| Joe Gutierrez. 4th April, 2006 - 4:07 am
 Opening day starter Derek Lowe probably wishes he could start the season all over again after surrendering seven earned runs to the Atlanta Braves, while allowing his ERA hit an astounding 12.60 as the new look Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Braves 11-10.
Lowe looked anything but spectacular, giving up a three-run bomb to 1B Adam LaRoche which put Atlanta ahead 4-0 after CF Andruw Jones singled in 2B Marcus Giles. Dodgers struck back in the third inning when 2B Jeff Kent singled in his first RBI, scoring SS Rafael Furcal and putting LA on the board.
Disaster struck once again for Lowe in the fifth inning as 3B Chipper Jones singled in starting pitcher Tim Hudson, capping off another three-run homer, this time by Andrew Jones which was seemingly reminiscent of the first inning. Dodgers would come back in the bottom of the fifth as RF J.D. Drew reached on an infield single, scoring Furcal. Kent followed with a double to left which made LF Jose Cruz Jr. score easily, putting the Dodgers back in the game.
The sixth inning would put the backs’ of the Dodgers against the wall when SS Edgar Renteria doubled to center, making CF Jason Repko flag the ball down before realizing it was too late as two runs came in to score. This would put the Braves up by five, a seemingly comfortable lead going into the latter innings of the game. In the top of the eighth, new manager Grady Little summoned reliever Franquelis Osoria to shut down the batters due up, before the game could be out of reach.
Rather, LF Ryan Langerhans homered to right field on the first pitch he saw from Osoria, giving Bobby Cox and the Braves a firm lead.
The bottom of the eighth saw 1B Olmedo Saenz finally break out of his in-game slump when he singled to center, scoring Cruz Jr. and Drew. The rally wasn’t over as Repko followed with a double to left bringing in one. The Dodgers were now back in it, and were in decent shape going into the ninth inning, cutting the lead down to three.
Their last at bats would come up short as the Blue Crew were only able to score two, falling before a sold out crowd at Dodger Stadium.
Final Score: Dodgers 10, Braves 11
Coming Up
Brad Penny takes the mound against the Braves’ John Smoltz |
