Clippings Thursday, June 4, 2015 Braves.com

Braves let 6-run lead slip away, fall to D-backs

By Steve Gilbert and Jake Rill / MLB.com | June 3rd, 2015

PHOENIX -- The D-backs overcame a six-run deficit, using a three-run rally in the seventh inning to get past the Braves, 9-8, on Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field.

Chris Owings tied the game at 7 with an RBI single, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia pushed the D-backs ahead with a sacrifice fly to center off Braves reliever Jim Johnson, who took the loss. Yasmany Tomas collected three hits, and A.J. Pollock went 2-for-4 with a for the D-backs, who trailed, 6-0, in the second and matched the largest deficit they have come back to win from in club history.

"Proud of the offense for not giving up or not trying to do too much," Pollock said. "We were really just out there trying to scratch and claw."

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went 2-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs. Starter Mike Foltynewicz gave up five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, as the Braves finished a 4-6 road trip by dropping two of three to the D-backs.

"We had a chance to go 6-4 or maybe even better than that if ... those innings that they scored, those middle innings, if we get some shutdowns there," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

D-backs starter Rubby De La Rosa gave up a season-high seven runs on nine hits in five innings. Reliever Andrew Chafin earned the win for the second consecutive day, pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Early offense: For the second consecutive game, Nick Markakis hit an RBI double in the top of the first to put the Braves up, 1-0. They struck for five more runs against De La Rosa in the second. Cameron Maybin laced a two-out single down the right-field line with the bases loaded to score two, and Freeman followed with a three-run blast to right to stretch the lead to 6-0.

Comeback kids: The D-backs' rally from six runs down matched the largest deficit they've come back from to win in franchise history. The D-backs accomplished the feat by chipping away, scoring a run in the second, two in the third, one in the fifth, one in the sixth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth.

"It's hard, but you've got to keep the same mindset you came into the game with, which is we're trying to get guys on base and not try to do too much," Pollock said. "You can kind of get into a little bit of a trap when you get down that big that early, and I thought we did a really good job. We were satisfied with getting one run in an inning and getting back after it the next inning, and it really paid off late in the game."

Twice as nice: Freeman went deep for the second time with two outs in the fourth, his first multihomer game of the season and sixth of his career. The Braves' first baseman has a 13-game hitting streak against the D-backs, batting .393 with five homers and 19 RBIs during that stretch.

"It's a nice dark background for the batter's eye and the ball carries here," Freeman said of hitting at Chase Field. "So it's always a nice place to go."

A.J. a hot hitter: Pollock homered in the fifth inning to cut the Braves' lead to 7-4. It was the second homer in as many days for Pollock, marking the first time in his career he has homered in consecutive games. It was also Pollock who started the winning rally in the seventh with a double.

UNDER REVIEW Gonzalez used a challenge on the second play of the game when Maybin was called out on a close play at first after hitting a grounder to short. The call was overturned, and shortly after Maybin scored from first on Markakis' double.

Gonzalez used another challenge in the seventh, when Owings was called safe stealing second with two outs on Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt. The call was confirmed and Owings remained a perfect 8-for-8 on stolen-base attempts this season.

WHAT'S NEXT Braves: After Thursday's off-day, the Braves open a seven-game homestand with a three-game series against the Pirates on Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET. Williams Perez (1-0, 2.66 ERA) takes the mound looking for his third straight quality start. It's the right-hander's fourth start after beginning his season in the bullpen.

D-backs: The D-backs open a four-game series against the Mets on Thursday at 6:40 p.m. MST with Jeremy Hellickson on the mound. Hellickson has won his last two starts, allowing five earned runs over 12 2/3 innings.

Bullpen endures rough road trip

Atlanta's relievers allow 22 runs in 22 innings

By Jake Rill / MLB.com | June 3rd, 2015

PHOENIX -- From Los Angeles to San Francisco to Phoenix, the Braves' bullpen had its struggles along the way.

During the 10-game road trip, the Braves' relievers had a 9.00 ERA, allowing 22 earned runs in 22 innings. That culminated in Wednesday's 9-8 loss to the D-backs when the bullpen allowed four runs, all coming after the sixth inning, in a game Atlanta once led, 6-0.

"We need to fix that," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We need to figure out a way, I need to figure out a way, a combination to get the ball to [ Jason] Grilli's hands somehow. It's tough losing games like that."

Cody Martin allowed a pair of runs in two-thirds of an inning, followed by Jim Johnson allowing a pair of runs in an inning and taking the loss. In the seventh, Johnson gave up the game-tying single to Chris Owings and a sacrifice fly to Jarrod Saltalamacchia that put the D-backs ahead, 8-7.

Johnson had been one of the team's better relievers in May, giving up just one run in his first 11 innings of the month. But on this 4-6 road trip, the right-hander allowed four runs (three earned) in 3 1/3 innings.

Johnson also made a defensive miscue that prevented the Braves from keeping it a one-run game. He made an errant throw over the head of third baseman Chris Johnson after catching Nick Ahmed in a rundown between second and third base.

Ahmed scored on the play to stretch the D-backs' lead to 9-7 in the eighth.

"That one run made a big difference because [A.J.] Pierzynski hits a home run [in the ninth] and it would've been tied," Gonzalez said.

Entering Wednesday, the Braves' bullpen had allowed 86 runs in the seventh inning and later, the most in the Majors, adding four more runs to that total in the loss to the D-backs.

"We know they'll come around, they've always been there," Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "[Pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] will work his magic. This bullpen takes pride in their jobs and we know they'll get going."

Freeman, who hit two home runs, has helped the bats get going of late, but the club has been unable to capitalize because of the bullpen's struggles. The Braves scored six runs or more in each of the last five games on the trip, including all three games in the series loss to the D-backs.

"A week from now, we're going to be pitching lights-out and our offense is not going to be scoring, that's usually the way it goes," Gonzalez said. "We've got to ride this wave of our bullpen struggling a little bit and we'll come out on the other side."

Morton faces rookie Perez as Bucs head to Atlanta

By Tom Singer / MLB.com | June 3rd, 2015

The arrival of Charlie Morton, on May 25 following his recovery from September labrum surgery on his right hip, launched the Pirates' rotation on one of its sharpest extended stretches ever. On Friday, in the opener of a three-game series with the Braves in Atlanta, Morton will try to extend the Pirates' sharp coast-to-coast road trip.

To do so, Morton will have to cope with a hot-hitting team, as the Braves have scored at least six runs in each of their last five games, matching the best such streak in the Majors this season (the Astros and Tigers also had similar streaks). And he will have to outpitch rookie right-hander Williams Perez -- the Pirates' third encounter in five games with a they had never faced before. Perez notched the first win of his Major League career his last time out, tossing seven shutout innings against the Giants.

Three things to know about this game • The Pirates will be back at the scene of their 2014 postseason clincher, a 3-2 victory over the Braves on Sept. 23.

• Atlanta's bullpen is staggering home after being tagged with an eight-plus ERA during the club's 10-game West Coast swing. • Morton will make this start against his original team in the wake of the sixth anniversary of his trade to Pittsburgh, on June 3, 2009. Seven days later, Morton was back in Atlanta to pitch against the Braves, his only previous Turner Field start for the Bucs.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves quotes after Wednesday’s loss at Arizona

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

PHOENIX — Braves quotes from Freddie Freeman, Mike Foltynewicz and Fredi Gonzalez after Wednesday’s 9-8 loss at Arizona to complete 4-6 trip.

**FREDI GONZALEZ

On bullpen’s ongoing struggles

“They scored a run after the starter came out almost every inning except the bottom of the ninth, because they didn’t hit in the bottom of the ninth. Ten-game road trip, I think our bullpen got exposed a little bit, or some areas of the bullpen got exposed. We need to fix that. We need to figure out a way, I need to figure out a way, a combination, to get the ball to Grilli’s hands, somehow. It’s tough losing games like that.”

The errant throw by Johnson, trying to get runner at third, add to the frustration?

“He’s out at third, or we get him in a rundown. It was just a bad throw. We were trying to keep him in the game and keep it a one-run game, because we had the middle of the order coming up for us in the top of the ninth. And sure enough, that one run made a big difference, because Pierzynski hits a home run and it could have been tied.”

Middle of lineup got overshadowed by the losses, but Markakis, Freeman are really swinging the bat well

“They sure are. Even the top of the order today with Maybin getting back in there. He got a couple of hits, scored a couple of times. His legs are fine. His first at-bat he ran down and beat the throw to first base. The offense is swinging the bats, it really it. This is . A week from now we’re going to be pitching lights-out and the offense is not going to be scoring. That’s usually the way it goes. But we’ve got to ride this wave of our bullpen struggling a little bit, and we’ll come out on the other side.”

On the road trip

“We went 4-6, and we had a chance to go 6-4, maybe even better than that if we get some of those innings that they scored, some of those middle innings, we get some shutdowns there.”

On Foltynewicz

“He did OK. For a young kid you’re going to expect some outings like this. There were a couple of things during he course of the game, as he gets more comfortable and gets a little more maturity, those are the things he’ll eliminate, because he’s a really bright kid and the learning curve is short.”

What can you do with the bullpen, with pieces you have?

“I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”

**MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ

On his performance

“I thought I threw the ball fine. There were a lot of two-strike pitches that I wish I could have back; I left a lot over the plate, and major league hitters are going to put the ball in play. Other than that, I battled the whole five innings and gave up some infield singles. The outfield did great running down balls for me, and the offense exploded. So overall it was a good day.”

You had progressed in each of your last few starts before this one. Any good things you can take from this one?

“Yeah, there’s some good things. I thought I attacked the zone well. Had a couple of walks, but other than that I attacked the zone and got ahead of guys. But like I said, just those two-strike pitches, they’ve got to be better located. Other than that, there were some positives to take out of it. Go home, get a good bullpen session, work on some things, and go from there.”

Key to beating Arizona keeping their first two hitters off the bases before the big guys? “Yeah, also in the third inning that two-out walk (Goldschmidt) kind of got me. Other than that, I was just trying to stay aggressive, and I left a couple of pitches out over the plate and it cost me. So, I’ve just got to locate them pitches better next time and go from there. It’s definitely a learning curve.”

**FREDDIE FREEMAN

On his swing, after two-homer game Wednesday and five homers in six games

“It feels good. It’s been a work in progress for a few weeks, and it’s starting to all come together.”

You talked before series about how well you hit here, did you see the ball as well as you hoped you would here?

“Yeah. Obviously I got robbed a couple of times yesterday, but I’ll take it – those are balls hit hard to the other side. So hopefully even with this day off tomorrow, I can carry it over to the weekend series.”

Bullpen struggling now, but several hitters including yourself, Markakis, Maybin and others are swinging well

“Yeah, the offense is swinging the bat really well right now, so hopefully this off day doesn’t cool us down. But I like what we see. We’re putting up runs and we know the pitching staff will come around.”

Frustrating at all to see the leads blown, the bullpen struggling, or do you know they’ll come around?

“No. We know they’ll come around. They’ve always been there. Roger (McDowell) will work his magic. This bullpen takes a lot of pride in their job. We know they’ll get going.”

On 4-6 trip, Fredi G saying it could’ve been 6-4 easily

“Yeah, definitely. We played good baseball this road trip, and that’s all you can really ask for. If a couple of things fall our way here and there (on the trip), we’d have a winning record.”

On the defensive shifts he faces

“I don’t think about it. It’s hard enough to try to hit the ball without trying to worry about where the fielders are. I just view that as, just put it away and just try to hit it and make hard contact.”

Braves’ bullpen blows another lead in loss

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

PHOENIX — The Braves have a day off Thursday, and their maligned relief can certainly use it. So can fans after watching the bullpen blow another substantial lead Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks to end a 10-game trip with a thud.

They led 6-1 after two innings and 7-3 after four innings, but the Braves watched the lead vanish, as they wasted a two-homer game from Freddie Freeman in a 9-8 loss at Chase Field. They blew multi-run leads while losing the past two days against the Diamondbacks to finish 4-6 on the trip, with series losses against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks around a four-game split at San Francisco.

“Ten-game road trip, I think our bullpen got exposed a little bit, or some areas of the bullpen got exposed,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves open a series Friday against the surging at Turner Field. “We need to fix that. We need to figure out a way — I need to figure out a way — a combination, to get the ball to (closer Jason) Grilli’s hands, somehow. It’s tough losing games like that.”

The Braves scored 24 runs in three games against the Diamondbacks, and lost two.

“The offense is swinging the bat really well right now, so hopefully this off day doesn’t cool us down,” said Freeman, whose three-run homer in the second inning was his fifth in six games, capping a five-run inning that staked rookie starter Mike Foltynewicz to a 6-1 lead. “But I like what we see. We’re putting up runs, and we know the pitching staff will come around.”

Foltynewicz didn’t have one of his better starts, allowing eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings, with two walks and five . He gave up two hits to backup catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who had been 4-for-41 (.098) all season before Wednesday.

Saltalamacchia doubled in the sixth and scored on Aaron Hill’s two-out pinch single to trim the Braves’ lead to 7-5.

“There were a lot of two-strike pitches that I wish I could have back,” Foltynewicz said. “I left a lot over the plate, and major league hitters are going to put the ball in play. Other than that, I battled the whole five innings and gave up some infield singles. The outfield did great running down balls for me, and our offense exploded.” Asked whether it was frustrating to see leads blown on the trip, Freeman said, “No. We know they’ll come around. They’ve always been there. (Pitching coach) Roger (McDowell) will work his magic. This bullpen takes a lot of pride in their job. We know they’ll get going.”

In the first game of the trip, May 25 at Dodger Stadium, the Braves led 2-1 after six innings, then watched relievers give up one run in the seventh and four runs in the eighth in a 6-3 loss. The bullpen blew a 3-2 lead in the seventh Sunday at San Francisco, but the Braves scored four runs in the ninth inning for a 7-5 win.

They weren’t able to overcome late-inning collapses the past two days against the Diamondbacks, who scored three runs Wednesday against relievers Cody Martin and Jim Johnson in the seventh inning, then another run in the eighth off Johnson for a 9-7 lead, rendering A.J. Pierzynski’s pinch-hit homer with two out in the Braves’ ninth a mere footnote.

“They scored a run after the starter came out almost every inning except the bottom of the ninth because they didn’t hit in the bottom of the ninth,” Gonzalez said.

The eighth-inning run came via two mistakes by Johnson. There was leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Nick Ahmed, a former Braves prospect who fell behind in the count 1-2 before working the free pass. Then, after Ahmed advanced on a ground out, Johnson fielded A.J. Pollock’s fielder’s choice grounder and made an errant throw to third base that sailed into left-field foul territory, allowing Ahmed to score.

“He’s out at third, or we get him in a rundown,” Gonzalez said. “It was just a bad throw. We were trying to keep him in the game and keep it a one- run game because we had the middle of the order coming up for us in the top of the ninth. And sure enough, that one run made a big difference, because Pierzynski hits a home run, and it could have been tied.”

Diamondbacks 9, Braves 8

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

How the game was won: The Braves led 6-1 after two innings and 7-3 after four, but again they couldn’t hold a lead as the Diamondbacks scored five runs after the fifth for a 9-8 win at Chase Field. Freddie Freeman had his first two-homer game of the season for the Braves, who went 4-6 on their trip despite scoring 37 runs in the last five games against the Giants and Diamondbacks.

The bullpen, which has the majors’ highest ERA, blew multi-run leads each of the past two days. Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz gave up eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. A.J. Pierzynski also homered for the Braves, a two-out solo shot in the ninth as a pinch-hitter.

Number: 5. Home runs for Freeman in his past six games, after he’d gone homerless in the previous 20 games. He has 10 homers this season, and has six homers and 19 RBIs in a 13-game hitting streak against Arizona dating to May 2013.

What’s next: The Braves are off Thursday before a three-game series against the surging Pirates that starts Friday night at Turner Field.

Braves rookie Williams Perez (1-0, 2.66 ERA) faces Pirates right-hander Charlie Morton (2-0, 1.93).

K. Johnson (oblique) progressing in injury rehab

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

PHOENIX — Kelly Johnson began taking batting practice and doing defensive drills this week as the Braves left fielder/third baseman continues his rehab from a strained oblique muscle in his left side.

He’s working out at the teams’ spring-training headquarters in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. There’s no timetable yet for his return, but Johnson is expected to have a minor league injury-rehab assignment before he rejoins the Braves.

Johnson was the Braves’ home-run leader, with six in 81 at-bats, before injuring his left side taking a swing in a May 12 game at Cincinnati. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list immediately after that game.

He’d started 14 of the last 16 games, including 12 in left field and two at third base, before his injury. Todd Cunningham has platooned with Jonny Gomes in left field since Johnson went on the DL.

When Johnson returns, the Braves could opt to keep Cunningham and designate for assignment outfielder Eric Young Jr., who has barely played in recent weeks.

More on Miller’s rough night, and run-producing Braves pitchers

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

PHOENIX — When Braves ace walked Paul Goldschmidt with bases loaded in the second inning of Tuesday’s 7-6 loss to the Diamondbacks, it marked the first time in Miller’s career that he issued a bases-loaded walk.

Miller also walked pitcher Josh Collmenter in that three-run inning, and finished the game with six walks – matching a career high – to go with six hits and four runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings. It was the first time in 11 starts this season that Miller allowed more than two earned runs, and his 1.89 ERA was still the second-lowest among National League starters, behind Max Scherzer (1.85).

Before Tuesday, the last time Miller allowed more than three runs was Aug. 16, 2014, which was also his only previous six-walk game. With the Cardinals at that time, Miller gave up four runs, four hits and six walks (two intentional) in six innings of that August game against the Padres, and got no decision in a St. Louis loss.

In 17 starts between that game and Tuesday, Miller went 7-2 with a 1.71 ERA and .181 opponents’ average, allowing three runs or fewer — earned or unearned — in every start and two runs or fewer in 14 of the 17 games….

When Braves pitcher Alex Wood hit a two-out single to drive in the first runs in an 8-0 win against the Diamondbacks, it raised Atlanta’s RBI total by pitchers to eight this season, the most in the majors before Wednesday. Braves pitchers had only one few RBI than Cleveland shortstops or and Oakland center fielders, and two fewer RBIs than White Sox second basemen or Brewers and Phillies catchers.

Maybin returns to Braves lineup, makes immediate impact

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

PHOENIX – Back in the Braves lineup Wednesday after missing two games with a strained groin, center fielder Cameron Maybin made an immediate impact with his bat and speed.

Maybin hit an infield single and scored from first on a Nick Markakis double in the first inning against the Diamondbacks. He hit a two-out, bases- loaded single to drive in two runs in the second inning, right before Freddie Freeman’s three-run homer pushed the lead to 6-0. And Maybin beat out another infield hit in the fifth inning.

He showed no sign of injury while blazing to first base for his pair of infield. He grounded to shortstop and was called out on a close play at first base, but the Braves challenged, and the call was overturned after video review.

One out later, Maybin loped around the bases to score from first on Nick Markakis’ double down the third-base line to the outfield corner, the third two-out double for Markakis in two days.

Maybin has been a pleasant surprise and one of the Braves’ most productive hitters since late April, batting .302 with five doubles, two homers, 17 RBIs and a .391 on-base percentage in his past 29 games.

He started 17 consecutive games and 26 out of 27 in center field before tweaking his left groin during Sunday’s win at San Francisco.

UPDATED: Baseball’s worst bullpen belongs to the Braves

By Mark Bradley

Here’s a stat we haven’t seen in many a moon: The Atlanta Braves have the worst ERA for relievers (4.71) in the major leagues. They’re 30th of 30. They’re the absolute caboose.

In 2008, the first year of Frank Wren’s stewardship, the Braves were 21st in bullpen ERA. Then things changed. They ranked sixth in 2009, third in 2010, first in 2011, second in 2012 and first in 2013. Last year they slipped to 11th, but still: That was a really good run of relief.

One thing you can say about Wren as general manager: He was deft at building a bullpen. One other thing to say about those six good-to-excellent seasons: It never hurts to have the best reliever in the business. (Craig Kimbrel made his Atlanta debut in May 2010.)

Wren was fired — “terminated,” to use the Braves’ cruel word — last September. The new regime traded Kimbrel, Jordan Walden, David Carpenter and Anthony Varvaro, four of the team’s five most-used relievers in 2014.

Kimbrel hasn’t been quite as dominant as a Padre: His ERA has ballooned to 4.74 and his WHIP (walks/hits per inning) has risen to a career-worst 1.316. Walden was excellent in April as a set-up man for the Cardinals’ Trevor Rosenthal; Walden’s ERA was 0.87 before being sidelined with a sore shoulder. Carpenter has been OK as a sometime set-up man for the Yankees: He has two blown saves, two holds and an ERA of 4.82. (Update: Carpenter was DFA’ed by New York late Wednesday afternoon.) Varvaro was waived by the Red Sox, for whom he made nine underwhelming appearances. He was claimed by the Cubs, whereupon it was learned he had a torn elbow flexor. He was returned to the Red Sox as damaged goods and will miss the rest of the season.

There’s a theory among baseball men that you can get away with pinching pennies in the bullpen. The Braves haven’t gotten away with it. They’ve blown eight saves in 52 games; they blew 13 saves all last season.

Even when Shelby Miller had his worst start of the year, the Braves led 6-4 Tuesday night in Phoenix and had positioned themselves to nose two games above .500. Then Nick Masset, the Miami castoff, yielded one run and Brandon Cunniff was touched for a game-losing homer.

The Braves are back to break-even, which isn’t terrible given the expectations for this team. Just think, though, how much better they might be if they had even baseball’s 20th-best bullpen.

Another update: Not to say I told you so, but … the Braves lost again Wednesday afternoon. Bullpen wasted another lead. That’s nine blown saves in 53 games, two in 18 hours. They scored 22 runs against Arizona and lost the series. They’re a game below .500.

Should Braves buy at trade deadline?

By Michael Cunningham

Here’s hoping the Braves keep chugging along at around .500 and the Nationals and Mets stay within striking distance because that would set up the storyline I’ve badly been hoping to see.

If all of that stays the same through mid-July, would the Braves become buyers at the trade deadline? Or do they sell off one of their few expendable-but-valuable pieces and keep stockpiling prospects? Is it possible they can do some combination of the two, getting some useful major leaguers back in trades to fill their needs while also adding more prospects?

By now it’s clear their major need is arms in the bullpen. Nick Masset and then Brandon Cunniff became the latest in a long line of Braves relief pitchers to give it up when the Diamondbacks came back to win after trailing 6-4 after five innings last night.

“They’ve got to find somebody to get people out,” Fox Sports analyst Joe Simpson said, sounding exasperated. “I don’t know who it is, but . . .”

Jim Johnson and Jason Grilli have been adequate in the back end and Luis Avilan has been fine as the lefty specialist. The Braves have run through a long list of arms in an effort to find others who are as reliable: Cunniff, Masset, Cody Martin, Sugar Ray Marimon, , Donnie Veal . . .

Some of those guys have been effective for short stretches but none have been dependable. The Braves have the worst bullpen ERA (4.71) in the majors. Paradoxically, Braves relievers have been better in higher-leverage situations: just 17 percent of inherited runners have scored, which is the second-best mark in the majors.

And yet even with the bad bullpen the Braves are 26-26. Their plan to replace the sluggers they traded away with guys who make contact has worked as well as they could have hoped. The starting pitching has stabilized and there are no major holes in the defense.

If the Braves can play .500 ball with a bad bullpen, should they just stay the course and pick up whatever prospects they can get in trades? In my interaction with fans, I haven’t sensed any real urgency for major moves. Refreshingly, most Braves backers seem to understand the rebuilding/retooling process and are content to watch an average team give good effort and wait for some of those prospects to get seasoning in the minors.

But if the Braves are still in contention come July 31, they’ll have some tough choices to make. I think that's how it will play out and I can’t wait to see what they do.

TOTAL RECALL: JOHN SCHUERHOLZ

By I.J. Rosenberg - For the AJC

The architect of the Braves’ championship team in 1995 was in his box at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium when the last out of the season fell into the glove of center fielder .

“I was hollering, screaming and hugging everyone,’’ said John Schuerholz of the 1-0 win over Cleveland in of the . “The blood pulsing through a baseball executive at that time is more vibrant than ever. It was a precious, special and validating time for everyone. It’s that moment of singular and grand success.’’

Then what did the Braves general manager do? “I made a mad dash for the clubhouse,’’ he said.

There, Schuerholz joined the team he had been building for five years, one that had won four consecutive division titles (the 1994 postseason was cancelled because of the players’ strike), been to three World Series and now brought Atlanta its first world title. For perhaps the best hire that Stan Kasten, a respected long time-sports executive, ever made, it was a season to remember for Schuerholz.

Q: You made a key move in August, bringing in Mike Devereaux from the Chicago White Sox. The veteran would win the MVP of the league championship series.

A: We were looking for a capable defensive outfielder who had some speed. As it turned out, he probably had his hottest month and half of the season. He played sensational and really fit in well in the clubhouse. He also was a good guy.

Q: Was there any point of the season when you thought the pieces were falling into place?

A: We thought we had a talented team. If I said we thought we were world-championship caliber that would be cocky. Bobby (Cox) was never one to put undue pressure on a player. He let the guys play until they got into their groove and that is what happened. When we got to the playoffs, we were ready.

Q: bounced off a rough ’94 season and elbow surgery and pitched well that season. You have always been a big fan of Smoltz.

A: John is a remarkable athlete. The way he dealt with everything. When he was near healthy we knew he was going to be a big asset for us. His determination and mental toughness was so obvious in ’95 and then of course he had that great year in ’96.

Q: How did you feel heading into the World Series against the Indians?

A: All our scouting reports said it would be our toughest opponent. It was the Braves’ pitching-centric team against the Indians’ hitting-centric team. It turned out good for us.

Q: And of course the last game was a classic, especially with taking a shot at the fans the day before.

A: David was stirring up the crowd, he would say. It set a backdrop for whether the fans wanted to show David what they felt or support the Braves. It may not have been quite the same classic game that Smoltz and (Jack) Morris pitched (in the 1991 World Series). But it was darn close to it. And David got the key hit.

Even in Savannah, an historic ballpark stuggles

By Steve Hummer - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

SAVANNAH — It’s not just the squirrels that will cost this historic city and its historic ballpark a franchise, those lovable Sand Gnats.

Although when it comes to rodents vs. technology, they are undefeated. “We barely have Internet here, and it’s regularly eaten by squirrels,” Sand Gnats president John Katz said. “Literally, if squirrels eat the wrong cord our entire network is shut down.”

It’s not, by itself, the walk-in closet that serves as the Sand Gnats clubhouse that will send the team packing for Columbia, S.C. at season’s end. Nor is it primarily the main concession stand that has made no concessions to the 21st Century, nor the tight quarters in the restrooms, nor the lack of an upscale perch from which to watch a game or hold a wedding.

All those shortcomings, in combination with the many other irritants that come with living in an 89-year-old home, have become too much for team ownership — Hardball Capital LLC.

Grayson Stadium was built in 1926, just yesterday on Savannah’s long timeline but ancient in this era of newer, brighter ballparks. Minor league teams have come and gone, Grayson kept standing. For the past 19 years, the resident has borrowed the name of the little biting nuisance that afflicts the summer. And for almost as long as the Sand Gnats have played at Grayson, they have walked the narrow wall between quaint and outdated. They announced May 21 that they had finally fallen off.

How in demand is a team from the remedial levels of (the Sand Gnats are a Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets)? Well, Columbia kicked in $30 million of a $37 million new stadium project to build a first-class home to attract the lower-classification franchise.

As this season ends so will Grayson’s designation as America’s oldest working minor league park.

And no team is in line to replace the departing Gnats.

“People may think we’re going to get another pro team for Grayson. But we’re not,” said Joe Shearouse, director of Savannah’s Leisure Services Bureau, which oversees the city-owned stadium. Baseball more than any other sport reveres its history. Grayson is part of the game’s charming tableau, both for the players it raised from minor league pups and the established ones who passed through, back when they played exhibition games for the small town folk before heading north for the real season. It is a slightly cracked window into what baseball used to be.

Sitting on his green bench seat just above home plate, 75-year-old Robert Howard recounted some of the greats he had seen in his more than 60 years of coming to Grayson: “Hank Aaron; Yogi Berra; Mickey Mantle; Elston Howard; Lou Brock; Curt Flood.” But he can stay current, too. When asked for one of his most memorable moments over all those years, Howard recalled last season’s Sally League championship.

“I’ve been here about every day, come rain or shine. Don’t know where I’ll go next year,” Howard said.

Thursday it could not have been a better night for baseball in Georgia’s first city. For one it was Thirsty Thursday, with all draft beer and soft drinks half price. A crowd of 2,300 responded.

No drive to the ballpark in Columbia can be like the one to Grayson, as you pass through a corridor of oaks dripping with moss. No day in South Carolina could ever be better than this, the humidity low, a fresh breeze blowing out. There was scarcely a need for the B-29 propeller-sized fans that turn from the green metal overhang (dating to a rebuild after the hurricane of 1940).

The place has tried to keep up with the times while still maintaining its historical integrity. A small video board was added to center field, a full bar shoehorned beneath the grandstand. As at any other minor league park, baseball at Grayson is something to do until the next between-innings fan contest.

It hasn’t been enough. The old girl couldn’t hope to keep pace with new construction.

For the players, it was a big development when they got a couch for the clubhouse this season. At the new place next year, they’ll have their own lounge separate of the dressing area. A real weight room, too.

That new place will have the potential to be a year-round facility, with space for concerts and business gatherings and even weddings. Oh, and there will be baseball.

Plus, having a telecommunications company as the name sponsor means the new stadium will have completely squirrel-proof Wi-Fi access.

“For us it’s about the experience,” Katz said. “Baseball is part of that experience, but it’s not necessarily the focus of that experience. The focus of that experience is about the entertainment. It’s not just about opening the gates and having people come. It’s not the 1950s anymore.”

And what about Grayson’s fate?

Shearouse vows the city will not let Grayson crumble and fall. They are looking into bringing in college tournaments in the spring when it’s still frosty up north, maybe a wooden-bat league in the summer. Perhaps some more youth programs, a festival here and there.

It will become another great old ballpark looking for a niche in a world that left it behind.

Fox Sports South

Three Cuts: Bats thrive, bullpen falters as Braves drop winnable game

Knox Bardeen

For the second straight game, the inconceivable happened: Atlanta's bullpen blew up and allowed another potential win to escape. The Braves took a 6-1 lead into the third inning, a 7-3 lead into the fifth and were behind by the seventh.

Here are three observations from the Braves' disappointing 9-8 loss to end an excruciating road trip:

1. FOLTYNEWICZ DIDN'T PITCH WELL ENOUGH, BUT SIX RUNS SHOULD HAVE LEFT HIM A COMFORTABLE MARGIN

The Braves scored six runs in the first two innings on Wednesday and notched a seventh in the fourth inning. That's typically enough for a team to win a baseball game.

The Braves have some issues right now, however.

Arizona touched up Foltynewicz for five runs (four earned) and sent him packing from the game after 5 2/3 innings. He gave up eight hits while striking out five and walked two. Foltynewicz's outing was a definite regression from his last two.

Against Milwaukee and San Francisco, Foltynewicz gave up eight hits combined. And he also struck out 15, walked just two and allowed three earned runs. But as all young pitchers will do, Foltynewicz stepped back in his development a bit. "He did OK. For a young kid you've got to expect some outings like this," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "There were a couple of things over the course of the game that I think as he gets more comfortable as he gets a little more maturity those are the things he'll eliminate, because he's a really, really bright kid and the learning curve it's really, really short."

Without mentioning the walk, Gonzalez had to be speaking of the two-out walk to Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the third inning.

Foltynewicz got ahead with a first-pitch strike, but then walked Goldschmidt with four straight balls. In fairness, Goldschmidt is an solid All-Star and potential MVP candidate, so avoiding him wasn't a terrible idea for Foltynewicz.

But after the walk came a double from Yasmany Tomas. Then an RBI-double from David Peralta to cut into Atlanta's lead.

No one run or mistake was the reason Atlanta lost on Wednesday, but as Foltynewicz grows on the mound into the ace he potentially could be, he'll either learn how to avoid powerful hitters without the walk, or learn how to avoid mistake after an unintentional, intentional walk.

2. ATLANTA'S BULLPEN SITS IN A SERIOUSLY DARK PLACE RIGHT NOW

The Braves bullpen has been the top of conversation for this 10-game road trip, and not in a good way.

They started the road trip by blowing a against the Dodgers and giving up five earned runs. Three games later Brandon Cunniff and Donnie Veal gave up six earned runs in one inning of work. The Braves hadn't scored a run, so the loss fell on Shelby Miller, but the bullpen removed all hope of a comeback.

A game after that, Jim Johnson gave up two earned runs in the eighth, meaning the run Atlanta got in the ninth brought them to within two runs and didn't tie the game.

Fast forward to the final two games of the trip and the bullpen gave up two more wins. Cunniff gave up two runs and blew a save on Tuesday, while Johnson blew a save on Wednesday.

In 22 1/3 relief innings over the last 10 games, Atlanta's bullpen has an 8.87 ERA and has been at least mostly responsible for five losses. A dejected manager spoke about needed to solve the problem.

"They scored a run from when the starter came out in almost every inning except the bottom of the ninth, and that's because they didn't hit in the bottom of the ninth," said Gonzalez. "[On this] 10-game road trip some areas of our bullpen got exposed a little bit. We need to fix that. We need to figure out a way, I need to figure out a way, or a combination to get the ball into [Jason] Grilli's hands somehow."

3. BRAVES' RETURN HOME FROM ROAD TRIP CAN'T HAPPEN QUICKLY ENOUGH

Late-inning losses hurt, and the Braves have been in the lead in the seventh inning or later, only to lose, in each of their last two games.

Don't expect the team to waste any time boarding its plane from the desert to head home. If the pilot finds a nice tailwind, he'd better use it.

The Braves can't get home fast enough from this 4-6 road trip that absolutely should have been much better. And it's not just because the team has a winning record at home and a 14-17 record away from Turner Field.

One of the best remedies for disappointment is a friendly surrounding. The Braves just scored 7.4 runs per game over its last five games (never more than eight, never fewer than six) but only went 3-2. That hurts.

But there's a remedy scenario to think about for these hot bats as they return to Atlanta.

While the team's batting average has been relatively the same at home as on the road, the Braves have scored more runs per game (4.4 at home vs. 4.1 away) and knock more extra-base hits (2.7 vs. 2.5) while at Turner Field.

If these bats stay awake, it won't take much of a bullpen adjustment to get things back on track.

The Forsythe County News

Braves’ John Hart deserves credit (and thanks)

By Denton Ashway

Here’s an early vote for John Hart as ’s executive of the year.

Hart crafted a team that played its first 50 games at a .500 pace. That he did so out of the dysfunctional, disinterested rabble that limped home last September defies logic. He cleaned house and created a team that’s fun to watch, as opposed to one that offends the senses. A team you can actually root for, as opposed to one you became indifferent towards. Like the players themselves seemed to be.

I know it’s impossible to be disappointed when you have no expectations. But by any reckoning, this team has been a most pleasant surprise.

Predicted by all the experts to be lucky to reach 70 wins, and by many to be closer to 100 losses, the Braves ended May a mere 2 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.

What they may lack in talent they make up for with passion.

“There’s a lot of fight in this team,” Freddie Freeman told Mark Bowman of mlb.com Sunday.

“I don’t think anybody ever feels out of a game,” added Jace Peterson. “Everybody is going to keep competing and battling. So, no matter what the scoreboard says, we’re going to fight.”

In the top of the ninth inning Sunday, the scoreboard said, “World Champion Giants 5, Braves 3.” That was after the Braves spent four innings making look like he was back in the World Series.

By the top of the seventh, new arrival Juan Uribe had knocked the Series MVP out of the game with a two-run homer.

Immediately, the bullpen’s latest weak link, Donnie Veal, coughed up the lead.

Come the ninth, the Braves got a home run from the slumping Freeman, and a walk to Andrelton Simmons. Then came the turning point.

Christian Bethancourt hit a game-ending, double-play grounder to Brandon Crawford, who misplayed it.

Suddenly, the Braves morphed into the Braves of old, pouncing on their opponent’s mistake and making them pay. Dearly. A. J. Pierzynski blooped a single, and Peterson spun the carousel with a bases-clearing triple.

That single half-inning exhibited the appealing blend of these Braves. Youngsters like Peterson and Bethancourt, young veterans like Freeman and Simmons and veteran leaders like Pierzynski have combined to comprise a lineup that never says die.

The save went to Jason Grilli, who just happens to have more saves and a lower than the man he replaced, Craig Kimbrel.

Significantly, the win gave the Braves a winning month for the first time in a year. Their 15-13 May record matched their record for last June, clinched on the final day of the month with a come-from-behind win over the Mets.

In fact, Sunday’s win was the Braves first in which they trailed after eight innings or later, since that game. Their 70 straight losses in that situation, the true mark of a team that has packed it in, was the longest in baseball. By 30 games. It was the second longest in Braves history. The 1904-05 Braves lost 108 such games in a row.

Saturday’s game, though not as exciting, also provided a stark contrast to last year’s Braves. They managed five single run innings, and every time a batter failed to advance a runner, the next man up succeeded.

We also got to witness seven shutout innings from Williams Perez, which brings us to another point. This young pitching rotation gives fans something to savor with almost every outing.

We dare not curse this group with comparisons to John Smoltz and , but the potential’s exciting to behold. Perez, Mike Foltynewicz, Alex Wood, and budding ace Shelby Miller are capable of winning every time they take the ball.

It almost seems like a perfect fit in this unexpected season that Julio Teheran, the alleged ace, would be the weak link.

“Health wise, he’s fine,” manager Fredi Gonzalez told Bowman. “But it’s not the same Julio Teheran from a year ago, when you gave him a lead and it was over.”

Likewise, the bullpen remains combustible. Lots of young arms have had all sorts of moments. Brandon Cuniff’s ERA rose almost three runs in a single outing last Thursday, undoing two months of excellent work.

But, again, you’ve got a nice mix: two veterans, Jim Johnson and Grilli, holding down the last two innings while educating the youngsters.

So far, this rebuilding process hasn’t been nearly as painful as those who suffered through most of the ‘70s and ‘80s remember. This team is fun to watch, and it looks like a solid foundation has been laid for good things to come. Credit John Hart for all that.

The Sports Journal

Shelby Miller is Carrying a Braves Team in Transition

By Max Holm

Many heads turned in Major League Baseball’s offseason when the Atlanta Braves essentially blew their team up. Both B.J. and Justin Upton have packed their bags to San Diego. All-star close Craig Kimbrel is also a Padre and now it’s hard to recognize this franchise whatsoever.

The crazy thing about it all is this team isn’t far removed from utter dominance. From 1991 to 2005 the Braves won 14 straight National League East titles, though they only managed one championship to show for their reign of power, a 1995 title over the under legendary manager .

But even in the years past that, they had John Smoltz and Tom Glavine and Gregg Maddux, along with Andruw and . So with all these legends gone and now most of their stars and competent every day players gone, it’s tough to come to Turner Field.

One of the final crumblings of the cookie that was Braves’ fans’ sanity was the trade of outfielder , 25 years of age, who was thought to be a younger piece who could help build the next great era of Braves baseball. But he too was traded back in November of 2014 to the St. Louis Cardinals for starting pitcher Shelby Miller.

Shelby Miller for the former 20-year-old outfielder who homered off Carlos Zambrano in his first ever at bat? Really?

Well, hindsight is always 20-20, and Miller is getting the Braves their money’s worth, leading this pitching staff and helping the Braves stay in the divisional race. And while Miller has thrived, Heyward is hitting .251 for the Cards with just 5 HR and 14 RBI.

In 11 starts, Miller is 5-2 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He also has quality starts in eight of those 11 outings, including two complete game shutouts against the Phillies and Marlins. After a recent rough start Miller stayed optimistic. “I mean, you’re human. That stuff’s going to happen,” said Miller. That’s the demeanor of a level headed pitcher.

Miller’s manager, Fredi Gonzalez has had nothing but praise for his right-hander. “He gives us a chance to win every time he goes out there,” said Gonzalez. However, it’s not just Miller’s numbers that define his impact.

This was supposed to be the year for 24-year-old Julio Teheran to step up and take over this staff, but that’s not been the case whatsoever. After starting the year (2-0) with a 1.50 ERA, the Colombian has seen his ERA skyrocket to 4.87 with an accompanying WHIP of 1.54.

That context added to all the young pitchers who have succumbed to season ending injuries for Atlanta – like Mike Minor and Brandon Beachy – leaves Miller’s success in aforementioned higher regard and significance.

Teheran and left-hander Alex Wood were supposed to carry this staff, and while Wood has pitched very well, Miller’s dominance has kept Atlanta’s boat afloat as the team looks to stay competitive and bring back the winning culture that was so prevalent for over a decade.

Statesman Journal

Braves scout looking for the next "Mickey Mantle"

Gary Horowitz

There is life after playing professional baseball for Brett Evert.

Actually, nearly eight years removed from a pitching career that took him to the doorstep of "The Show," Evert remains devoted to baseball.

But his priorities have changed.

Instead of trying to overpower hitters with a fastball that reached the mid 90s, or keeping them off balance with a and , Evert's job is to evaluate players who could help the Atlanta Braves.

Show time for Evert has arrived, with the Major League Baseball Draft from June 8-10 approaching.

"The goal is to outwork and out draft the other teams," said Evert, 34, an area scouting supervisor for the Braves. "We want players that can help the Atlanta Braves at every level, especially in the major leagues." After nine minor league seasons with the Braves, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers and organizations with several stints at Triple-A level, Evert fell short of his Major League Baseball dreams.

He's pursuing a different dream these days with the Braves, who selected Evert in the seventh round of the 1999 draft late in his senior year at North Salem High School.

"I was born to be in baseball," said Evert, who lives in Salem with his wife Elisa. They both attended North Salem and were high school sweethearts.

At 6-foot-6 and 200-plus pounds, the big right-hander looks like he could still take the hill and relive glory days.

"There's nothing that I regret. Nothing that I feel I could have done," Evert said. "I mean, you always wish you would have run one sprint harder, but realistically I think I had every opportunity and it just didn't work out."

But things have worked out as a scout, a job Evert unknowingly prepared for during his playing days.

After a brief stint in the Independent League in 2007, Evert retired and entered a new phase in his baseball career. He reached out to scouting directors from all 30 major league teams, inquiring about possible scouting or coaching opportunities.

Evert heard from two teams – the Rockies and Braves – and was hired in 2008 to work part-time as a Northwest scout for the Rockies.

The following year he landed a full-time gig with the Braves, and "the rest is kind of history."

Evert, whose territory includes the Northwest and northern California, schedules in-house visits with potential prospects during the offseason, attends college games during the season, and prepares for the draft.

Are there players from Oregon State and Oregon who interest the Braves?

Without getting specific, Evert said "all 30 teams have interest in those well-known players" such as Oregon State pitcher Andrew Moore and center fielder Jeff Hendrix, and Oregon pitchers Garrett Cleavinger and Josh Graham, and third baseman Mitchell Tolman.

Last week Evert was in Atlanta for pre-draft meetings, and from there it was off to the Fullerton (Calif.) Regional to evaluate potential prospects.

This summer Evert will alter his usual routine of attending minor league baseball games to identify prospects who might be good fits for the Braves in trades or player acquisitions down the road, and concentrate on summer collegiate leagues.

"This year we've put a bigger emphasis on getting a head start on the draft for next year," Evert said.

The tools of Evert's job have changed. He's no longer in a baseball uniform with glove in hand. You'll find him with a radar gun, stopwatch and laptop to document reports.

Much like in his playing days, Evert is often on the road. That can be difficult on a marriage, but Brett and Elisa have made it work.

"The house stays clean when I'm gone and the office is clean and all that stuff, so it works out," Evert said with a chuckle.

Elisa Evert wasn't a baseball fan when they met nearly 20 years ago. But that changed in a hurry.

During the summer months she joined Brett in minor league stops such as Myrtle Beach and Greenville, South Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia.

For a person who had never been away from home, it was a lifestyle change "that really developed me into who I am now," in terms of being independent, she said.

Elisa is busy with her own career as a community school outreach coordinator for the Salem-Keizer School District. Time apart "definitely does" make their bond stronger, she said.

Since Brett Evert has been through the recruiting process before, he has a unique perspective.

He knows what it's like to be a high school senior with more pressing concerns than contemplating about a professional baseball career, like "I've gotta finish my basketball season first," or "I've got a paper due tomorrow."

Eventually, Evert got around to making that decision. He had already accepted a scholarship offer from San Diego State, but after being selected by the Braves, had a change of heart.

"I was so young and naive to everything," Evert said. "I was really like a kid in a candy store, just excited about every opportunity that was pushed my direction."

With a signing bonus of $169,500 in hand, Evert embarked on a minor league baseball journey beginning in the summer of 1999 that took him throughout the south, east to Jamestown, New York, and northwest to Tacoma, Washington. In 245 career appearances – 127 starts – Evert had a 47-58 win-loss record with a 4.08 ERA, 786 strikeouts and 323 walks in 881 2/3 innings.

Toward the end of his career, Evert was released by the Brewers after posting a 2.65 ERA in 14 games with Double-A Huntsville in the Southern League.

"Don Money was our manager and he says, 'We're gonna release ya,' and I said, 'Are you sure you've got the right guy?' "

Approximately three percent of players who sign professional contracts ever get a cup of coffee in the big leagues. Evert got closer than most.

Achieving success as a scout involves metrics, and the statistics that matter now include how many players Evert identifies and signs who could help the Braves, either on the major league club or to fill roster spots in the minors.

"I'm looking for a Mickey Mantle," Evert said.

That hasn't' happened yet, but Evert estimates the Braves have drafted about a dozen players based on his recommendations.

He feels indebted to the organization because "they gave me a shot at my dream."

The dream lives on, even if it's not the one Evert had back in high school.

The Sports Xchange

Braves' Miller sees quality-start streak end

By The Sports Xchange

PHOENIX — It had to happen sometime, right?

For the first time in 11 starts this season, Atlanta Braves right-hander Shelby Miller gave up more than two runs in a game when he was tagged for four while getting a no-decision against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

Miller gave up six hits and a season-high six walks before leaving with runners on first and second and one out in the fifth inning. The Braves’ five- run sixth inning took him off the hook in a game Atlanta lost 7-6.

Miller entered the game with a major-league-leading 1.48 ERA and left at 1.89, but his shortest outing of the season Tuesday broke a streak of nine consecutive quality starts.

“I didn’t really get in the groove-type thing, but those kind of days happen,” Miller said. “You are still human. You look at Felix Hernandez’s start yesterday and other guys who are doing well’s starts, it is going to happen.”

Miller was definitely not himself. He threw 99 pitches in a three-hit shutout of Philadelphia on May 5 and 94 pitches in a two-hit shutout of Miami on May 17. He gave up only four runs and six walks in five May starts.

On Tuesday, he threw 100 pitches in 4 2/3 innings.

“Shelby struggled for the first time the whole year,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He was battling his mechanics a little bit, and his command was not like we have seen it before, but nevertheless we had a chance to win the ballgame.”

Miller seemed most disappointed by his six walks, including a two-out walk to Arizona right-hander Josh Collmenter that preceded a two-run single by Ender Inciarte in the second inning. Two batters later, Miller walked Paul Goldschmidt with the bases loaded to force in a run.

“That is terrible. That is horrible,” Miller said of walking Collmenter. “It is a little bit of everything. I just can’t get balls over the plate. Mechanics, maybe I was working a little quicker than I should have been, but that is all excuses. This game is not made for excuses, and there is no reason to go out there and walk six batters. There is no reason to go out there and walk the pitcher.”

Associated Press

Diamondbacks rally for 9-8 win over Braves

By JOSE M. ROMERO (Associated Press)

PHOENIX (AP) -- Arizona manager Chip Hale said it was one of the more satisfying victories of the season, and it was easy to see why. A.J. Pollock homered for the second consecutive game, and the Diamondbacks rallied for a wild 9-8 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

Arizona played without slugger Mark Trumbo and reliever Vidal Nuno, who were traded to Seattle for catcher Welington Castillo, pitcher Dominic Leone and two minor leaguers in a six-player deal announced after the game. But the Diamondbacks still managed to erase an early 6-0 deficit while picking up their second straight win.

''The guys just kept fighting and battling,'' Hale said. ''You've just got to keep playing and we kept playing.''

Arizona chased Mike Foltynewicz in the sixth and grabbed the lead for good with three runs in the seventh. Yasmany Tomas and Chris Owings each had an RBI single, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia made it 8-7 with a tiebreaking sacrifice fly. David Peralta's slide at home plate beat Cameron Maybin's throw from mid-center field.

''We weren't looking for the five-run inning right away,'' said Pollock, who had a solo shot in the fifth. ''We were just looking to put a run on and put some pressure on the other team, and the bullpen did a good job keeping us there.''

Tomas had three hits, and four relievers combined for four innings of four-hit ball. Andrew Chafin (4-0) got the win, and Brad Ziegler allowed A.J. Pierzynski's pinch-hit homer in the ninth before finishing for his fifth save in six tries.

''We never give up. That's the key,'' Peralta said.

Freddie Freeman went deep twice for the Braves, who dropped consecutive games after winning two in a row. Maybin and Nick Markakis had three hits apiece.

Freeman hit a three-run shot in Atlanta's five-run second, and then had a solo shot in the fourth. The slugger is batting .357 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last seven games.

''I felt good all series,'' Freeman said. ''Hope I can carry that over after the next series.''

Atlanta reliever Jim Johnson (1-3) was charged with two runs and two hits in one inning of work. Johnson's errant throw while trying to catch Nick Ahmed in a rundown in the eighth went over third baseman Chris Johnson's head, allowing Ahmed to score Arizona's ninth run.

The Braves scored each of their runs in the second with two outs. Maybin had a two-run single againstRubby De La Rosa before Freeman's ninth homer sailed into the right-field seats.

De La Rosa was charged with a season-high seven runs in five innings. He matched a career high with eight strikeouts and walked two.

De La Rosa was 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in his previous five starts.

Foltynewicz allowed four earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

''Our 10-game road trip, some areas of our bullpen got exposed a little bit,'' Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ''We need to fix that. I need to figure out a combination to get the ball to (Jason) Grilli's hands somehow. It's tough losing games like that.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Braves: Maybin was back in the lineup in center field after missing the past two games with a quad/groin injury. ''The last two days definitely helped,'' Maybin said.

Diamondbacks: Peralta (left middle finger bruise) returned to the lineup in left field after missing the past two games due to soreness from being hit by a pitch on a bunt attempt Sunday in Milwaukee. . P David Hernandez continues his comeback from elbow surgery and pitched a scoreless inning on Tuesday for Double-A Mobile. He was scheduled to pitch Wednesday as well.

UP NEXT

Braves: After an off day, Williams Perez gets the ball at home against Pittsburgh on Friday. Perez (1-0, 2.66 ERA) is facing the Pirates for the first time in his career.

Diamondbacks: Jeremy Hellickson (3-3, 5.08 ERA) is on the mound to face the New York Mets on Thursday in Phoenix. Hellickson is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his last three starts and has one previous start against the Mets in his career.