|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
ATLANTA (AP) -- Marcus Giles got a face full of shaving cream, a
bottle of champagne and the appreciation of an entire team.
|  | | Braves rookie Marcus Giles is congratulated by third base coach Ned Yost, left, after hitting a grand slam. |
Giles, a rookie second baseman, hit an eighth-inning grand slam
for his first career homer Tuesday night, giving the Atlanta Braves
a 5-3 victory over Colorado and Mike Hampton his first loss with
the Rockies.
"I can't really describe the feeling," said Giles, the younger
brother of Pittsburgh star Brian Giles. "Not only to get my first
big league homer, but to get the team a win. We needed a big win, a
spark."
The struggling Braves trailed 2-1 after Todd Helton's RBI double
in the top half of the eighth, putting them in position to drop
five games below .500 for the first time since 1992.
But Giles, in just his 12th career at-bat, wiped out the deficit
with a 403-foot drive into the first row of seats in right-center
against Hampton (5-1).
"That was a big adrenaline rush," said Braves starter John
Burkett, who pitched seven strong innings. "Hopefully, we can
carry it on from here."
While being interviewed on the field after the game, Giles was
doused with shaving cream by teammate John Rocker. The clubhouse
staff was more dignified, leaving a bottle of champagne in the
rookie's locker.
Hampton was trying to set a club record for consecutive wins at
the start of a season, and the eighth started with a routine
grounder.
Javy Lopez and Wes Helms followed with back-to-back singles, and
Hampton walked Bernard Gilkey to load the bases.
Manager Buddy Bell considered making a change, but decided to
stick with his best pitcher rather than rely on a shaky bullpen.
"That was my fault," Bell said. "Even if Giles doesn't hit
the home run, I should have brought someone else in. (Hampton) gave
us everything he had. He deserved better than that."
Giles, who started the season in Triple-A, took a called strike
on a 3-1 pitch, passing up a high, tight fastball.
With a full count, Hampton came back with another fastball over
the outside corner. Giles was waiting for it.
"His thought process was wonderful," batting coach Merv
Rettenmund said. "He didn't swing at the pitch up and in. He
waited for a pitch he could hit."
While Giles made a gleeful sprint around the bases, Hampton
stood to the side of the mound pounding his glove in frustration.
He gave up a season-high 13 hits to baseball's lowest-scoring team.
"I was pitching like a scared baby," Hampton said. "I was
trying to throw strikes instead of pitching."
Giles hit Atlanta's first grand slam in more than a year. Lopez
had a bases-loaded homer against Florida on May 9, 2000.
Helton's RBI double against Mike Remlinger (2-1) broke a 1-1 tie
and set a team record of nine straight games with at least one RBI.
Colorado loaded the bases with two outs before Brent Mayne was
called out on strikes.
Rocker gave up an RBI single to Larry Walker in the ninth but
Gilkey made a diving catch on a blooper to left by Helton to end
the game, earning Rocker his 10th save.
Burkett allowed six hits and one walk, while striking out seven.
His only major mistake came in the sixth, when Walker led off with
his 13th homer.
Burkett threw a low breaking ball but got it over the plate,
allowing Walker to loft it into the right-field seats.
Atlanta's starters have given up just nine earned runs in their
last 40 innings.
The Braves went ahead 1-0 in the third on Brian Jordan's two-out
double, which scored Andruw Jones. Rafael Furcal led off the inning
with a single but was thrown out attempting to steal, costing
Atlanta another run.
Another scoring chance was squandered in the second, when three
singles loaded the bases with one out. Strangely, Burkett attempted
to bunt but wound up hitting into a double play.
Helton, charging in from first, fielded the bunt and threw home
to force out Javy Lopez. Mayne threw back to first, nipping Burkett
for the third out.
"I was definitely not drafted as a position player," Burkett
quipped.
Game notes
John Smoltz turned 34 on Tuesday, two days before he makes
his first major league start since the 1999 World Series. He missed
all of last season and the first six weeks this year after elbow
surgery. ... The Braves started an all-righty lineup against
Hampton, including switch-hitters Furcal and Chipper Jones. ... The
Rockies failed to pick up the 1,000th steal in team history.
Hampton was caught stealing in the seventh when Juan Pierre
couldn't make contact on a hit-and-run. Walker took second in the
ninth but wasn't given credit for a steal due to defensive
indifference. ... The last Braves player to hit a grand slam for
his first career homer: Barry Bonnell in 1977.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
| |
OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Atlanta Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 11
Detroit 3
Kansas City 6
Tampa Bay 2
Boston 5
Minnesota 2
Cleveland 8
Texas 6
Toronto 9
Anaheim 3
Oakland 3
NY Yankees 2
Seattle 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 1
San Francisco 7
Florida 4
Montreal 2
Los Angeles 0
Milwaukee 14
Philadelphia 10
St. Louis 8
Pittsburgh 3
NY Mets 1
San Diego 0
Atlanta 5
Colorado 3
Houston 9
Chicago Cubs 7
|
