Dein erstes Forum » hough, face a daunting task against Fernande

ATLANTA -- Kris Medlen issued a blanket apology to every coach hes ever had. At least he could laugh about an inexplicable defensive blunder. Medlen shook off a Little League-like mistake with seven strong innings, Chris Johnson hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves bounced back from a doubleheader sweep, beating the New York Mets 5-3 Wednesday night. Johnson went deep in the fourth for his first homer since May 13. Jordan Schafer put the Braves ahead to stay with some gutsy baserunning in the fifth, scoring on a wild pitch that didnt even roll off the dirt around home plate. Atlanta evened the five-game series after losing twice on Tuesday. Medlen (4-7) was still trying to figure out what he was thinking in the top half of the fifth. With a 3-0 lead thanks to Johnson, two runners aboard and no outs, the right-hander got just what he wanted -- a grounder right back to the mound. An easy double play, right? Not so fast. For some reason, Medlen whirled and threw to third -- apparently thinking triple play -- but the ball skipped past the bag and rolled toward left field. Instead of getting two outs, both runners came around to score. "It was like I blacked out, and when I woke up, the ball was in left field," Medlen said. "Its one of those plays that as youre making it, youre like, What the hell are you doing?" Manager Fredi Gonzalez wondered the same thing as he watched the play unfold. "I hope no kids were watching that," he said. "Ive never seen that before. Maybe in 10-and-under baseball, but I dont think Ive seen that play -- ever. Believe me, we dont practice that." Medlen bounced back from the miscue, giving up six hits and only one earned run, while striking out seven. He didnt walk anyone and even picked up the first stolen base of his career in the sixth. He had the bag in his locker after the game, a souvenir to help him forget that other play. Maybe. "We won, so Im happy," he said. "But it feels like we lost." Shaun Marcum (0-9) knows what that feels like. He became just the third pitcher in Mets history to start a season dropping nine straight decisions. "Balls are not falling his way. We havent given him run support, either," catcher John Buck said. "Its just not going real well for him. When Im back there, I feel like were in control of everything. Its always just one mistake or that one inning that seems to bite him." The Braves scored first with two outs in the fourth. B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla hit back-to-back singles, and then Marcum left a 2-0 pitch over the plate to Johnson. He drove it into the left-field seats, slapping hands emphatically with first-base coach Terry Pendleton on his way around the bases. "It felt good. Not just the homer, but hitting it with guys on base," Johnson said. "I like to drive guys in." Medlen gave the runs right back in the fifth. Marlon Byrd led off with a single and Lucas Duda was plunked, putting two runners aboard to set up the baffling throw to third. Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with a bloop single just inside the right-field line to bring home Buck with the tying run. "I deserved that," Medlen said. The Braves quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Schafer led off with a double and advanced on Andrelton Simmons sacrifice before Freddie Freeman walked. It looked as if Marcum might escape the jam when he struck out Justin Upton. But a pitch to Brian McCann bounced off Bucks chest protector, rolling off to the catchers right. Schafer was nearly halfway down the line already -- the Mets shifted their defence against McCann, leaving only third baseman David Wright on the left side of the infield -- and the runner broke for home as soon as he saw the ball get away. Even though it rolled only to the edge of the grass and Buck made a quick flip to Marcum covering home, Schafer slid headfirst under the tag. "Great instincts," Gonzalez said. B.J. Upton followed with an RBI double that gave the Braves a two-run cushion, finishing off Marcum. He surrendered six hits and walked four in 4 2-3 innings. Medlen pitched into the eighth, coming out after giving up a bloop single to pinch hitter Josh Satin leading off the inning. Luis Avilan got Mets newcomer Eric Young Jr. to hit into a double play, and Craig Kimbrel struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances. Marcums start is the worst for a Mets pitcher since Anthony Young lost his first 13 decisions in 1993 on the way to a 1-16 record. The only other pitcher in New York history to begin a season with as many as nine consecutive losses was Bob Miller, who started 0-12 in 1962 before winning his final decision with the woeful expansion Mets. "Its been a three-month ordeal for me," Marcum said. NOTES: Young started in centre field and led off for the Mets, less than 24 hours after being acquired from the Colorado Rockies. He singled on the second pitch of the game and finished 1 for 4. ... B.J. Upton had two hits and a walk. ... The Mets placed RHP Scott Atchison back on the disabled list after he injured his right groin while warming up for an appearance Tuesday night. He had just come off the DL for an ailing elbow, but didnt even make an actual pitch before getting hurt again. Custom New England Patriots Jerseys . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Stitched Patriots Jerseys .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/ . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Fake Patriots Jerseys . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Patriots Jerseys 2020 . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Phillies manager Pete Mackanin is looking forward to Mondays series-opening game against the Miami Marlins. And its not just because he wants to quickly forget about Sundays 5-0 shutout loss Jacob deGrom and the Mets.Mackanin will finally get to see struggling pitcher Aaron Nola return to the mound for the first time since July 2. It will be 16 days since Nola was on the mound in a game when he throws the first pitch Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. He will oppose Marlins right-hander Jose Fernandez.The Phillies (43-50) elected to give Nola, their young, right-handed ace, extra rest heading into the All-Star break after the worst stretch of his young major-league career. He will return to the mound having given up at least four runs in five consecutive starts. In four of those starts, he failed to get out of the fourth inning.In total, the damage was 27 earned runs in 18 innings pitched. This after posting a 2.65 ERA in his first 12 starts of the season. His ERA now sits at 4.69.Hes ready to go, Mackanin said. He had a good side and hes anxious to get back out there. Hes a competitor and he doesnt want to sit. Im anxious to see him.Nola, 23, threw a simulated game last Saturday.I dont really think its a mental break, Nola told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mentally, I feel fine. I just felt like the past month, I struggled.dddddddddddd. The ball was up. It wasnt where it should be. When youre elevating balls and not getting ahead of guys, they make you pay for it. That was the main part.Nola and the Phillies, though, face a daunting task against Fernandez, 23, who is trending in the opposite direction, save for a rare dud on July 2. Fernandez is 11-4 with a 2.52 ERA. He has amassed 154 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings pitched.Fresh off his second All-Star appearance, Fernandez, in his first full year since Tommy John surgery, is having his best season. His strikeout rate of 12.91 per nine innings leads the league by plenty. His 154 strikeouts before the break are a Marlins record.I think its just making pitches and not trying to make pitches, Fernandez told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel before heading to San Diego for the All-Star Game. When the catcher calls a fastball away, it doesnt have to be 100 (mph), it can be 93 -- just down in the zone. I feel like Im getting a lot better results like that.The results, right now, are much better than Nolas.The Marlins (49-42) finished off a series win in St. Louis with a 6-3 win Sunday. They head to Philly for a four-game set. ' ' '