ATLANTA — One week after the Braves purchased his contract from Triple-A Richmond, former Tiger pitcher and 2000 College World Series Most Outstanding Player Trey Hodges picked up his first major league victory in his MLB debut on Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Hodges (1-0), remembered by Tigers fans as the winner of two games in the 2000 CWS including the 6-5 championship game over Stanford, was drafted by the Braves in the 17th round of the first-year draft just before LSU’s run to the National Championship in June of 2000.
For the past three seasons, Hodges has worked his way through the Braves minor league organization while being touted as the club’s top prospect. This season, he posted a league-leading 15-9 record and a 3.19 ERA in 28 games with the Richmond Braves before being called up on Sept. 3.
On Tuesday, Hodges relieved starter Damian Moss in the third inning, and pitched three innings to get the win. He gave up five hits and one run while striking out two and hitting one batter. He was 0-for-1 at the plate, grounding out to first in his first major league at bat.
The Braves (91-51) clinched the National League East title on Monday.
AP Release: If this is the way the Braves chose to celebrate their latest division title, the Mets probably wish they would have at least had some notice.
One day after claiming the National League East title while sitting at home, Andruw Jones and the Braves demoralized the Mets with a 12-6 thrashing at Turner Field on Tuesday night.
“It was a good win especially the way we did it,” Gary Sheffield said. “At no time did we think we were out of it.”
After watching the Mets jump out to an early five run-advantage in the second inning, Jones got things started for the Braves with a solo shot off Mets starter Pedro Astacio (12-9) in the bottom half of the second inning.
Jones, who has now eclipsed the 30-home run mark in each of the past three seasons, added his 31st homer of the season to begin the three-run fourth.
It was his second consecutive two-home run game and gave him homers in four consecutive at-bats.
“He’s really seeing the ball good,” Cox said of Jones. “It’s really a pleasure to watch him swing right now.”
The Gold Glove center fielder became one of 11 players in National League history to have homered in four consecutive at-bats. Mike Schmidt and Ralph Kiner both did it twice. The last time it had been done in franchise history was when Bobby Lowe did it in 1894 with the Boston Beaneaters.
“If you feel good and are getting good pitches to hit, it can happen,” Jones said. “I’m not saying I can do it all of the time. But I feel good right now and I’m getting good pitches.”
Mark DeRosa and Henry Blanco also homered off Astacio in the fourth to tie the game at 6.
“We built our confidence right there,” Jones said. “We never thought we were out of it. We just needed to get things going.”
A six-run fifth inning which was keyed by Jones’ two-run single and Matt Franco’s bases-clearing triple that blew the game wide open.
Astacio, who once owned a 5-0 lead, was thrown out of the game in the fifth when he hit Gary Sheffield on the left arm with a pitch. Braves right-hander Trey Hodges, who was making his Major League debut, had hit Joe McEwing in the top half of the inning.
“I don’t know if he hit me on purpose,” Sheffield said. “You have to go ask him that. I’d like to know, because every time I face him, it seems like he hits me.”
Hodges (1-0) earned his first career victory by allowing one earned run on five hits in three innings. “It’s positive,” Hodges said. “Now I’ve got my feet wet. Things went well. I know they could have gone a lot worse.”
The promising young hurler, who led the International League this year with 15 wins, relieved Damian Moss, who endured an uncharacteristically poor outing.
Moss, who had won his previous three starts, was rocked early and often while turning in the shortest outing of his career. The 25-year-old southpaw allowed five earned runs on eight hits in two innings.