The Atlanta Braves start a nine-game road trip Friday night at Arizona after a successful homestand that moved them to within 3 1/2 games of the division lead.

The Braves have won eight of their last ten games, including a four-game sweep of the Florida Marlins that ended Thursday with a 9-1 victory. Atlanta won six of seven games at Turner Field.

Jorge Sosa finally earned a win, holding the Marlins to six hits and striking out eight with no walks. Jeff Francoeur hit two more homers and Chipper Jones, who hit a walk-off three-run homer in the 11th inning Wednesady night, picked up three more RBI's.

Jones' two-run single in the fifth gave the Braves a 5-1 lead, then Francoeur and Matt Diaz put it out reach by homering on consecutive pitches. Francoeur homered again in the seventh, his tenth of the season.

Sosa was one of baseball's biggest surprises last year, when he went 13-3 with a 2.55 ERA. But he began this season losing his first five decisions and went into yesterday with a 6.52 ERA.

Winning for the ninth time in eleven games, the Braves moved above .500 for the first time since April 7th, when they were 3-2. Going into the road trip, they are 3 1/2 games behind the Mets and 1 1/2 games back of the Phillies in the National League East.

�¶ 19/05/06 5:19 PM //

When new pitching coach Roger McDowell meets with Braves pitchers and catchers at Turner Field next week, he wants everybody to refer to the 10-day event simply as the Braves Early Throwing Program.

While the name may lack the excitement McDowell used to create, when he'd light a teammate's shoes on fire, it certainly explains exactly what the event is. It's simply a chance for Atlanta pitchers to get their arms ready for the start of Spring Training.

In addition, it will also allow them to get better acquainted with McDowell, who was named the club's pitching coach after Leo Mazzone left in October to accept the same position in Baltimore.

 

�¶ 30/01/06 7:53 PM //

Jorge Sosa from the Dominican Republic has signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves for two-point-two million dollars.

Sosa's contract includes a spot in the starting rotation and incentives that could earn him up to 300-thousand dollars above his base salary.

The 28-year-old right-hander surprised many last year, claiming a spot in the rotation and going 13-and-3 with a two-point-55 E-R-A.Sosa thanked ex-Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone, now with the Baltimore Orioles, for helping his mechanics.

Sosa said -- quote -- "I am where I am today thanks to Leo, because he helped turn me into the pitcher I am."

�¶ 30/01/06 7:46 PM //