Topic: tside of that one pitch, I feel like he
PHOENIX -- Nine days past his 26th birthday, Craig Kimbrel is the Atlanta Braves career leader in saves. That number figures to get a lot bigger before hes through. Kimbrel got the final four outs in the Braves 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night, earning his 16th save of the season (in 18 tries) and 155th of his career. Thats one more than John Smoltz. Those 155 saves have come in 172 opportunities. "Ive been a part of a lot of good teams and had a lot of opportunities," Kimbrel said. "Having the chance my first full season to be a closer, that doesnt happen very often and thats why were sitting here talking today, because I had that opportunity a lot of guys dont have. "I feel blessed and grateful for it." Kimbrel had one save in 2010, 46 in 2011, 42 in 2012 and 50 in 2013. "Ive played with him for four years and some change and hes already the franchise leader in saves," teammate Jason Heyward said. "Thats pretty cool." Hayward drove in three runs, two with a home run, and Andrelton Simmons doubled in a run for the Braves. Julio Teheran (6-3) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision. Didi Gregorius became the first Diamondback to hit leadoff home runs in consecutive starts. He did it Wednesday in Colorado, sat out Thursdays game, then did it again Friday. Arizonas Brandon McCarthy (1-8) allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out nine and walking one. McCarthy singled in the tying run in the fifth, his first career RBI. Kimbrel entered the game with two outs and a runner at first in the eighth inning and got his former Atlanta teammate Martin Prado looking to end the inning. With a three-run lead in the ninth, Kimbrel got Aaron Hill and David Peralta to fly out, then Tuffy Gosewich popped out to end it. It was just his third career four-out save. "He hadnt pitched since last Saturday," manager Fredi Gonzalez said, "so we were able to do that." The Braves broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh when, with one out, Heyward drew the only walk McCarthy allowed. Simmons lashed a double to the corner in left, scoring Heyward from first. The Atlanta leadoff hitter used his long arms to connect with a ball that was high and outside and drove it to the opposite field. "It was a pitch I dont expect to get hit at all," McCarthy said. "It was right where I wanted it. It was a hard four-seamer up and away and I wanted to use it to establish something else. He took a good swing at it and hit a home run. I was pretty surprised." They added another run in the ninth on Heywards RBI single. Right fielder Gerardo Parra robbed Simmons of an extra-base hit and probably saved a run with a diving grab in the ninth. Atlanta took the lead in the fifth when Jordan Schafer doubled over third base to start the inning. He scored on Heywards home run to left that made it 2-1. Gregorius, called up from Triple-A Reno on Tuesday, opened the game with a shot just over the fence in right. Teheran didnt allow another hit until Peralta, another recent arrival from the minors, led off the fifth with a ground-rule double. Teheran retired the next two batters, but McCarthy -- 2 for 23 for the season to that point -- slapped a single between shortstop and third to bring Peralta home and tie it 2-2. Ex-Diamondback Justin Upton, greeted with a mix of boos and cheers, struck out three times against McCarthy, then flied out to the fence in right and drove in a run with a bloop single in the ninth. NOTES: In the second day of the amateur draft, Arizona chose OF Matt Railey of North Florida Christian Academy. Hes committed to Florida State. ... Braves RHP Jordan Walden, recovering from a strained left hamstring, began a rehab assignment Thursday night for Triple-A Gwinnett against Columbus, facing four batters in two-thirds inning, giving up a run and two hits. He struck out the first three batters, but the third reached on a wild pitch. The next batter homered. ... On Saturday night, the Braves have RHP Ervin Santana (5-2, 4.10 ERA) facing LHP Wade Miley (3-6, 4.85). Nike Zoom Online Shop . The game got off to a less-than-ideal start for the Jets as Oliver Ekman-Larsson found a wide open net from the slot and opened the scoring for the Coyotes a lead in the first period, but Olli Jokinen answered back just over half a minute later. Nike Zoom Sale . JOHNS, N. http://www.wholesalenikezoom.com/. - Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery was so busy in free agency he didnt mind having a few extra weeks to prepare for the draft. Wholesale Nike Zoom . Richard Jefferson scored 17 points and Diante Garrett had a career-high 15 points as the Jazz had seven players with 10 points or more in Utahs largest margin of victory this season. Nike Zoom For Sale . Cesar said the difficulties he went through after the 2010 World Cup helped him become "a better professional" and made him "more focused" on his career. He admitted that he took things for granted before the World Cup in South Africa, when he arrived considered the worlds top goalkeeper. HOUSTON -- After a tough June where Justin Upton has hit under .200, the Atlanta Braves hope the last two games are an indication that hell get back to where he was earlier this season. Upton homered for the second straight game and drove in three runs and Alex Wood pitched seven scoreless innings to help the Braves to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. "When he gets hot like this its really, really something to watch," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Hopefully this is the beginning of one of those big runs that he can give us." Upton is hitting just .185 this month, but his average for the season is .272 after a great start to the year. "Im seeing the ball and hitting it, thats about it," Upton said. "Ive gotten some good pitches to hit and Ive put good swings on them." Shae Simmons and Juan Jaime finished the three-hitter as the Astros were shut out for the 10th time this season. The Braves had just two hits when Upton launched his 16th homer, a two-run shot into the bullpen in right-centre, to make it 3-0 in the seventh inning. Collin McHugh (4-6) had plunked Jason Heyward to set up things for Upton. Upton drove in Atlantas first run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning. He joked that Wood owed him a treat of some kind for providing most of the offence in the win. "Just maybe get an ice cream cone or something," Upton said with a laugh. "Theyve got some good ice cream in there, at least get a scoop of ice cream." Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman left in the eighth after being hit by a pitch on what appeared to be his right elbow. He was examined by a doctor and said he was fine and hoped the swelling wasnt too bad on Thursday so he could play. Wood (6-6) was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to make his first start since May 4 after appearing in 11 games out of the bullpen in his last stint with the Braves. He allowed three hits and struck out four with one walk. "He did a nice job," Gonzalez said. "Mixed all his pitches ... his breaking ball, his fastball, threw some nice change ups." Gonzalez was encouraged by Woods performaance in filling in for Gavin Floyd, who had surgery this week after breaking a bone in his throwing elbow.dddddddddddd Simmons and Jaime struck out two apiece in a hitless inning apiece. McHugh struck out nine in his third straight loss. "He made a mistake to a really good hitter, and he didnt miss it," manager Bo Porter said of Uptons homer. "But outside of that one pitch, I feel like he was in complete control of the game the entire time." B.J. Upton doubled and took third on a balk before scoring on a groundout by Tommy La Stella to push Atlantas lead to 4-0 in the eighth. Evan Gattis doubled to start the second and scored on the one-out sacrifice fly by Justin Upton. McHugh walked a pair in the fourth inning, but the Braves didnt get another hit until Freeman singled with two outs in the sixth. Freeman was tagged out trying to stretch it into a double to end the inning. Dexter Fowler hit a leadoff double in the first, and was thrown out at third trying to advance on Jose Altuves grounder. Houston didnt get another runner until rookie Jon Singleton snapped an 0-for-17 skid with a ground-rule double to right-centre field with two outs in the fourth. The ball got lodged under the wall and Singleton was already heading toward home when he was called back to second base. Wood got right back on track after Singletons hit and set down the next five Astros before walking Fowler with one out in the sixth. George Springer singled with two outs to put runners at the corners, but Wood struck out Singleton to escape the jam. NOTES: Braves LHP Ryan Buchter was optioned to Gwinnett to make room for Wood on the roster. ... The Astros recalled OF L.J. Hoes from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned OF Robbie Grossman there before the game. ... Atlanta RHP David Carpenter, on the disabled list with a strained right biceps, felt good after throwing a bullpen on Tuesday and is scheduled to throw another one on Thursday. ... SS Carlos Correa, Houstons top prospect and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, had season-ending surgery on Wednesday after breaking his right fibula. ' ' '