BRAVES NOTEBOOK: Pitcher Santana making the most of his opportunity

PHILADELPHIA — Lost in the Atlanta Braves’ home-run party in a wild 9-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday was the brilliance of starting pitcher Ervin Santana.

The right-hander struck out a career-high-tying 11 through six innings of one-run ball before leaving with a 2-1 lead.

Up to March 12, Santana could have been had, but the Braves snagged him and are reaping the rewards.

“We were just talking, we’re so glad he’s on our team,” said second baseman Dan Uggla, who hit a ninth-inning grand slam in Atlanta’s come-from-behind victory. “He comes out and does his thing. Takes it very seriously and he was electric (Monday).

“Everything was nasty. He’s awesome.”

Santana, a late signee of Atlanta (one-year, $14.1 million), has provided a jolt to the Braves’ injury-riddled rotation. In his debut with the Braves, Santana threw eight scoreless innings in 88 pitches, his first 20 of which he threw for strikes, setting a major-league record.

To start the season, Santana has permitted just one run through 14 innings (0.64) with 17 strikeouts to two walks.

Is he pitching with something to prove?

“I don’t have to prove anything,” Santana said. “Just be me because I know what I can do.”

KIMBREL SCARE: Enthusiasm across Braves Country after Monday’s win was tempered by news from the clubhouse after the game that closer Craig Kimbrel didn’t pitch due to a sore shoulder.

“Kimbrel has got some shoulder soreness, and we’re going day-to-day with him,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who had not previously mentioned anything about Kimbrel’s situation to reporters.

He disclosed the issue for the first time after Monday’s game, when Gonzalez was asked whether he considered bringing in Kimbrel during the eighth inning, when reliever Luis Avilan got rocked for five runs, or during the ninth when David Carpenter pitched in the save situation.

Kimbrel last pitched Saturday, when he converted his National League-leading fifth save in his sixth appearance of the season.

“Nothing major, just no reason to push it this early in the year,” Kimbrel said. “Take a few days off, be ready to go.”

The Braves made a big splash in February when they signed Kimbrel, 25, to a four-year, $42 million contract extension with a fifth-year option, one day before the Alabama native was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing. His contract could be worth more than $59 million including the $13 million option and incentives.

He has a 1.59 ERA with 12 strikeouts and one walk in 5 2/3 innings, and Kimbrel struck out the side Friday when he faced the heart of the Nationals’ order in the ninth inning of a 10-inning Braves win.

Gonzalez said the issue cropped up after Saturday’s appearance. Kimbrel said he had some discomfort during spring training.

“It’s something that I’ve felt through spring training,” he said. “Nothing that really hinders me on the field. Just a little uncomfortable. But like I said, just take a few days off.”

When asked to elaborate on how much it had bothered him in spring training, Kimbrel downplayed the previous comment and stressed that he wasn’t worried or concerned about the current situation.

“Being a pitcher, things get sore every now and then,” he said. “So, (we’re) going to take a few days and then get right back out there.”

Gonzalez was also asked if he was concerned.

“No, no. Not at all,” he said. “Talking to Craig and talking to the trainers, I think it’s one of those things, every reliever goes through it. Sometimes … if we go out today and the score stays the same (before Phillies’ five-run eighth) you guys don’t even know (that Kimbrel had a sore shoulder).

“Throughout the season, guys are hurt and banged up, and if they’re not the closer in a save situation, nobody would even know it. You give guys some days off. I’m not concerned at all.”

Kimbrel has 144 career saves, 10 from matching John Smoltz’s franchise record. His 90.6-percent save conversation rate ranks third all-time among relievers with at least 150 save opportunities, behind Eric Gagne (91.7) and Smoltz (91.1).

He has a 1.39 career ERA and has struck out 393 of the 904 batters he’s faced in the majors, a remarkable 43 percent.

MINOR NEARLY READY: Mike Minor allowed one hit in five scoreless innings for Class-A Rome in his third minor league rehab start Friday, and the left-hander is tentatively set to join the Braves starting rotation April 23 or April 25.

Gavin Floyd also made his third minor league rehab start Friday, allowing two runs (one earned) and three hits in 3-2/3 innings for Triple-A Gwinnett, and throwing 73 pitches. The veteran right-hander is scheduled to make three more minor league starts before possibly coming off the disabled list in a couple of weeks.

Floyd is in the final stages of rehab from Tommy John surgery in May 2103.

Minor is scheduled to make one more minor league start Friday for Double-A Mississippi. Afterward, he and the Braves will decide whether to insert him into the rotation next week. Minor has been building arm strength after developing shoulder tendinitis in the first week of spring training.

Unless Minor thinks he could benefit from another minor league start after Friday, the plan is to have him make his major league season debut in a home game against Miami on April 23 or at home against Cincinnati April 25 (the Braves are off April 24).

The Braves haven’t said which starter they are likely to bump from the rotation to open a spot for Minor. Braves starters had a majors-leading 1.82 ERA before Monday.