kendrick, who had entered the game with a 17.47 ERA, the Braves tee off against Ryan Madson after two outs. Troy Glaus goes deep with a runner on base and rookie Jason Heyward follows with a game-tying blast. Nate McLouth then hits a walk-off long ball against Jose Contreras in the 10th inning.
Pat Venditte, the first ambidextrous pitcher in organized baseball since Greg Harris retired in 1995, gets to show his stuff in an exhibition game for the Yankees against the Braves. The 24-year-old ends the 5th inning by retiring Yunel Escobar on two pitches from the right side; he then moves from one arm to the other as he works his way through the Braves’ batting order in the 6th. When switch-hitter Brooks Conrad steps to the plate, home plate umpire Mike Reilly reminds Venditte of rule 8.01 that states that he must commit to one arm, in order to avoid the fiasco of his professional debut with the Staten Island Yankees in 2008, when he and switch-hitter Ralph Henriquez Jr. changed sides repeatedly in a cat-and-mouse game. Venditte choses to face Conrad right-handed, and retires him on a ground ball to end his turn on the mound, Venditte will start the year with the Class-A Tampa Yankees, where he was 2-0, 2.21 in 21 games last year.
The Marlins deal Dan Uggla to the Braves for infielder Omar Infante and left-hander Mike Dunn. Atlanta’s acquisition of the two-time All-Star second baseman, who hit .287 with 33 homers and 105 RBIs last season, could be a signal the team is uncertain about Chipper Jones’ status for next year after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee.
John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters. The 40-year-old Braves hurler gets Felipe Lopez swinging on a 2-2 offering in the 3rd for his 3,000th K. He is the 6th-quickest to the mark in terms of innings pitched (3,386). Smoltz fans 10 in 7 innings in this win, showing that age has not yet caught up to him.
2008 – Nationals Park opens for action with the host Nationals beating the Braves, 3 – 2. Odalis Perez pitches a solid game and Jon Rauch gets the historic first win after blowing a save. Nick Johnson drives in a run with a double in his first at-bat in over 18 months. With two outs in the bottom of the 9th, Ryan Zimmerman hits a walk-off home run off Peter Moylan.
For the 132nd time in his career, Atlanta skipper Bobby Cox is ejected from a major league game, breaking John McGraw’s all-time ejections record. It took the Braves manager only 28 seasons to set the new mark, compared to the 42 years in which Mugsy compiled his tosses, including 14 as a player.
Outfielder Willie Harris goes 6 for 6 with two triples, a steal and 6 RBI to help the Braves top the Cardinals, 14 – 6. Harris is the second Atlanta player to get six hits in a game; Felix Millan had done it 27 years earlier.
On April 29, 2007, Colorado rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitzki performs the 13th unassisted triple play in major league history. Tulowitzki catches a line drive off the bat of Atlanta’s Chipper Jones, steps on second to double off Kelly Johnson, and tags Edgar Renteria as he heads to second base. Tulowitzki is the second rookie to accomplish the rare feat.
After signing the two-time Gold Glove shortstop to a four-year, $40 million deal, the Red Sox trade Edgar Renteria to the Braves for third base prospect Andy Marte. The 30-year-old Colombian infielder, who led the majors with 30 errors last season, will help to fill the void created when free agent Rafael Furcal signed with the Dodgers earlier this week.