Braves Take Greg Maddux's Advice, Beat Mets

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Maybe the Braves should hold pre-game ceremonies more often if they'll follow them up with performances like tonight. 

With Greg Maddux inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame Friday afternoon, the Braves expected a night of emotion and high attendance for Friday evening's game against the New York Mets, where his No. 31 would be retired.

With Maddux in the booth, Jair Jurrjens jammed Gary Sheffield on a cut fastball that made the Mad Dog proud.

The Braves scored three in the first and never looked back on their way to a two-hit shutout, winning easily 11-0.

The only two hits the Mets got were doubles by Gary Sheffield in the second, and David Wright in the fourth. Jair Jurrjens stranded them both, getting a double play in the second and two groundouts in the fourth, as Yunel Escobar had a busy night on the infield.

Nate McLouth was the only position player who started the game that didn't join the hit parade, but fortunately his 0-for-5 didn't slow down anyone else.

The Braves scored in each of the odd numbered innings, and totaled seven doubles in the game, half of their hit total of 14.

With one out in the first, Martin Prado doubled to left-center and Chipper Jones drew a walk. Brian McCann worked the count to 3-2 before roping a double down the right field line that scored two. Yunel Escobar followed two batters later with an RBI single that scored McCann putting the Braves up 3-0.

The same portion of the Braves lineup went to work in the third. Martin Prado hit a solo homerun to lead off the inning that bounced on top of the yellow line in center and hopped into the stands.

Brian McCann launched the second homer of the inning two batters later just out of the reach of Jeff Francoeur in right, following a Chipper Jones single, giving the Braves a 6-0 lead. 

It's the second consecutive night the Braves had two home runs in the same inning.

In the fifth, Jones doubled with one out and moved to third on a bloop single by Brian McCann. Garret Anderson's double off the wall in right scored Jones from third and ended Mike Pelfrey's night after 4 1/3 innings, giving up nine hits and getting only 10 outs.

Tim Redding came in and was rudely greeted by Yunel Escobar who doubled to left-center, scoring McCann and Anderson. Gary Sheffield pulled a hamstring and tried to flip the ball to center fielder Angel Pagan to no avail, and was replaced by Jeremy Reed and walked gingerly off the field.

The Braves added a fourth run as Ryan Church singled to left pushing Escobar to third, and Casey Kotchman poked an RBI single to right giving the Braves a 10-0 lead.

The Braves' final run came in the seventh inning off Elmer Dessens when Yunel Escobar drilled a 1-out, ground-rule double to center, and scored two batters later on an RBI double by Casey Kotchman.

Jair Jurrjens was phenomenal and really wasn't in trouble the whole night. He allowed two hits and two walks in six scoreless innings. The only inning where more than one runner reached base was the second, when Alex Cora conveniently hit into an inning-ending double play.

Boone Logan, Luis Valdez and Kris Medlen each threw a hitless inning to complete the shutout, after Jurrjens was removed despite throwing just 85 pitches.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?