The Braves really laid an egg last night due to poor defense. Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla and Andrelton Simmons all made key errors in this game leading to 4 unearned runs for the Cardinals. Kris Medlen was the losing pitcher last night, but he deserved better. He worked the first 6 1/3 innings for the Braves last night and he gave up 3 hits, 5 runs (2 earned), did not walk a batter and he whiffed 4 of them. Chad Durbin allowed an unearned run as the Braves made an error on the only batter he faced last night. Jonny Venters worked 2/3 of an inning allowing 1 hit and 0 runs. Eric O’Flaherty threw a scoreless inning in which he allowed 2 hits. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless, hitless ninth inning while whiffing 1 batter. Offensively, the Braves just couldn’t string their hits together last night. Freddie Freeman (3 for 4 with a double) and David Ross (3 for 4 with 1 run scored, a homer and 2 RBIs) led the way for the Braves with the bats in this game. Jose Costanza (1 for 1 with a triple and a run scored), Jason Heyward (1 for 5 with a double) and Chipper Jones (1 for 5) also helped out a little offensively in this game. This was a sad way to see Chipper Jones’ outstanding career in the majors end.

The Atlanta Braves finished up with a 94-68 (58%) record during the regular season. 48-year old manager Fredi Gonzalez set up his rotation perfectly as he will have 26-year old righty starting pitcher Kris Medlen on the mound tonight. The Braves have won 23 consecutive games started by Medlen, which is a major league record. He pitched in 50 games (12 starts) for the Braves this year and he was 10-1 with a 1.57 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. In his 12 starts this year, Medlen is 9-0 with a 0.97 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. He doesn’t have much experience against the Cardinals as he has worked in 5 games (0 starts) against them in which he is 0-0 with a 3.72 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP so far in his career. But, current Cardinals’ hitters are only 4 for 25 (.160 avg, .400 OPS) with 2 RBIs against him so far in their careers.

34-year old righty Kyle Lohse is starting against the Braves tonight. He had a great regular season for the Cardinals in 2012, starting 33 games in which he was 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. But, he is not a money pitcher. In three post-season games for the Cardinals last year, Lohse was 0-2 with a 7.82 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. He has started 10 games in his career against the Braves and he is 3-1 with a 4.97 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. Four key batters for the Braves have had a lot of success against Lohse in their careers so far. Chipper Jones (6 for 13, 1 homer and 5 RBIs), Dan Uggla (5 for 15, 1 homer and 3 RBIs), Martin Prado (6 for 14, 0 homers and 3 RBIs) and Freddie Freeman (2 for 3, 1 homer and 2 RBIs) are all glad to see Kyle Lohse starting tonight for the Cardinals.

Manager Bobby Cox appeared to have left starting pitcher Derek Lowe in just a little too long last night and it hurt the Braves in the end. Lowe was the losing pitcher after having worked the first 6 1/3 innings last night allowing only 2 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), walking 2 batters and whiffing 8. Lefty Jonny Venters gave up the big hit to Cody Ross in the bottom of the 7th on which Buster Posey scored the game winning run. Venters pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits and whiffing 2 batters. Rookie Craig Kimbrel worked a scoreless ninth inning giving the Braves a chance to come back in the bottom of the 9th inning but it just didn’t happen. Catcher Brian McCann was the hitting star for the Braves last night as he was 2 for 4 with 1 run scored, a homer and 2 RBIs. Rookie RF Jason Heyward pitched in with the bat as he was 2 for 4. The Braves lose this series 3-1.

This was a crushing defeat last night for the Braves. They scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning on a pinch hit homer by Eric Hinske which game the Braves a 2-1 lead. But rookie reliever Craig Kimbrel, Mike Dunn and Brooks Conrad conspired to give the game back to the Giants on a silver platter. Kimbrel worked 2/3 of an inning allowing 1 hit, 2 runs (1 earned), walked 1 batter and whiffed 1 as he earned the loss for the Braves. Mike Dunn replaced him and he gave up a hit to the only player he faced which didn’t help matters. But, Brooks Conrad was the biggest goat as he was 0 for 3 with a whiff and he made 3 errors on the night including the one that let the eventual game winning run score. Alex Gonzalez (1 for 3 with 1 run scored), Eric Hinske (1 for 1 with a 2-run homer) and Tim Hudson (1 for 2) were the hitting stars of the Braves in this game. Tim Hudson deserved better today as he worked the first 7 innings allowing 4 hits, 1 unearned run, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. Rookie reliever Jonny Venters gave up 2 hits in only 1 inning while whiffing 3 after he followed Hudson in the game giving the Braves a chance to comeback which they almost did. The Braves are now down 2-1 in this series.

The Braves staged a big time comeback in this game as they scored 3 runs off Sergio Romo & Brian Wilson in the 8th inning and they are usually nails for the Giants. Then Rick Ankiel took Ramon Ramirez deep in the 11th inning to provide the Braves with the run they needed to win the game. Omar Infante (2 for 5), Derek Lee (2 for 5 with 2 runs scored) and Brian McCann (2 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI) had solid games for the Braves with the bat. But, Alex Gonzalez and Rick Ankiel were the heroes of the game with the bats for the Braves last night. Gonzalez was 1 for 5 with a double and 2 RBIs but it was his hit that tied the game in the 8th inning. Rick Ankiel was 2 for 5 with a solo homer in the 11th to seal the win for the Braves. Tommy Hanson drew the start for the Braves and the Giants were running up to the plate against him. Hanson pitched the first four innings last night and he gave up 5 hits and 4 earned runs while whiffing 5 batters and only walking 1. Mike Dunn, Jonny Venters, Peter Moylan and Craig Kimbrel combined to throw 5 shutout innings for the Braves allowing 3 hits, 0 walked and whiffing 8 batters as they were all outstanding. Billy Wagner pitched to two batters and he gave up one hit while getting out one batter. He had to leave the game after staining his left oblique muscle. Kyle Farnsworth replaced Wagner and he worked 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball to earn the win for the Braves. The Braves are tied up 1-1 in this series as it shifts back to Hotlanta.

The Giants just couldn’t mount any offense against Giants’ starting pitcher Tim Lincecum. He whiffed 14 batters while only allowing 2 hits in a complete game shutout. Omar Infante was 1 for 4 and Brian McCann was 1 for 3 and that was the extent of the Braves’ offense in this game. It ruined a outstanding effort by their own pitchers. Derek Lowe got the loss despite pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing only 1 earned run. Relievers Jonny Venters, Peter Moylan and Craig Kimbrel combined to throw 2 2/3 shutout innings to keep the Braves in this game until the very end. The Braves are now down 1-0 in this series.