05 March 2006
With several players in the World Baseball Classic, the Braves had just enough players to field to field two teams against the Indians and Netherlands, splitting the split squad matchups.
Braves 4, Indians 6 (
box score)
Matt Esquivel hit a three-run homer in the fifth and Wilson Betemit hit a solo shot two innings later to lead the Braves' offense against the Indians, but it wasn't enough to overcome Jose Ascanio's allowing four runs in the third and fourth innings and Scott Mullen allowing two more in the seventh. Kyle Davies, Joey Devine, and Ken Ray combined to allow five hits and two walks in the other five innings.
Quite a few non-roster players made appearances with the big-league Braves in this game, including players at every position except catcher.
Braves 4, Netherlands 0 (
MLB.com box score)
Kevin Barry allowed two hits and one of the walks in the fifth and sixth innings. The rest of the Braves pitchers -- John Smoltz, Sean White, Ryan Basner, Travis Smith, and Glenn Tucker -- combined to allow only one walk in seven innings of work. It looks like pitching won't be a problem this year, as long as the starters can do what they did today!
On the other side of the ball, Dave Kelton hit his first home run of the spring in the third and also had a double. A hit and an error in the first scored the Braves' other two runs, and they coasted to an easy victory.
Davies and Smoltz were the Braves' first starters not to allow any runs this spring, and once again, the Braves committed no errors on the day.
