Shortstop Yunel Escobar leads the Braves with four three-hit games after Monday's 3-for-4 effort against the Mets, and he had another multi-hit game the next night at Citi Field. He entered Tuesday ranked fourth in the National League in hitting with runners in scoring position (.457, 16-for-35).
That's just what the Braves were hoping Escobar could settle do. And it may have taken that strained abdominal muscle to do it. Escobar, 26, has had to survive some cultural differences, not feeling comfortable speaking English for one thing, but mainly the contrast in styles between major league baseball and baseball the way he was used to playing it in his native Cuba.
That is a more emotional and demonstrative variety than the U.S. national pastime, and it has cost Escobar in his short career as opponents and umpires have taken offense to his style.
Then there was Escobar's habit of jumping up and down in the on-deck circle before his at-bats. That annoyed plenty of people, manager Bobby Cox included.
While doing that before his fifth-inning at-bat April 16, Escobar strained an abdominal muscle. He missed three games because of it and hasn't performed that maneuver since. He was a bit apprehensive about abandoning it -- he always said it energized him and helped him focus. But if anything, he has performed better since then.
It doesn't hurt that he put on some weight and worked out hard in the offseason to build muscle through his shoulders, adding power to his speed. So far in May, he's batting .349, one of the few Braves to have a batting average above .300.
METS 4, BRAVES 3 (10 innings): The Braves gave Tuesday's game away. Jair Jurrjens pitched a gem, the defense was great behind him and situational hitting had the Braves up 3-0. Jurrjens allowed two runs in the eighth inning, and Mike Gonzalez blew the lead in the ninth. Jeff Bennett loaded the bases in the 10th and walked in the winning run.
