Brian McCann's been struggling so badly lately that Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez benched his star catcher, and wrote David Ross's name on the lineup card instead.
Braves lead Cardinals 2-0 on David Ross’s home run
Rarely has a managerial move looked so good so early in a big game. Because when Ross came up in the bottom of the second inning, Kyle Lohse left a change-up in the middle of the strike zone, and Ross didn't miss. Worse, Dan Uggla had just drawn a seven-pitch walk, which doubled the damage of Ross's long blast that carried the left-field fence.
Rookie shortstop Andrelton Simmons followed Ross's homer with a line-drive single up the middle, but Lohse finally escaped when his opposite number tried to bunt his way aboard and was thrown out easily.
So the Braves entered the third inning with a 2-0 lead. Considering that the Braves have won 23 straight games started by Kris Medlen, things aren't looking good for the defending World Champions. But it's early yet.
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