Jurrjens throws another gem for Braves
Atlanta Braves starter pitcher Jair Jurrjens (49) pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Atlanta. (May 14, 2011) Credit: AP
ATLANTA -- Martin Prado is on a roll, and that means good things for the Braves.
Prado homered and drove in three runs, Jair Jurrjens took a perfect game into the sixth inning and Atlanta beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-3, yesterday.
Prado is 12-for-27 (.444) with three homers -- one a grand slam -- and eight RBIs in his last six games.
"I think we know who the player of the week is going to be this week," said Atlanta's Chipper Jones, who called Prado's surge "typical Prado."
"When he gets it going right, roll with it," Jones said.
Prado, who was hitting .238 on April 26, has raised his average to .295. He has six homers and 27 RBIs to match Jones for the team lead.
Prado added a two-run single in the sixth.
Jurrjens (5-0) beat the Phillies for the second time in a week, following a 5-2 win in Philadelphia on Sunday. He gave up three hits and three runs, two earned, in 71/3 innings.
Jurrjens, who opened the season on the disabled list with a right oblique strain, has not allowed more than two earned runs in six starts. He retired Philadelphia's first 17 batters and said he couldn't help but think about the possibility of a perfect game or no-hitter.
"You walk out there and you see zero and zero, if somebody says they're not thinking about it, they're lying," said Jurrjens, who has a 1.66 ERA.
Prado and Nate McLouth hit back-to-back homers in the first inning for the only runs allowed by Joe Blanton (1-2) in five innings.
Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino was 0-for-3, ending his 15-game hitting streak. He left the game in the eighth with a sore right hamstring and will not play in today's final game of the series, according to manager Charlie Manuel.
"We've got guys falling like flies," Manuel said.
The Braves are dealing with injuries, too.
Rightfielder Jason Heyward missed his fourth straight start with inflammation in his right shoulder but entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning. And rookie pitcher Brandon Beachy, who suffered an oblique injury Friday night, likely will be placed on the DL.
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