Thanks to a a mammoth two-run homer by Chipper Jones off of Rich Hill in the third inning, the Braves downed the Cards at Jupiter, Fla. Thursday, 5-3.
Jones' home run was one of very few to reach the roof of the Marlins' offices, beyond the left-field wall. Vladimir Guerrero, Mark McGwire and Albert Pujols are on the short list of others who have done so, and may in fact be the only others to do so in Major League Spring Training games.
Melky Cabrera singled twice and scored, and Omar Infante added two base hits for Atlanta. Freddie Freeman singled, walked and drove in a run.
Nick Stavinoha had a big day off the bench for the Cardinals, with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Albert Pujols doubled to deep center to score Stavinoha, and Colby Rasmus had an RBI triple.
Starter Tim Hudson was very sharp, pitching five innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts, no walks and nine ground-ball outs.
Kris Medlen struck out four Cardinals in two innings of relief, allowing one run.
On hand for the game was legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight. As he sat with his good friend Cardinals manager Tony La Russa at Roger Dean Stadium on Thursday morning, Knight got the urge to walk across the field to take advantage of at least one last chance to exchange pleasantries with Cox.
But as he talked with Cox for about 10 minutes, Knight maintained his opinion that the accomplished skipper will have a tough time walking away if the Braves make a successful run into the postseason this year.
"If his team is really good, this isn't going to be his last season," Knight said. "He'll say, 'You know, this thing isn't all that bad.'"
The Braves are now 11-5 in Grapefruit League action.
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Kenshin Kawakami will be scheduled to pitch the first five innings on Friday night, when the Braves face Jeremy Bonderman and the Tigers at 6:05 p.m.
While playing under the lights for the last time this year in Florida, Atlanta will display its top relievers. Scott Proctor, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to make his season debut. Closer Billy Wagner and his top two setup men, Takashi Saito and Peter Moylan, are also slated to pitch.
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Source: MLB.com