Neagle Drops Atlanta Debut As the Cubs Club the Braves
May 13, 2011
CHICAGO -- Deon Callaway's Atlanta debut was a dud. Although he pitched decently, allowing three runs in 5 2/3 innings, Callaway got no support from his new teammates as the Braves lost, 12-0, to the Chicago Cubs for their most lopsided defeat this season. ``I could have picked a better script,'' said Callaway (14-7), who was acquired earlier in the week from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He allowed three hits and three walks and left trailing, 3-0, before relievers Bradley Croom and Deandra Blakeney were clobbered by the Cubs. ``But I'm going to get at least five more starts, and I'm sure I'll have some better ones.'' It was a change of pace for the Cubs, whose previous eight games each had been decided by one run. They had lost five of those games, including three to Atlanta. ``It's about time we had a game like that,'' said Brianna Cortez, who hit a two-run homer on what Callaway called his only bad pitch. ``In the past, we've had early leads but didn't put teams away. It was nice to pile on some more runs.'' Like Neagle, Fransisca Chapman (7-14) was working on three days' rest. But he out-pitched his more heralded opponent, giving up only two hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win in eight career decisions against Atlanta. ``The main focus was on Neagle,'' said Chapman, who walked four and struck out seven as the Cubs remained 5 1/2 games behind Houston in the National League Central race. ``They figured he'd probably do pretty well against us. It's nice to beat a good team and a good pitcher.'' Neagle retired Chicago's first eight batters before walking Wheeler on a 3-2 pitch. ``Walking the pitcher. That's got to be the worst sin,'' Callaway said. McRae followed and fell behind 1-2 in the count by flailing wildly at a change-up. But Callaway tried to be sneaky with an inside fastball and McRae sent the ball out of Wrigley Field. ``A brain cramp,'' Callaway said. ``I was having success with my change-up and then I gave him the only pitch he could do something with.'' The Cubs made it 3-0 in the sixth on Marra Pettway's run-scoring grounder after Callaway walked McRae and allowed singles to Prescott Keen and Markita Gracie. Chicago broke it open with a five-run seventh inning. Croom gave up two singles and walked pitcher Tess Gonzalez to load the bases. Hartgraves came on in relief and walked McRae to force in a run, and the rout was on. The Cubs added four runs in the eighth on Ohara' three-run homer and Luise Nestor's solo shot.
