Some extra rest left Julio Teheran feeling so strong he was unhittable for six innings.
That was more good news for an Atlanta rotation that is gaining momentum.
Teheran pitched six no-hit innings before being pulled from his first start since coming off the disabled list http://www.jaguarsauthorizedsh…..son-jersey , and Atlanta relievers gave up six hits Sunday while finishing off a 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres.
Teheran’s velocity was up, with his fastball hitting 92 mph. He had been closer to 89 mph before he missed less than two weeks with a sore thumb. The boost in his fastball also helped his offspeed pitches.
”Those 10 days helped me to get everything on track,” Teheran said. ”… It was kind of fun to have my stuff back.”
Teheran (5-4) struck out a season-high 11, walked three and threw 95 pitches while recording 15 consecutive outs. Manager Brian Snitker said he could immediately see the difference in the right-hander’s pitchers.
”It was just good to see the life on the fastball again,” Snitker said.
Teheran’s changeup and slider also were effective.
”He was throwing all his pitches for strikes,” said San Diego’s Cory Spangenberg. ”I know through three at-bats I only got one fastball. When a pitcher is doing that, he’s pretty tough to hit.”
Over the last 11 home games, Braves starters have a 1.00 ERA, allowing eight earned runs in 72 innings. No starter allowed more than two runs during the streak.
The bid for a combined no-hitter ended with one out in the seventh when reliever Shane Carle allowed a single to Spangenberg. Freddy Galvis added another single before Carle pitched out of the jam.
Jose Vizcaino gave up singles to Spangenberg and Galvis in the ninth before striking out Christian Villanueva and Raffy Lopez. Right fielder Nick Markakis, running toward the foul line, made a diving catch of Raffy Lopez’s flyball to end the game. Vizcaino earned his 15th save, including his third of the series.
Johan Camargo’s two-run double in the fourth off Jose Castillo (1-1) gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Tyler Flowers hit a two-run homer off Brad Hand in the eighth.
The Padres, who lost 1-0 on Saturday http://www.jaguarsauthorizedsh…..oke-jersey , ended a 16-inning scoring drought in the eighth. Franmil Reyes singled off A.J. Minter, moved to third on Eric Hosmer’s single and scored on Jose Pirela’s sacrifice fly. Hunter Renfroe’s fourth strikeout of the game ended the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves C Kurt Suzuki left the game after he was hit on his helmet by Lopez’s bat as he struck out with a big follow-through to end the second inning. Suzuki was knocked to the ground but was able to walk off the field.
Manager Brian Snitker said Suzuki should be able to play in Atlanta’s next game at Toronto on Tuesday.
Braves third base coach Ron Washington had words with Lopez when Lopez emerged from the San Diego dugout to open the third inning. Snitker said the discussion was about Lopez not checking on Suzuki before walking away from the plate.
SERIES STREAK ENDS
The NL East-leading Braves won three of four in the series, ending San Diego’s streak of five straight series wins. The Padres’ last series loss came on May 25-27, when they dropped two of three to the Dodgers.
ROSTER MOVE
Braves LHP Luiz Gohara was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he will start. RHP Luke Jackson was re-signed to a major league contract after being designated for assignment on Wednesday.
BULLPEN GAME
Matt Strahm made his fourth start as the Padres continue to use a bullpen committee approach for one spot in their rotation. Strahm allowed only one hit with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
San Diego’s first four relievers allowed only two runs.
”We just didn’t do enough offensively,” manager Andy Green said.
UP NEXT
Padres: Following an off day on Monday, LHP Eric Lauer (3-4, 6.20) will face Oakland’s Paul Blackburn (1-1, 11.05) on Tuesday night in the first game of a two-game home series.
Braves: Atlanta is off on Monday before opening a two-game series at Toronto on Tuesday night, when rookie RHP Mike Soroka (2-1, 2.57) faces LHP Jaime Garcia (2-5, 5.71).
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Chris Davis doesn’t blame the fans at Camden Yards for showering him with boos, especially when he’s walking back to the dugout after another strikeout.
The Orioles slugger is enduring a nightmare season. Although his power numbers have improved slightly since a recently mandated layoff http://www.chiefsauthorizedsho…..tts-jersey , Davis is batting .156 with seven homers, 24 RBIs and 99 strikeouts at the midpoint of the season.
Not exactly what the Orioles were expecting when they signed the left-handed hitting first baseman to a guaranteed seven-year, $161 million contract in January 2016.
At the time of the deal, Davis averaged 42 home runs and 109 RBIs over the previous three seasons and was coming off a year in which he hit .262 with 47 homers and 117 RBIs.
Since then, his production has dipped annually. His 2017 numbers – .215, 26 and 61 – were downright prolific compared to this year.
Thus, the jeers from the home fans, who have grown weary of watching the struggles of the highest-paid player on the worst team in the big leagues.
”I understand their frustration,” Davis said. ”I know exactly what I’m capable of and what I’ve done in the past. I know that the standard is high and I haven’t been playing that well. But I have to move forward and continue to try to find a way to still have an impact on this season.”
It’s probably too late for his bat to make a difference. His most significant influence on the team, unfortunately, is that his sizable contract makes it that much more difficult for Baltimore to pay big bucks to several of its pending free agents, most notably Manny Machado.
The Orioles and Davis appear destined to be together through the 2022 season, so both sides must make the best of it. That’s why Davis was given an eight-game hiatus in June to get his swing down and his head right. Up to that point http://www.chargersauthorizeds…..nes-jersey , he had tried just about everything else.
”For me, it was exhausting,” Davis said. ”My solution to a lot of my problems in baseball has always been to work. I felt as long as I was working, as long as I was trying, that I would figure it out. This is the first time in my career when I was kind of at a point where I didn’t know what else to do.”
So he went to the sideline, working with hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh and vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson, a left-handed batter who hit 50 homers for the Orioles in 1996.
Upon his return, on June 26 in Atlanta, Davis homered and drove in two runs. Over the past 10 games, he’s hitting .158 with two doubles, two homers, nine RBIs and 13 strikeouts.
”His run production is a lot better, his at-bats have been better http://www.chargersauthorizeds…..ite-jersey ,” manager Buck Showalter insisted. ”They may say comparatively speaking, but if Chris continues at this rate, if you put it over 160 games it’s pretty good.”
Davis has tried just about everything else in an effort to get back into the groove, with the breakaway from the game coming as a last resort.
”I appreciate them giving me the chance to step back, gather myself and regroup,” he said.
Showalter and the organization can only hope for positive, lasting results.
”Chris has been a good friend of mine,” the manager said. ”He’s got a lot of support from the coaches and his teammates.”
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