By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Andruw comes through in 8th
Placeholder Image

    ATLANTA — Andruw Jones snapped an 0-for-21 slump with two hits, including an eighth-inning single that drove in the go-ahead run, and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Tuesday night.
    Jones doubled in the sixth to drive in Atlanta’s first run.
    San Diego reliever Heath Bell (0-1) couldn’t hold a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning. Edgar Renteria’s triple to right-center drove in Kelly Johnson from first to tie the game.
    Bell issued an intentional walk to Chipper Jones, and Andruw Jones — who began the night hitting .220 — followed with a single to center to give Atlanta a 3-2 lead.
    Mike Gonzalez (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the win. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his third save.
    One night before a must-see pitching showdown between San Diego’s Greg Maddux and Atlanta’s John Smoltz, who have a combined 532 wins, San Diego’s Justin Germano and Atlanta’s Anthony Lerew pitched like stars.
    Both were called up from Triple A for the game, and each may have earned another start.
    Germano, filling in for the injured Clay Hensley, gave up three hits, one walk and one run in six innings.
    Lerew allowed two hits — both homers — in six innings.
    Mike Cameron led off the third with his first homer, a liner into the left-field seats. Termel Sledge led off the fifth with his fourth homer, also to left.
    Lerew had seven strikeouts and walked two.
    The Braves have gone six straight games without a home run. The team’s 38 homers led the major leagues before the power drought.
    Germano entered the game with a 1-3 career record and 8.04 ERA with San Diego (2004) and Cincinnati (2006). He was claimed by the Padres off waivers from Philadelphia on March 19.
    Germano retired his first 11 batters before Chipper Jones hit a high fly ball to center field for what looked to be the third out of the fourth. Instead, Cameron lost the ball in the lights and he stood near the warning track as the ball fell safely in front of him. Jones hustled to second base for a double.
    Germano appeared to be temporarily rattled by the play as he walked Andruw Jones, but Jeff Francoeur lined out to right field to end the inning.
    Renteria hit a sixth-inning double to the left-field wall, just beyond Sledge’s reach, for Atlanta’s second hit. With two outs, Andruw Jones ended an 0-for-21 streak with another double off the left-field wall to drive in Renteria and cut San Diego’s lead to 2-1.

Braves cut Colyer
    The Braves cut left-handed reliever Steve Colyer to clear a roster spot for Tuesday night’s starting pitcher, Anthony Lerew.
    Colyer was designated for assignment to Triple-A Richmond and has 10 days to decide if he will accept the assignment.
    The 28-year-old Colyer was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in seven appearances, giving up nine hits and two runs in 3 2-3 innings.
    ‘‘We want him back if he’ll come back, but if other teams want him we won’t stand in his way,’’ said Braves manager Bobby Cox.
    The move leaves Mike Gonzalez as the team’s only left-handed reliever.
    The Braves announced after Monday night’s game that Lerew was being called up from Richmond to make his first major league start in his ninth appearance with Atlanta.
    Colyer cleared out his locker before batting practice and gave no indication to the team if he’ll accept the minor league assignment.

Smoltz prepares for Maddux
    John Smoltz already has pitched against good friend and former longtime teammate Tom Glavine twice this season, including their first time facing each other in Atlanta.
    On Wednesday night, Smoltz will face another former longtime teammate, Greg Maddux, for the first time since 1992, when Maddux was with the Chicago Cubs. It will be their first game as opposing pitchers at Turner Field.
    Smoltz was already an established starter in Atlanta when Maddux joined the Braves in 1993. Maddux and Smoltz were teammates for 11 seasons, through the 2003 season.
    Maddux won Cy Young awards with the Braves in 1993, 1994 and 1995 after winning the 1992 award with the Cubs.
    Maddux is 10th on the all-time list with 335 wins.
    ‘‘I would have had no clue of the legacy that he would leave, and would have no clue that the 10 greatest years of my life would have been spent with him and Glavine,’’ Smoltz said. ‘‘It’s unique, really.’’
    Smoltz is 2-1 in three starts against Maddux, with complete-game victories on May 16, 1990 in Atlanta and July 10, 1992 in Chicago. Maddux beat Smoltz in Atlanta on July 5, 1992.
    ‘‘It’s been four years since I played here,’’ Maddux said. ‘‘As great as it was for me, the 11 years I spent here, it seems like a long time ago. I enjoyed every game I played over here. But at the same time, I’ve moved on. I’m enjoying where I’m at.’’
    Maddux, 41, is 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in six starts.
    Smoltz, who turns 40 next Tuesday, is 4-1 with a 3.35 ERA.
    Maddux is with his fourth major league team, but it is likely Smoltz will complete his career playing only for the Braves. Smoltz signed a contract extension last month for 2008 that includes options for 2009 and 2010.
    Smoltz says facing Maddux is different from facing Glavine.
    ‘‘I was always his teammate,’’ Smoltz said of Glavine. ‘‘I had faced Maddux before I was his teammate.’’
    Maddux lobbed a good-natured verbal jab at his former teammate when he reminded reporters he has more hair than Smoltz.
    ‘‘He’s the king of the obvious,’’ Smoltz said with a laugh.
    Maddux, who lives in Las Vegas in the offseason, says he is enjoying his first season in San Diego.
    ‘‘The cold days are 68. The hot days are 74,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s really good. I’ve always wanted to play there.’’

CORMIER MAKING PROGRESS

    Right-handed pitcher Lance Cormier, who won a spot in the rotation in spring training only to open the season on the disabled list with a strained right triceps, finally is throwing again.
    Cormier was scratched from a scheduled minor league rehab appearance on April 27 after experiencing more pain in his right arm. He then had to go almost two weeks without throwing.
    ‘‘Going 12 days without throwing is tough for me,’’ he said. ‘‘When they say ’Take it easy. You can throw, just take it easy’ it felt good.’’
    Cormier threw two sets of 30 throws at 60 feet on Monday and felt good enough Tuesday to throw from 90 feet and 120 feet.
    Cormier will take a day off on Wednesday and is scheduled to throw in the bullpen on Thursday.
    ‘‘After that bullpen, we’ll assess things from there,’’ Cormier said.
    Cormier said he won’t rush his recovery.
    ‘‘There’s no need to go faster than I need to,’’ he said.
    The Braves already are so thin in their rotation they had to call up Anthony Lerew from Triple-A Richmond to start Tuesday night’s game. Mike Hampton has had season-ending elbow surgery and Mark Redman is on the 15-day disabled list with a toe injury.

ANDRUW IN A SLUMP
    Braves manager Bobby Cox is sticking with Andruw Jones as his cleanup hitter even though Jones entered Tuesday night’s game in an 0-for-20 slump that has dropped his batting average to .200.
    ‘‘It’s funny how Andruw goes,’’ Cox said. ‘‘You’ll see him at his world’s worst and then all of a sudden he gets hot and he carries the team. We’re hoping that’s going to start real soon.’’