Hanson strikes out 11 in Braves’ win
By GEORGE HENRY, Associated Press Writer Tuesday, July 21, 2009 ATLANTA (AP) — Tommy Hanson struck out 11 to remain unbeaten, Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 11-3 on Monday night in Jonathan Sanchez’s first start since his no-hitter.
Matt Diaz had a tiebreaking two-run triple in Atlanta’s six-run seventh inning, helping the Braves snap a five-game skid against San Francisco. Atlanta has won four of five and six of eight overall.
Sanchez struck out eight over six solid innings in his first game since his gem against San Diego on July 10. He gave up three runs and four hits.
Sergio Romo (2-1) replaced Sanchez and failed to record an out, allowing four runs and four hits. Casey Kotchman had an RBI single after Diaz’s hit and pinch-hitter Ryan Church greeted Justin Miller with a two-run homer. Brian McCann added a run-scoring single.
San Francisco’s bullpen had allowed a major league-low 93 earned runs. The Giants, who began the night with a half-game lead over Colorado in the NL wild-card race, have lost four of five since winning seven of nine.
Hanson (5-0) gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings. His 11 Ks were the most by an Atlanta rookie, topping the 10 accomplished four times — most recently by Jair Jurrjens on Sept. 11 against Colorado.
Randy Winn hit a two-run double off Hanson in the first but Garret Anderson connected in the second and Jones went deep in the third to give Atlanta a 3-2 lead. It was Anderson’s seventh of the season and No. 11 for Jones.
Hanson retired 14 straight, six on strikeouts, before center fielder Nate McLouth misjudged a fly ball by Juan Uribe with one out in the seventh. Uribe, credited with a triple, slid safely into third after Anderson picked up the ball behind McLouth and made a late throw.
After pinch-hitter Fred Lewis walked, Aaron Rowand tied it at 3 with a sacrifice fly. The Giants put runners on first and second with two out but Hanson retired Pablo Sandoval on a soft groundout.
Bob Howry allowed two runs in the eighth on Church’s RBI single and McLouth’s sacrifice fly.
NOTES: Giants CF Rowand jogged off the field with no out in the eighth and was replaced by Andres Torres. Rowand, who was hit on the right arm by a pitch from Hanson leading off the game, flinched in pain as he made a relay throw after picking up Kotchman’s single. ... The Braves recalled Hanson from Class A Rome before the game and sent RHP Luis Valdez to Triple-A Gwinnett. ... San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said rookie LHP Ryan Sadowski will start opposite Derek Lowe on Tuesday.
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