- Created on 05 June 2013
Braves Finally Putting It All Together
Despite a few nagging injuries to key players, slumping all-star caliber outfielders and uncertainty in the bullpen, the Atlanta Braves continue to find ways to win.
Atlanta is poised to run away with the National League East in the month of June after a 5-4 come from behind victory in extra innings over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
B.J Upton homered in the sixth inning to tie the game 4-4 and in the 10th Andrelton Simmons had the first walk-off hit of his career sending the Turner Field crowd and his Braves teammates into a frenzy.
Whether its Brian McCann, Upton, or more recently Simmons, the Braves have begun to put all the pieces together to create the formidable team everyone expected to see at the beginning of the season. This is what the National League East has feared since April, a healthy Atlanta Braves team clicking on all cylinders.
"I think this shows how dangerous our lineup can be when everyone is contributing," said Simmons, who is hitting for an average of .256 in the leadoff spot.
Braves' pariah B.J. Upton has transformed into a savor in recent games. Upton's game-tying two-run home run Tuesday night was his second home run in three days. Sunday night the Braves' outfielder also had a walk-off hit to win the game against the Washington Nationals.
"I still got to get better, I have to cut down on the strikeouts and I'm working on getting more quality [at bats]," said Upton.
Upton, Jason Heyward and Dan Uggla are all hitting below .200 but yesterday's game could be a sign of good things to come for the Braves. Heyward had his second consecutive multi-hit game and Uggla finished the night 2-for-3, drawing two base on balls including a walk in the 10th to set up Simmons' late inning heroics.
"We have guys that step up when they are called upon and everyone has been able to pick up the slack," Uggla said.
The Braves bullpen, who will miss Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters for the year, pitched four scoreless innings, allowing the Atlanta hitters to break through against the Pirates, considered the second best bullpen in the major leagues.
The Braves bullpen leads the majors with a 2.61 ERA and have a three-way tie for fifth in saves (18).
"Our pitching staff has stepped up, they have done a great job of keeping us in ballgames throughout the season" said Uggla.
Atlanta has posted a 4-0 record in June and extended its N.L. East lead to seven games. Atlanta will face only two teams (the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks) with a record over .500 in the month, which could put the Nationals even further behind the streaking Braves.
"We won't know who the better team is until it's all over, right now we are just trying to win games and play well as a team," Uggla said.
- Created on 05 June 2013
Atlanta Falcons Host Read With Falcon Event
On Thursday, Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert McClain and safety Shann Schillinger will trade their playbooks for children's books during a Read with a Falcon event at the Gainesville Library in Gainesville, Ga. McClain and Schillinger will read children's books and sign autographs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The library is located at 127 Main St. NW, Gainsville, Ga., 30501
Read with a Falcon is an online summer reading program that allows youth of all ages to take part in a special story time and reading opportunity alongside Falcons players and cheerleaders at www.atlantafalcons.com/readwithafalcon.
- Created on 05 June 2013
Online Registration Now Open For CAU Athletics Summer Camps
Clark Atlanta University announced Wednesday that online registration is now available for all CAU athletics summer camp sessions including softball, volleyball, men's and women's basketball and football.
All CAU summer camps are designed to provide the highest quality of fundamental instruction through small groups and games from our well-qualified coaching staff. All camp fees must be paid by cash or money order (made payable to CAU) on or before the first day of camp along with the registration form completed in its entirety.
For more details regarding each individual camp and to register click the registeration link above. Please call our main athletics office at 404-880-8123 for additional information regarding CAU summer athletic camps.
CAU Summer Camp Dates
Women's Basketball (SIAC Champions)- June 24-28
Women's Softball - June 26-28
Men's Basketball - July 8-11
Women's Volleyball (SIAC Champions)- July 15-18
Football- July 17th
- Created on 05 June 2013
Dwyane Wade, LeCrae, President Obama Promote ‘This Is Fatherhood’ Challenge
In an effort to promote fatherhood, award-winning filmmaker Art Hooker and former director of President Barack Obama’s Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois have teamed up to create the “This Is Fatherhood” challenge.
Launched on May 1, the challenge targets young Fathers who may
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- Created on 05 June 2013
MLB Seeks to Suspend A-Rod, Other Players Connected To Doping
It's an ongoing theme: doping in professional sports.
And now, Major League Baseball (MLB) is preparing to suspend 20 players connected to the Miami-area clinic involved in a performance-enhancing drug scandal.
Tony Bosch, founder of the now-shuttered Biogenesis of America, reached an agreement this week to cooperate with MLB's investigation, two sources told ESPN's "Outside the Lines," giving MLB the ammunition officials believe they need to suspend the players.
Notable players like the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, Brewers' MVP Ryan Braun and others might be suspended for 100 games, which means that they probably won't see the field this summer. This will be A-Rod's second doping offense. And if the suspension holds up, it will be the largest in American sports history.
Investigators have had records naming about 20 players for more than a month, but without a sworn statement from Bosch that the records are accurate and reflect illicit interactions between the players and the self-described biochemist, the documents are little more than a road map.
Sources did not say what other materials, such as receipts and phone records, Bosch might provide, but said he has pledged to provide anything in his possession that could help MLB build cases against the players. Sources said MLB officials were not sure how many players might end up being pulled into the scandal. The 20 or so they know of have been identified through paperwork, but Bosch is expected to provide more. (Because some players are listed by their names and some by code names, officials are not yet certain whether some are redundant.)
Bosch is expected to meet with MLB officials on Friday. So, only time will tell if this is the end of A-Rod's season.
