Atlanta Braves Clippings

Friday, May 22, 2015

Braves.com

Braves pull away with seven-run 7th

By Mark Bowman and John Donovan / MLB.com | 1:08 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Julio Teheran produced his finest start of the season and the Braves rolled to a 10-1 win over the Brewers on Thursday night courtesy of a seven-run seventh inning that included Brewers left-handed reliever Will Smith being ejected for a foreign substance.

After Christian Bethancourt chased Brewers starting pitcher Matt Garza with a go-ahead single in the seventh, Smith entered and promptly hit Pedro Ciriaco with a pitch to load the bases. When Smith touched the substance on his right forearm after throwing the next pitch to Jace Peterson, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez got the attention of crew chief Jim Joyce, who quickly ejected Smith after touching the substance, which Smith said was sunscreen and rosin that he forgot to remove after warming up quickly in the bullpen.

"When [an opponent] tries to be that blatant, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do," Gonzalez said.

Once Smith exited while offering choice words toward the home dugout, the Braves registered four consecutive hits, including Nick Markakis' double. The uprising soured the effort provided by Garza, who had surrendered just two hits through the first six innings.

After watching Teheran limit his team to one run and two hits over seven innings, Brewers manager Craig Counsell expressed most of his postgame frustration toward Gonzalez's decision to alert the umpires of the substance.

"We're going to try to beat them the next three days," Counsell said. "That's the best retaliation."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Making his mark: After stealing second base and scoring on Markakis' two-out single in the first inning, Braves center fielder Cameron Maybin caught Ryan Braun's fourth-inning sacrifice fly against the outfield wall and then unleashed a powerful throw that caught Gerardo Parra trying to advance to second base on the play. The out stood after replay review.

Halting his recent woes: As Teheran proved perfect in six of his seven innings, he didn't look like the same guy who had allowed at least nine hits in three of his past four starts. The right-hander displayed an effective slider as he notched eight strikeouts and needed 12 or fewer pitches to complete five of his innings. He was solely tested in the fourth, when he issued Carlos Gomez a leadoff walk and then surrendered a pair of singles, including one that snuck under second baseman Peterson's glove.

A sticky situation: Smith has been one of the Brewers' bullpen mainstays and was poised to get them out of another sticky mess Thursday. Smith, who was making his 19th appearance of the season (1-0 with a 2.13 ERA) came in with runners on first and third and one out in the seventh and promptly got Ciriaco down 0-2. He hit him with the next pitch, though, and after getting ahead of Peterson 0-1, Smith was ejected -- which he didn't take lightly. He immediately complained to the umpires, including Joyce, who had tossed him. And he yelled more from the visitors' dugout when Counsell was looking for an explanation from the crew.

Garza's tough luck: Garza actually had a decent night going until everything went wrong in the seventh. The righty gave up a run to the Braves in the first inning and then didn't allow a baserunner until Markakis walked in the fourth inning. The only hit he allowed after that -- until the seventh -- was a little looping double to Bethancourt in the fifth. That was it until Garza was chased by three ground-ball singles in the seventh. In all, he gave up five hits -- the four ground-ball singles and the soft double -- and four runs (all earned) in 6 1/3 innings.

QUOTABLE "I touched it and immediately knew it was a foreign substance, unfortunately for [Will Smith] he has to be ejected." -- Joyce, on the decision to eject Smith

"[The substance] helps you be able to throw the ball. That's it. It's not going to spin more, you're not going to throw harder. You've got what you got." -- Smith, on the substance found on his right forearm during the seventh inning

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Bethancourt notched a career-high three hits. The rookie catcher, who lost his starting job two weeks into this season, has recorded multi-hit performances in three of his past seven starts.

REHAB UPDATE Braves third baseman Chris Johnson will take batting practice at Turner Field this weekend and begin a Minor League rehab assignment on Monday. If all goes well, he will be activated for Thursday's series opener in San Francisco. Johnson has been sidelined since May 2 with multiple bone bruises in his left hand.

WHAT'S NEXT Brewers: Wily Peralta will attempt to get back on track when Milwaukee and Atlanta resume their four-game series on Friday night at Turner Field at 7:35 p.m. ET. Peralta produced a 2.25 ERA through this month's first three starts and then allowed five runs in five innings against the Mets on Sunday.

Braves: Atlanta will counter with Alex Wood, who has allowed just one run over his past 12 2/3 innings. Still, after delivering seven strong innings against the Marlins on Saturday, the young southpaw admitted that he is still struggling to get a consistent feel for his two-seam fastball and changeup.

Teheran putting tough April in rear-view mirror

Right-hander allows one run over seven innings with eight strikeouts vs. Brewers

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 12:33 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Julio Teheran might never prove to be the overpowering pitcher that he was touted to be when he made his way through the Minors as one of baseball's top overall prospects. But if Teheran can consistently prove as efficient as he was during Thursday night's 10-1 win over the Brewers, the Braves will be satisfied.

Teheran proved perfect in six of the season-high seven innings he completed and notched eight strikeouts with the assistance of an effective slider. The two hits and one run surrendered by the 24-year-old right-hander were tallied during a 16-pitch fourth inning that began with him issuing his only walk of the night.

"I've been working to get back on track and it showed today that I've been working really good, trying to get my fastball, trying to get all my pitches for strikes and that's something that will get some wins for us," Teheran said.

Teheran had posted a 5.40 ERA over his previous six starts and he had surrendered at least nine hits in three of his last four starts. But as he weaved his way through Milwaukee's lineup with relative ease, he seemed to regain some of the confidence he had possessed during last year's All-Star season.

"He had command of all his pitches," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He kept them off-balance and made some pitches when he had to."

Teheran created some concern when the first two fastballs he threw during the second, third and fifth innings each registered at 86 mph or below. But his fastball primarily sat in the same neighborhood (88-91 mph) it has since the start of last year, and more importantly he consistently produced favorable counts, which added to the value of his slider -- the pitch he used to conclude five of his eight strikeouts.

"It's about getting ahead in counts, throwing [the fastball] for a strike and making them swing," Teheran said. "That's something that I wasn't doing before because I was getting my mechanics [right]."

Teheran encountered trouble when he walked Carlos Gomez to open the fourth and then allowed Gerardo Parra to follow with a single that snuck under second baseman Jace Peterson's glove. Ryan Braun followed with a deep sacrifice fly that scored Gomez and also resulted in a timely double play courtesy of the strong throw center fielder Cameron Maybin made to second base with his back up against the outfield wall.

Maybin's throw caught Parra trying to advance to second base on the play. Adam Lind followed with a single to left. After allowing Lind's single, Teheran retired the final 10 batters he faced. He struck out Luis Sardinas, Gomes and Parra during a perfect sixth inning and needed just eight pitches to complete the seventh inning.

Teheran has now allowed one run or less in three of his past four starts. Though he might not be the overpowering pitcher that he had been projected to be, the Braves are simply happy that he has recently been much different than he had been while allowing opponents to produce a .408 on-base percentage during his final three April starts.

"When a pitcher rallies with three of four starts like that, you've got to feel good about it," Gonzalez said. "Today was a nice thing to see."

Maybin settling into CF role with hot bat, glove

Outfielder drives in two runs, makes strong throw to complete DP vs. Brewers

By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | May 21st, 2015

ATLANTA -- Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez planned to have a center-field platoon between right-handed-hitting Cameron Maybin and lefty-swinging Eric Young Jr. But Young's struggles, combined with Maybin's early success at the plate, gave Maybin the everyday role.

In Thursday night's 10-1 win over the Brewers, Maybin reinforced that decision after being moved into the second spot in the lineup for the first time this season.

Maybin's walk in the first inning led to an early Braves lead after he stole his fifth base of the season and scored on Nick Markakis' single up the middle.

"It was cool, man," Maybin said of hitting second. "I didn't really change my approach, tried to keep the same approach -- be a tough out, get a good pitch to hit and just make sure I'm on base, somehow, someway.

"Whenever I can do that good things happen, and good things happened tonight."

Maybin saw good things happen on both sides of the ball Thursday night. In the fourth inning, Maybin started a key double play by catching Ryan Braun's fly ball at the warning track and firing to second base to get Gerardo Parra tagging up from first.

"You know, that's not an easy throw," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who talked about Maybin's improved arm strength before the game. "You're back up against the wall there and he made an accurate throw, in the air and [shortstop Andrelton] Simmons made a terrific tag and we end up doubling the guy up there.

"[We] very easily could have had another guy in scoring position, and if I'm not mistaken, I think the next guy got a base hit. So instead of just one run, it could have been a two-run swing."

The Brewers challenged the call, but upon replay the out was upheld.

"You know, they say a blind squirrel will find a nut every once in a while," Maybin joked about the play. "I was able to make a good throw and [Simmons] did a great job of putting a really good tag on the guy -- it turned out to be a pretty big play in the game."

Maybin finished the night 1-for-4 with a walk, three runs scored and two RBIs after reaching base again in the seventh and eighth innings. Since May 2, when Maybin assumed the everyday center-field role, he has hit .314 (17-for-54) with nine runs and 12 RBIs.

"My confidence is high," Maybin said. "I've been able to put in some really good work with [hitting coach Kevin Seitzer] in the cage.

"And every day is a competition. Every day I feel like you have to fight to keep the job, win the job. So my mentality is to come out and go hard everyday and things will work out."

Brewers' Smith ejected for substance on arm

By John Donovan / Special to MLB.com | 12:39 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Will Smith was ejected from Thursday's game against the Atlanta Braves when umpires, urged on by Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez, discovered a prohibited substance on the reliever's arm.

Smith said he placed a mixture of rosin and sunscreen on his right arm while he was warming up in the bullpen in order to get a firm handle on the ball on a cool and blustery night at Turner Field. He simply forgot to wipe it off, he said, when he was rushed into the game.

And Gonzalez pointing out the substance to the umps didn't sit well with the Brewers. At all.

"Pitchers are trying to get grips on the ball. We've had hitters on other teams asking for pitchers to get a grip on the ball. We've had [our] hitters hit in the head asking for [opposing] pitchers to get grips on the ball," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said in a surly clubhouse after the Braves' 10-1 win. "It's very common.

"It goes on on the other side, I guarantee you."

Said Smith: "It helps you be able to throw the ball. That's it. It's not going to spin more. You're not going to throw harder. You've got what you got."

Reactions to foreign substance

Gonzalez said he noticed something when Smith, making his 19th appearance of the season, entered the game with two men on and one out in the bottom of the seventh in relief of Milwaukee starter Matt Garza. Atlanta was ahead 2-1 at the time.

Smith hit the first batter he faced, after getting ahead 0-2. But Gonzalez didn't alert crew chief Jim Joyce to the substance on Smith's arm until the second pitch to the next batter, Jace Peterson.

"I never went out there until he went to [the substance]," Gonzalez said. "It was about as plain as it could be. It's pretty blatant."

After Gonzalez got their attention, the umpiring crew met Smith at the mound. Joyce touched Smith's forearm to check for the substance and immediately tossed him with a slight wave.

Smith objected as he was leaving the mound, then had more to say from the Milwaukee dugout. But Joyce said afterward he had no choice but to eject the pitcher.

"I'm not going to make [the ejection] dramatic, because it is what it is and it's clear cut," Joyce said. "Like I told Craig, I have no recourse."

Smith may face a fine and suspension.

"This is immediate and fatal, unfortunately," Joyce said. "I just report it to the league and the league deals with it."

The Braves scored six more runs in the inning after Smith was ejected in rolling to the win in the opener of the four-game series.

Counsell, managing in just his 17th big league game, was asked after the game if he could envision a scenario in which he would call out an illegal substance on an opponent.

"When I'm seeing three of our guys getting hit in the head … not really," Counsell said. "No, I don't."

Carlos Gomez was the most recent Milwaukee batter hit by a pitch. He was beaned Sunday with a 97-mph fastball by New York Mets rookie Noah Syndergaard.

Still, Counsell conceded that the rule pertaining to pitchers and illegal substances is straightforward.

"It's the rule. [But] pitchers are using it … I guess you have to be discreet about it, I guess," Counsell said. "But it happens everywhere in the league. And it happens on his team, too."

Said Gonzalez: "When [an opponent] tries to be that blatant, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do."

Wood leads Braves in second of four vs. Brewers

By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | May 21st, 2015

A couple of similar pitchers will match up against each other when the Braves and Brewers resume their four-game series on Friday night at Turner Field. Atlanta's Alex Wood (2-2 3.83 ERA) and Milwaukee's Wily Peralta (1-5, 4.32 ERA) both lead their respective teams in ground-ball percentage, while also striking out the fewest batters per nine innings among qualified teammates.

Since allowing three runs to the Nationals during the first inning on May 10, Wood has allowed just one earned run in 12 2/3 innings. But after completing seven strong innings against the Marlins on Saturday, the left-hander admitted he is still trying to find comfort with his mechanics.

Peralta has posted a 3.48 ERA in his last five starts. In his last start, Peralta allowed five runs on nine hits over five innings in a loss to the Mets on Sunday.

Things to know about this game

• Both starters for this game appear to have had some bad luck so far this season. Wood's batting average on balls in play against (BABIP) this season is .353 through 47 innings so far -- well above his career BABIP against of .316. Similarly, Peralta has a .335 BABIP compared to his career mark of .299. Additionally, Peralta's 17 percent home run/fly ball mark is well above both his career (12.8 percent) and the league average.

• Since hitting .254 with a .716 OPS in April, Ryan Braun has re-established himself as a legitimate offensive threat. The Brewers outfielder has belted six homers through his first 69 at-bats this month.

• Braves starting pitchers averaged just over five innings per start in April. While averaging more than six innings per start this month, they have taken some stress off of an inexperienced bullpen.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves quotes after Thursday’s 10-1 win against Brewers

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves quotes from Julio Teheran, Freddie Freeman, Cameron Maybin and Fredi Gonzalez, and Brewers quotes from manager Craig Counsell and ejected reliever Will Smith.

**FREDI GONZALEZ

On getting 10 runs, 11 hits without a homer, and the seven-run seventh inning

“Early in the game both of those guys, Garza and Teheran, were pitching really well. It was hard to score runs. We had some line-drive base hits fell in there to extend the rally, kept the line moving, they gave us an opportunity with a c0uple of misplayed balls and we took advantage of it.”

On Teheran’s off-speed pitches

“He had command of all his pitches tonight, he really did. He kept them off-balance and made some pitches when he had to.”

Three out of his last four starts been good to very good, do you think he’s getting back to form?

“I think so. When a pitcher rattles off three or four starts in a row like that you’ve got to feel good about it. Today was nice to see, especially matching up with Garza, he’s putting up zeroes also.”

On Maybin’s throw to complete double play at second base

“That’s not an easy throw. Your back’s against the wall there and he made an accurate throw there in the air, and Simmons made a terrific tag. We ended up doubling up a guy there, when they could have very easily had a guy in scoring position, and the next guy got a base hit. Instead of giving up one run it could have been two runs.”

Who saw the substance on Will Smith’s arm?

“I did. It’s about as plain as could be. It’s pretty blatant, really. It’s glistening through the lights. You could see it in the dugout. I never went out there until he went to (the substance). The whole time he pitched to Ciriaco he never went to his wrist, but the first or second pitch to Peterson he went to it. That’s when I went out to the home-plate umpire to check. I’m sure they got a better look than I did, but it didn’t take them very long to eject him. When you try to be that blatant, sometimes you’ve just got to do what you have to do.”

Could you see it as soon as he came in, during his warmup pitches?

“You could see it from the warmup pitches, but you could really see it during the inning. He only pitched a batter and a half, but you could see it glistening through the lights. I haven’t looked at the video or anything like that. Was it pretty (obvious)?”

On Will Smith shouting at the Braves’ dugout as he walked off field

“That’s not problem if he’s upset or not. I’m worried about my team.”

On Bethancourt’s three-hit night with two doubles

“He caught a great game, too. He caught a clean game. I saw him a couple of times during the course of the game get on Julio, get him back on track. So that’s good. Good for him, good for us, to get his bat going again.”

**FREDDIE FREEMAN

On the win and Teheran’s performance

“Julio was awesome tonight. It took us a while to get going as an offense, but we kind of bottled it up and saved it all for one inning.”

Teheran’s off-speed stuff look especially effective tonight?

“Yeah, hopefully he can keep that going and build off this performance. He was lights-out tonight. He had everything working, so hopefully he can continue that going forward.”

On Will Smith ejection, have you ever been involved in a game when a pitcher gets tossed for pine tar?

“No, that’s the first time. Every pitcher does it. As a hitter you want them to do it so they have a better grip, so we don’t get hit in the head. But just hide it better next time.”

On the offense producing without benefit of home runs

“That’s kind of our team. We’re not going to wow you with the long ball, we’re going to get some hits, move runners first to third, second to home, and we were able to capitalize on some opportunities tonight.”

Won five of six, got back to .500

“Yeah, it’s been a good week. Got back to .500 and hopefully we can continue tomorrow against Peralta. We’ve got to build off these wins and hopefully we can get above .500.”

**CAMERON MAYBIN

On Teheran’s performance

“He did a great job of pounding the strike zone, getting ahead early. He had a great tempo out there. He really did a good job of keeping us in the game until we could get something going.”

On his own hitting lately, and tonight did it with both bat and throwing arm

“I’m just trying to impact the game however I can. Whether it’s defensively, whether it’s offensively. It’s a team effort every night, but I feel like if I can do the things I’ve done the last few weeks, getting on base, causing guys to really work for a tough out, just consistency is all I’m looking for. And I’ve been lucky enough to have some right now.”

On putting the ball in play, being able to capitalize on some mistakes

“Yeah, again we got some really good at-bats. With runners on and in scoring position, as a team we’ve done a really good job of focusing and locking in when guys get out there on base with less than two outs, and with two outs as well. Those are the things that are going to keep us in ballgames. We have to capitalize when we get guys out there, to continue to give our pitches an opportunity to keep us in games and win games. And we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that.”

**JULIO TEHERAN

On his performance

“I felt really good. I felt that I was commanding all my pitches really good, and I was throwing like I did the game before. I was commanding my fastball really good today.”

On working with Bethancourt

“We have a good relationship. It’s comfortable when I’m playing with him; I trust him, he trusts me, so it’s kind of fun every time we play.”

Do you feel like you’re getting back to the Teheran we know, after three good starts in past four?

“Yeah, I’ve been working to get back on track, and I showed today that I’ve been working (hard) to get my fastball, trying to throw all my first pitches for strikes. That’s something that will get some wins for us.”

On mixing his pitches well tonight

“It’s getting ahead in counts, throwing pitches for strikes, making them swing. Something I wasn’t doing before because I was getting behind in counts. When I’m ahead in the count I can use whatever pitch I want. It’s kind of a different game when you’re getting ahead in the count.”

“The defense made some good plays, and the offense was really good today, too.”

**Brewers reliever WILL SMITH

On being ejected for having an illegal substance on his forearm

“It was chilly and kind of windy. I had sunscreen and rosin on my arm. I just forgot to wipe it off before I went out and pitched. I had to kind of get ready in a hurry and just forgot.”

On shouting toward the Braves dugout as he came off the field

“I was upset. I’m a competitor. You want to stay in the game and pitch. It was a big situation. I was pissed I got thrown out. He just took the ball and I was out. You want to be able to feel the ball; that’s it. It’s just grip. It’s not going to spin more; you’re not going to throw harder. You’ve got what you’ve got.”

**Brewers manager CRAIG COUNSELL

on Will Smith’s ejection

“Will was in the bullpen; it was a cold night. He was warming up just to get a grip and made a mistake not to take it off coming into the game. There was no intent on his part but it happened.

“Pitchers are trying to get grips on the ball. We’ve had hitters on other teams ask for pitchers to get a grip on the ball. We’ve had hitters hit in the head asking for pitchers to get grips on the ball. It’s very common. It goes on, on the other side, I guarantee you. It’s the rule. Pitchers are using it. You’ve got to be discreet about it, I guess.

Teheran sharp in Braves’ win; Brewers pitcher ejected

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves got the kind of performance they’ve been waiting for from Julio Teheran, and for the second night in a row they got a game-winning RBI on a ground ball. Only this time, that grounder opened the floodgates to an offensive binge in a wild and eventful seventh inning.

Christian Bethancourt matched a career high with three hits including a seeing-eye single with one out to snap a 1-1 tie, and soon there was a pitcher ejected and all manner of Braves slapping, poking and driving balls in a seven-hit, seven-run inning that sent them to a 10-1 win in the opener of a four-game series at Turner Field.

The Braves have won five of six to move back to .500 (20-20).

Teheran (4-1) allowed just two hits, one run and one walk with eight strikeouts in seven innings, and one of the hits was a grounder beneath the glove of second baseman Jace Peterson at the back of the infield, which helped the Brewers score their only run in the fourth inning.

“Julio was awesome tonight,” said Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who had two hits and two RBIs. “It took us a while to get going as an offense, but we kind of bottled it up and saved it all for one inning.”

Teheran entered with a 4.33 ERA and a .400 opponents’ average by left-handed batters, but looked more like the Teheran of old against a lineup with five switch-hitters or lefties among eight position players. Mixing in plenty of off-speed pitches to complement his fastball, he was perfect in six of his seven innings pitched.

“I felt really good,” Teheran said. “I felt that I was commanding all my pitches, and I was throwing like I did the game before. I was commanding my fastball really good today….

“I’ve been working to get back on track, and I showed today that I’ve been working (hard) to get my fastball, trying to throw all my first pitches for strikes. That’s something that will get some wins for us.”

It was the third good outing for Teheran in his past four starts, after a three-game stretch in which he gave up 20 hits, 16 runs (12 earned) and six homers in 15 innings.

“He had command of all his pitches tonight,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He kept them off-balance and made some pitches when he had to. … When a pitcher rattles off three or four starts in a row like that you’ve got to feel good about it.”

Hot-hitting Cameron Maybin had a two-run single in the seventh and Nick Markakis had an RBI double, the only extra-base hit among the Braves’ seven hits in the inning.

After Bethancourt’s go-ahead single – his other two hits were doubles — Peterson followed with an RBI single that gave the Braves some cushion, one night after they beat the Rays 2-1 on five hits and an RBI groundout by Todd Cunningham that drove in the winning run.

But soon it would become something altogether different Thursday, as a game that had been a Teheran vs. Matt Garza pitchers’ duel for six innings went off the rails on the Brewers in the seventh.

Brewers reliever Will Smith, from Newnan, was ejected in the seventh for having an illegal substance on his right forearm. He hit the first batter he faced, pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco, then was thrown out after Gonzalez asked umpire Jim Joyce to check it out following a first-pitch strike to Peterson.

“It’s glistening through the lights,” Gonzalez said. “You could see it in the dugout. I never went out there until he went to (the substance). The whole time he pitched to Ciriaco he never went to his wrist, but the first or second pitch to Peterson he went to it. That’s when I went out to the home-plate umpire to check.”

Joyce went to the mound and quickly ejected Smith.

“He offered his arm,” Joyce said. “I touched it and immediately knew it was a foreign substance, unfortunately for (Smith) he has to be ejected.”

Smith cursed at the Braves dugout as he walked off the field. Afterward, he didn’t deny using the substance.

“It was chilly and kind of windy,” Smith said. “I had sunscreen and rosin on my arm. I just forgot to wipe it off before I went out and pitched. I had to kind of get ready in a hurry and just forgot. I was upset. I’m a competitor. You want to stay in the game and pitch. It was a big situation. I was (ticked off) I got thrown out.

“He just took the ball and I was out. You want to be able to feel the ball; that’s it. It’s just grip. It’s not going to spin more; you’re not going to throw harder. You’ve got what you’ve got.”

Freeman said it was the first time he’d been involved in a game when a pitcher was ejected for a foreign substance.

“Every pitcher does it,” Freeman said. “As a hitter you want them to do it so they have a better grip, so we don’t get hit in the head. But just hide it better next time.”

Garza (2-6) was charged with five hits, four runs and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed just two hits and one run until the seventh inning, when two relievers — Smith and Neal Cotts — were charged with a run apiece with neither recording an out, and Michael Blazek gave up three more hits and two runs while getting the last two outs of the inning.

Teheran retired the last 10 batters he faced after Adam Lind’s two-out single in the fourth.

“Hopefully he can keep that going and build off this performance,” Freeman said. “He was lights-out tonight. He had everything working, so hopefully he can continue that going forward.”

The Brewers could have taken a lead in the fourth inning were it not for an outstanding throw by center fielder Cameron Maybin, who gunned down Gerardo Parra trying to advance from first to second on Ryan Braun’s game-tying sacrifice fly. Lind followed with his single before Aramis Ramirez popped out to end the inning.

“I’m just trying to impact the game however I can,” Maybin said. “Whether it’s defensively, whether it’s offensively. It’s a team effort every night, but I feel like if I can do the things I’ve done the last few weeks, getting on base, causing guys to really work for a tough out, just consistency is all I’m looking for. And I’ve been lucky enough to have some right now.”

Braves blow out Brewers 10-1

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

How the game was won: The Braves scored seven runs in the seventh inning, turning what had been a 1-1 pitchers’ duel into a blowout in a 10-1 win over the Brewers to open a four-game series at Turner Field. Julio Teheran (4-1) allowed just two hits, one run and one walk with eight strikeouts in seven innings, and the Braves won for the fifth time in six games to move back to .500 (20-20).

Number: 1. Home-run total for the Braves while going 5-1 in their past six games. They’ve won most of those games the way this team knew it would have to win this season, with good pitching and better situational hitting than last year’s team. They’ve had 10 or more hits in four of their past six games, including 11 hits (and no homers) Thursday.

What’s next: The Braves and Brewers play the second game of a four-game series Friday at 7:35 p.m., with lefty Alex Wood (2-2, 3.83 ERA) facing Milwaukee right-hander Wily Peralta (1-5, 4.32).

Braves rookie Perez’s pitching, and spike, met with approval

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A day after Williams Perez pitched five strong innings of one-run ball against the Rays, there was discussion not just about how well the Braves rookie pitched in his first major league start, but his exuberant spiking of the ball after completing a 3-6-1 double play with bases loaded to end the fourth inning with the score tied, 1-1.

The Braves won the Wednesday game, 2-1, to earn a split of the two-game series.

“I don’t know if it was a rushing touchdown or a pass in the end zone, but the spike was a good one,” Braves closer Jason Grilli said Thursday, laughing.

Perez, who turned 24 on Thursday, impressed folks on both sides of the field in his third major league appearance and first start. He allowed six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts, and worked out of big jams in the fourth and fifth innings, striking out the Rays’ Nos. 2-3 hitters on off-speed pitches with two runners on base in the fifth.

“He was pretty much as advertised,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He had some run on his fastball and he really threw some big changeups in some big situations.”

As for the spike, “It was a very close inning right there and I just wanted to get out of it,” Perez said after Wednesday’s game, through a translator. “Making a double play there made me feel good.”

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was asked afterward about Perez’s spike.

“You like to see guys pitch with emotions and that kind of stuff,” Gonzalez said, smiling. “So it’s good. Let’s see how he learns from this and goes about his business, but so far he did a nice job.”

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons said, “I was happy we got out of the inning,” Simmons said. “It’s always good to see that excitement out of teammates. I was glad.”

Perez is expected to make his next start Monday against the Dodgers at Los Angeles in the first game of a 10-game trip.

Braves’ Maybin is playing well, having fun

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When the Braves got Cameron Maybin from San Diego as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to the Padres the day before the season opener, Maybin was excited he’d be returning to the South and playing at Turner Field, where he always hit well as a visiting player.

Playing less than three hours from his hometown of Asheville, N.C., has been everything he hoped it would be, and hitting at Turner Field has continued to be fruitful.

Maybin was 18-for-53 (.340) with five extra-base hits, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases in his past 18 games before Thursday, when he started in center field for the 16th time in the Braves’ past 17 games.

Batting .256 overall with four homers and a .350 on-base percentage in 32 games, he’s been significantly more productive at Turner Field, where he led the Braves with a .333 average (12-for-36) in 14 games before Thursday and had three homers, eight RBIs, eight walks and a .467 on-base percentage and .611 slugging percentage.

Maybin had a .289 career average (24-for-98) in 27 games before Thursday, with five homers, a .375 on-base percentage and an .857 OPS that was his third-highest at any of 28 ballparks where he’s played, and his second-highest at any where he played more than one game.

Most nights at Turner Field, he’ll see or hear from some fans from Asheville or elsewhere in western North Carolina.

“People I know, and people I don’t,” said Maybin, 28. “The coolest thing are all the people who are from my hometown who don’t know, they’re yelling out stuff like, Reynolds High School! Our area is is really close and if you’re from that area, we all consider Western Carolina one big area, so as far I’m concerned I represent one big area. So it’s kind of cool when they come down and acknowledge that or they’re just like, ‘Hey, man, we’re here to see you.’

“It’s been awesome, man. I saw some kids from my high school that I’m clearly older than, but they came down here. That stuff’s cool, man. I’ve enjoyed that. The hometown love has definitely been felt, for sure. It’s been pretty cool.”

The Braves began the season with a center-field platoon of Maybin and Eric Young Jr., but Maybin has stepped up and seized the position. He’s done it by meeting or surpassing any expectations the Braves had for him when they made the Kimbrel trade, which was done mostly to dump B.J. Upton’s contract on the Padres while also acquiring pitching prospect Matt Wisler.

Maybin is making $7 million this season and is under contract for $8 million in 2016, with a $9 million option for 2017 that has a $1 million buyout.

“He keeps himself in a routine, he’s getting some hits here, hitting the ball to the (opposite) field,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who had Maybin on his Marlins team early in the player’s career, when he was skinny and slowed by injuries. “He’s healthy this year, knock on wood. And I think (hitting coach Kevin) Seitzer has been good for him.”

Maybin said he’s gotten a lot out of working with Seitzer during the 6 ½ weeks since being traded to the Braves.

“I’m competing, man. Working my tail off every day with Seitz, trusting all the work we’re putting in. I think just the quality of the at-bats, the consistency and quality of the at-bats, I couldn’t be happier with the direction we’re going.”

C. Johnson set to rejoin Braves Thursday at San Francisco

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves have firmed up an injury-rehab plan for Chris Johnson that, barring any setbacks, will culminate with the third baseman coming off the disabled list to join them in San Francisco for a four-game series that starts Thursday.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Johnson, who’s been out just over three weeks recovering from a fracture and bone bruises in his left hand, is scheduled to get five at-bats in an extended spring-training game Friday, then take batting practice Saturday in Florida and Sunday with the Braves in Atlanta.

When the team leaves Sunday night for Los Angeles to start a 10-game, three-city West Coast road trip Monday, Johnson would head to one of the Braves’ minor league affiliates – Gonzalez said they’d announce which one Friday — for a brief rehab assignment.

“We’re going to give him probably a three-game stint someplace,” Gonzalez said. “And then if everything goes well he’ll join us in San Francisco.”

Gonzalez had said Monday that Johnson might rejoin the Braves for the entire trip, beginning with a three-game series Monday at Dodger Stadium. But team officials decided it’d be best to have him complete a rehab assignment and get 15-20 at-bats including the five he’ll get in the extended spring training game.

Johnson began the season in a third-base platoon with Albert Callaspo and later Kelly Johnson, and hit .279 (12-for-43) with four doubles, five RBIs and a .347 on-base percentage in 16 games before his injury. He was 5-for-13 (.385) against left-handers and 5-for-12 (.417) with runners in scoring position.

Kelly Johnson (strained oblique) and versatile Phil Gosselin (thumb fracture) hit well and were handling most of the third-base duties before eached landed on the 15-day DL after injured on the road trip that ended Sunday. Callaspo and Pedro Ciriaco are handling third base until Johnson returns.

Gosselin had surgery Wednesday for an avulsion fracture in his left thumb. He joined the team in the clubhouse Thursday and had his hand and arm in a sling, which he’ll use until surgical pins are removed in two weeks.

Gosselin is expected to be out for eight weeks, though he said he would probably try to talk the doctors and trainers into pushing up the rehab schedule a bit.

Skeptics aside, Braves are competitive right now

By David O’Brien

The Braves have won four of their past five games, including a 2-1 win last night against a Tampa Bay team that’s tied with the Yankees for first place in the AL East and had its lowest-ERA starting pitcher on the mound (Jake Odorizzi) against a Braves rookie making his first major league start (Williams Perez).

The Braves are 9-8 with a 3.69 ERA, 70 runs scored and nine homers in May, which is barely four runs per game, but enough more nights than not when the pitching is better than it was for most of April, which it has been for most of May.

They’re 4-1 in their past five games with a 2.00 ERA, 26 runs and, by the way, only one homer in that stretch.

What I’m saying is, for those who can get past the “we’re doomed for at least two years” message you’ve been getting from so many places and actually make your own judgment and opinions based on what you’re seeing on the field on a nightly basis, you might agree this team is better offensively than last year’s, and if a couple of starters had performed up to expectations so far, it’d be a couple of games or more above .500 (the Braves are 19-20, which is a better record than Seattle and only a half-game worse than the Padres and Red Sox, teams I mention only because all were picked as playoff contenders or better by most pundits before the season).

This Braves team is a team in transition, building toward 2017 and beyond with some holes to fill before then. No question about that. But it’s a better “team” and more fundamentally sound than last year’s team, which a lot of people kept waiting to get on a roll while apologizing for or defending by saying it was a power-hitting lineup prone to streaks, etc.

It was a streaky lineup, yes. But also a power-hitting philosophy and approach without bona fide, big-time power hitters other than Justin Upton. Folks, THAT was a flawed team. Put that team’s bullpen and Harang on this year’s team, and you’d have a team battling Washington for first place. But that’s water under the bridge.

In the here and now, the Braves have said since spring that postseason remains their only goal, and most players, the veteran ones who’ve been through it before, will tell you off record than the second wild-card spot is probably their only real chance to get to the posteason. Is it a good chance? No. But they’re three games back right now, and no one in the clubhouse is nearly as pessimistic – thankfully for them – as so many outside it have been about this team’s chances.

This team has its flaws, its negatives – but it also has pluses, some for now and a whole lot of pluses for the future. And not the distant future. I’ve said since early spring I thought this could be a legit postseason contender by 2016, and believe that now more than ever.

By the way, if you were perhaps focused on the Hawks last night and didn’t see the Braves game, they beat the Rays and Jake Odirizzi 2-1, and the Braves got some of their biggest contributions from Perez, who pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first start and third MLB appearance; from rookie Brandon Cunniff, who came in with two runners on base and two out in the sixth and pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings while lowering his opponents’ batting average to a majors-leading .051; from first-year second baseman Jace Peterson, who had a pair of 10-pitch walks in the leadoff spot, and from rookie Todd Cunningham, who had the game-winning RBI.

• Up next: After splitting two with the Rays, the Braves host a four-game series beginning tonight against the Brewers,who are 3-5 with a 4.57 ERA in their past eight games. They’ve hit 11 homers in that stretch, but batted just .221 and totaled 26 runs. Eleven homers with only 26 runs is not that easy to do.

Look out for Ryan Braun, who’s awakened, hitting .273 (18-for-66) with six homers, 18 RBIs and a .380 OBP in 19 games this month. He’s also hit .273 with eight homers, 19 RBIs and a .652 slugging percentage in 18 road games this season.

Four other Brewers have three homers apiece including Carlos Gomez, who’s hit .317 with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBIs this month. Gerardo Parra has a team-high .407 average (18-for-44) with two homers, 11 RBIs and a .451 OBP in 17 games in May.

• Unexpected stat leaders: Quick, guess the two highest Braves batting averages in home games? Hint: They happen to be the same two who share the team RBI lead for the month of May.

We’ll give you a second. Don’t look below until you think about it a moment.

OK, no sense in waiting any longer, since I know none of you got both, and most probably got neither. I know I wouldn’t have.

Cameron Maybin and Jace Peterson.

Yes, Maybin and Peterson.

Maybin leads the Braves with a .333 average (12-for-36) in 14 games at Turner Field, where he has three homers, eight RBIs, eight walks and a whopping .467 OBP and .611 slugging percentage. Maybin has hit .204 in 18 road games with one homer, a .259 OBP and .315 slugging.

Peterson, meanwhile, has a .321 average (17-for-53) in 18 games at Turner Field, with seven walks and a .392 OBP. All four of his extra-base hits have come in 18 road games, though he’s hitting only .226 with a .300 OBP on the road.

(By the way, Nick Markakis is pretty much the opposite – he’s batting .346 (27-for-78) with a .446 OBP and .385 slugging percentage in 21 road games, compared to .239 (16-for-67) with a .311 OBP and .284 slugging percentage in 17 home games.)

Maybin and Peterson also have 10 RBIs apiece in the month of May, which is one more than Freddie Freeman and Kelly Johnson on the team leaderboard this month. Peterson also leads the Braves in walks this month with eight, including those two 10-pitch walks last night. (I’m guessing there haven’t been many, if any, other major leaguers this season with two 10-pitch walks in one game).

Other than Cunningham (.474 in five May games) and injured Phil Gosselin (.429, 9-for-21), the highest Braves batting average in May belongs to Maybin, who is 16-for-50 (.320) with one homer, 10 RBIs and a .404 OBP in 17 games this month.

Peterson isn’t far back at .293 (17-for-58) with three extra-base hits, eight walks and a .379 OBP in 16 May games.

• Freeman contrast: When there are runners on base and pitchers can’t so easily pitch around Freeman, the results are in stark contrast to bases-empty situations when they can better avoid giving him anything to hit.

Freeman has hit .391 (27-for-69) with runners on base, with 10 doubles, three homers, eight walks and a .455 OBP and a .667 slugging percentage. With the bases empty, he’s hit .229 (19-for-83) with five doubles, two homers, six walks, a .281 OBP and .361 slugging percentage.

• Tonight’s matchup: It’s Julio Teheran (3-1, 4.33 ERA) vs. Matt Garza (2-5, 5.72) in a matchup that doesn’t have quite the appeal it would’ve in recent seasons, with both pitchers struggling in the first quarter of the season.

Teheran’s won-lost record is mostly a result of robust run support — 7.01 runs per nine innings he’s pitched, second-highest among NL starters. Teheran is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his past six starts, but he’s pitched well in two of his past three starts including Friday at Miami, where he allowed nine hits but only two runs (one earned) in 5 1/3 innings, with one walk and five strikeouts.

This after he gave up 10 hits and six runs in five innings of his previous start May 9 at Washington.

For me, the most shocking stat for Teheran is the .400 batting average and .500 OPS he’s allowed by left-handed batters, who are 26-for-65 against him with 10 extra-base hits and a fat .646 slugging percentage. (Righties are .248/.302/.438 against him.)

Teheran is 1-2 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts against the Brewers, including two last season when he allowed just two runs and 13 hits allowed in 15 innings. Gomez is 2-for-10 against him, Parra is 2-for-11, Braun is 1-for-7, and Jean Segura is 4-for-9 with a homer.

Garza is 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA in five starts against the Braves, albeit against plenty of different Braves than he’ll face tonight.

The Braves could get Chris Johnson back from the DL next week but wish they had him tonight – he’s 7-for-12 with two homers off Garza. Pierzysnski also 4-for-16 with two homers against Garza, Gomes is 4-for-8 with a homer, Freddie Freeman is 4-for-12 with a homer, Albert Callaspo is 4-for-14 with a homer, and Nick Markakis is 6-for-38 (.158) with five walks and five strikeouts.

Etc.

Braves catchers A.J. Pierzysnki (7-for-43) and Christian Bethancourt (4-for-22) have hit a collective .169 for the month, after Pierzysnki led the Braves in April in average (.422, 19-for-45), RBIs (14 in 12 games) and slugging percentage (.689)….

Jonny Gomes has only one less hit in 15 at-bats against lefties than he has in 49 at-bats vs. righties. Gomes is 6-for-17 (.400) with a double, homer, seven RBIs and a .522 OBP against lefties, while he’s 7-for-49 (.143) against righties with a double, two homers, two RBIs and a .192 OBP.

Braves gear up for SunTrust Park ticket sales

By Tim Tucker - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A weekly update on the business of the Braves:

Marketing: The Braves have retained New York-based agency SME to help create a branding and marketing campaign for premium and general ticket sales in the team’s new Cobb County stadium. Season tickets for 2017 — SunTrust Park’s inaugural season — will go on sale soon to current Braves season-ticket holders.

“(SME’s) role for the time-being is really to develop the brand identity of SunTrust Park … to tell the story of SunTrust Park to ticket buyers,” said Derek Schiller, Braves executive vice president of sales and marketing.

That includes developing marketing materials for use in direct mail, email and the stadium preview center, Schiller said, but doesn’t entail radio, TV or print-media advertising. The Braves’ advertising agency of record remains Atlanta-based Blue Sky.

SME, founded in 1989, has much experience in sports. Current or former clients include the ACC, Pac-12, NHL, MLS, New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, Detroit Pistons and (once upon a time) Atlanta Thrashers.

Preview center: The Braves are preparing to officially open the SunTrust Park preview and sales center, located in a Circle 75 Parkway office building overlooking the stadium construction site. A focal point will be a model of the stadium.

The Braves originally said the preview center would open and season-ticket sales would begin in late March, but that was delayed by building and equipping the space. Schiller wouldn’t disclose a new launch date other than “soon.”

“We’re perfecting some of the fly-through (computer animations) and renderings and other things that we’ll be using to help us sell,” Schiller said. “You want to make sure you put your best foot forward, and we feel very confident we’re about to do that.”

Season-ticket prices for SunTrust Park haven’t been announced, but that also should come soon.

The Braves plan to focus initially on selling premium seats, which are defined as seats that come with an added amenity, such as access to a lounge.

Turner Field is kaput, and all Ted gets is this?

By Bill Torpy - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

One might think Ted Turner would warrant something more to honor him than an endless strip of parking lots downtown.

But his supporters, and even his family, will take what they can get. Changing a street name in Atlanta — once a city tradition — has become an emotionally charged battle.

The Atlanta City Council recently passed an ordinance to rename a little more than a mile of Spring Street, turning it into Ted Turner Drive.

Putting Ted’s first name on the street sign is the modern way of doing things. In the old days, a last name on a street sign was good enough, whether it be someone you instinctively knew, like Washington, or someone whose name ultimately landed in the dustbin of history, liked Cone. (More on him later.)

The Turner switcheroo was not without controversy. The Neighborhood Planning Unit and the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association both opposed the change, saying that changing street names inconveniences residents and businesses that must change their mailing addresses. Also, tourists and suburbanites get lost.

The City Council had to ignore its own rules, which say 75 percent of the property owners along the street must approve the change. Since they were renaming the road for a maverick, council members decided to go rogue to make things happen.

There is little argument that Ted Turner should be honored by the City of Atlanta. He’s Atlanta’s rich, crazy, brilliant uncle. Before Ted Turner, Atlanta was a two-horse town named Terminus that had a train visit once a week. But the former billboard proprietor buys a struggling TV station, picks up a woeful baseball team, puts together a worldwide cable news network before anyone even heard of cable and, suddenly, people can locate the city on a map.

Xernona Clayton, a civil rights worker-turned broadcaster, came up with the idea six months ago when looking down from her office at the bustle near the CNN Center.

“The streets were crowded,” said Clayton, who worked for Turner Broadcasting as an executive. “That didn’t happen until Ted Turner turned it into a world-class area.”

At first, she figured one of the streets fronting CNN would be a natural to carry his name. However, Marietta Street is filled with many businesses, and tracking down all the property owners for approval would become a life’s mission. And Centennial Olympic Park Drive was changed from Techwood Drive just a couple decades ago. Three names in 20 years would be a bit much — even for Atlanta.

So, Spring Street, which runs alongside Ted Turner’s downtown restaurant and his Fortress of Solitude, became the “simplest inconvenience,” said Clayton. Then, not wanting to sound like they were sticking Ted with a derelict thoroughfare, she added, “It’s a good street. It runs through the heart of downtown. People use it.”

Clayton knows firsthand the pain of attempting to change a street name. Four years ago, there was an effort to rename Cone Street in her honor. It was met with protests from preservationists, business owners and descendants of Judge Reuben Cone, an Atlanta pioneer. “So, they gave me a topper and I’m grateful for that,” she said.

Clayton was referring to one of those honorary signs attached to the official street sign. Hers is at nearby Baker Street. She also has a plaque in Hardy Ivy Park. The park was a bone thrown to the Ivy family when developer John Portman wanted to change the name of Ivy Street to Peachtree Center Avenue.

Ted Turner Drive supporters were met by indifference from the 45 property owners fronting the to-be-renamed portion of Spring Street. City Councilman C.T. Martin, the sponsor of the bill, admits that Spring Street ain’t exactly one of Les Grands Boulevards. But he’s anticipatory.

“Some investors may be impressed by the name,” said Martin, who has seven street-name changes under his belt. “It’s just a matter of time before those locations (on Spring Street) take off. It will be an address people will want to identify with.”

Besides, he said, “there were more people who appreciated and supported it than opposed it.”

Kyle Kessler, president of Downtown Neighborhood Association takes issue with that, saying Martin presented the packet of information about the street change right before the council meeting, leaving opponents with no time to counter.

In the info submitted, Turner supporters got just three petitions returned from property owners, two in support, one opposed. They said they got spoken commitments from four more property owners. The city owned six properties, which were put into the “yes” category, as were the 29 unresponsives.

Talk about new math!

But, in the end, old math won out.

Nine council members voted for it and three against it. Councilwoman Yolanda Adrean was one of the three. It’s not that she doesn’t think Ted Turner is grand. It’s just that she doesn’t go for changing street names.

“Early on, I decided I’d be consistent,” Adrean said. “I don’t want to sit and judge a person’s worth.”

Good point. Is someone worth a Boulevard, a Parkway, a Terrace or just a Dead-end Street. It’s tough being a decider.

Laura Seydel, Ted’s daughter, said she’s “tickled pink for dad. It was a big blow with Turner Field,” referring the Atlanta Braves leaving the ballpark that carries her father’s name.

She, like Martin, thinks The Ted Turner Magic might do for Spring Street what it did for the area around the CNN Center.

“Maybe it won’t be an ugly street for long,” she said.

In Atlanta, prosperity is just a name change away.

Friday’s game: Braves vs. Brewers

By Carroll Rogers - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Where: Turner Field

When: 7:35 p.m.

TV/Radio: SPSO/680, 93.7, 106.7

Probable starting pitchers: Probable starting pitchers: Braves LH Alex Wood (2-2, 3.83) vs. RH Wily Peralta (1-5, 4.32)

What’s new: Entering this series, the Braves were averaging 4.21 runs per game and hitting .255 as a team. By comparison, through the first 39 games last season, the homer-happy Braves were averaging just 3.23 runs per game and hitting .232 as a team. That lineup had 38 home runs compared to 26 at this point by this year’s lineup, but the primary reason the Braves were 22-17 at this point last year was their 2.76 ERA. The Braves, who were 19-20 entering this four-game series against the Brewers, had a staff ERA of 4.05. That’s including a 3.93 ERA by Braves starters. Wood aims to improve on that while looking for his first back-to-back wins of the season. He is 2-0 with an 0.87 ERA in two games (one start) against the Brewers for his career. Wood won his start last season on April 1 at Miller Park, allowing just one run in seven innings.

Fox Sports South

Three Cuts: Braves open floodgates in 7th to overpower Brewers

Knox Bardeen

ATLANTA -- When the bottom of the seventh inning started, the Brewers and Braves together had two runs on four hits. The score was tied one apiece, but every Atlanta hitter came to the plate (three twice) in the Braves' half of the inning and scored seven runs after they belted seven hits.

The Braves added two more runs in the eighth inning and took the first of this shortened two-game series, 10-1.

Here are three observations from Thursday's Atlanta win:

THE SEVENTH INNING WAS ONE OF CRAZY DISPLAY OF BASEBALL, AND IT ALL WENT THE BRAVES' WAY

While a massive outpouring of runs was unexpected, it wasn't the strangest thing to happen in the Braves half of the seventh inning.

After the Braves ran Matt Garza from the game with a run on three hits, Milwaukee brought Will Smith in to pitch. Smith threw to one batter (Pedro Ciriaco, whom Smith hit with a pitch) then started to throw to Jace Peterson, but was ejected from the game before he could finish with the Braves second baseman.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he could see something on Smith's forearm, and the substance was so easily noticeable, he even picked up on it while Smith was trowing his warmup pitches.

"It was glistening through the lights; we could see it in the dugout," said Gonzalez. "I never went out there until he went to it. You can look at the video. He came in and I think the whole time he pitched to [Pedro] Ciriaco he never went to his wrist. But the first or second pitch to Peterson he went to it and that's when I went out to the home plate umpire to check."

After a meeting on the mound with the umpires, Smith was promptly tossed and slowly left the field.

It was about as plain as it could be," said Gonzalez. "It was pretty blatant, really. I'm sure they [the umpires] got a better look than I did from the dugout. But it didn't take them very long to eject him."

As Smith slowly walked toward the Brewers dugout, he frequently turned to the Braves dugout to share his displeasure with the home team. Gonzalez said he didn't care how upset the Brewers reliever was at being ejected, he cared only for his team, and scoring runs.

The Braves added five more runs in the seventh before the Brewers were able to stop the bleeding. But the damage was already done, and the Braves held a 8-1 lead when the dust settled.

After the game, umpire Jim Joyce made a statement.

"He offered his arm," said Joyce. "I touched it and immediately knew it was a foreign substance, unfortunately for [Smith] he has to be ejected.

"I'm not going to make [the ejection] dramatic, because it is what it is and it's clear cut. Like I told [Brewers manager] Craig [Counsell], I have no recourse. This is immediate and fatal unfortunately. I just report it to the league and the league deals with it."

TEHERAN COULD BE RETURNING TO OLD FORM

After the game, first baseman Freddie Freeman said the words every person in Braves nation was thinking.

"Julio was awesome tonight," said Freeman. "He was Julio of old."

Teheran not only set a season high with eight strikeouts, but he finished the seventh inning, which marked the first time in 2015 he'd lasted that long into a game. He only gave up one run on two hits and walked just one batter too. It felt like his best outing of the season.

In addition to the great outing, three of Teheran's last four starts have been solid. He gave up just three hits in six inning with zero runs against Cincinnati on May 3, was blasted for six runs by Washington in his next outing, then went 5 2/3 innings against Miami on May 15, allowing one run on nine hits.

Then Thursday's masterful performance happened.

Over his last four starts, even with the six-run debacle, Teheran's ERA sits at 3.04. He struck out 25 and walked seven. Take out that bad start and his three-run stretch goes to 0.96.

"He had command of all his pitches tonight," said Gonzalez. "He kept them off balance and made some pitches when he had to.

"I think so," Gonzalez answered to whether or not Teheran had returned to his ace-like form with this last outing. "When a pitcher rallies three or four starts in a row like that, you've got to feel good about him."

MAYBIN IMPRESSED WITH HIS GLOVE AND BAT, BOTH SAVING AND CREATING RUNS

After Carlos Gomez walked to start the fourth inning, Gerardo Parra laced a ball to center field that Cameron Maybin had to hustle to get. Maybin hopped up with the ball in deep center field and gunned a throw to second to nail Parra.

"That's not a easy throw," said Gonzalez. "[With] your back up against the wall he made an accurate throw in the air and [Andrelton] Simmons made a terrific tag. They could have easily had another guy in scoring position."

The next batter, Ryan Braun, hit a sacrifice fly to score Gomez, and then Adam Lind followed with a single. Had Maybin not made that throw, Parra would have scored the Brewers' second run on Lind's hit. Instead, Milwaukee settled for one.

The assist was Maybin's third of the season, one shy of a career high four he set in both 2010 and 2012.

Since he had already saved a run earlier, Maybin got into the seventh-inning action with a two-run single to keep the run parade going. He went 1 for 4 on Thursday extended a hitting streak to six games.

During Maybin's six-game stretch, he's 8 for 20 (.400) with three walks, only one strikeout and five RBI. His current batting average sits at .255, which is amazing considering where he was less than a month ago.

On April 27, Maybin entered the game as a pinch runner and finished the day without an at-bat and a 2015 average of .135. He was inserted as the regular center fielder after extensive work in the batting cages on April 28, and since has gone wild.

In the 19 games since April 27, Maybin has gone 19 for 57 (.333) with 12 RBI, five extra-base hits, nine walks and 10 strikeouts. He's raised his batting average 120 points to .255 in less than a month.

Evaluating returns from Braves' offseason trades at season's quarter mark

Cory McCartney

John Hart's first offseason on the job as the Braves president of baseball operations was anything but subtle.

The entire outfield: gone. The franchise's all-time saves leader: gone. A player with a catchy nickname and cult following: gone. Those are just the major plot points for a stretch that saw Atlanta make 15 trades from November -- when Hart was appointed -- until Opening Day.

That flurry changed the roster and expectations, but with a quarter of the season behind them, the Braves can now take stock of what they received in that long list of offseason maneuvers. Were they hits? Misses?

"Really, really happy," said manager Fredi Gonzalez. "I think we did a nice job."

Here's a look at early returns on the key deals Hart and Co. made:

THE DEAL: SHELBY MILLER AND TYRELL JENKINS FOR JASON HEYWARD AND JORDAN WALDEN

So far, the first trade Atlanta made to open its offseason looks to be the best. Miller has been spectacular with an MLB-best 1.33 ERA and 5-1 record, and he fell one out shy of the first Braves no-hitter since 1994 last Sunday in Miami.

When he arrived in Atlanta -- off a second season with the Cardinals in which he ERA jumped from 3.06 to 3.74 -- Miller looked like he was third in the pecking order behind Julio Teheran and Alex Wood. But eight starts in, that sinker he learned from Justin Masterson last season in St. Louis has him looking like a potential ace.

"We traded a pretty good player to get Shelby Miller, and we'll see how everything plays out, but I don't know how often you can make a trade and get a possible No. 1 starter back," Gonzalez said. "Those things don't happen very often."

Meanwhile, Jenkins has a 3.00 ERA in eight outings for Double-A Mississippi, but the last three include a 0.45 ERA and he's allowed two runs or less six times. Chances are he'll end the season in Triple-A and could be a long-shot option to get a September call-up.

The returns haven't been quite as strong for the Cardinals, especially when you consider that in unloading Miller they lost a piece that would have helped them weather Adam Wainwright's season-ending injury.

Heyward is currently hitting .245/.300/.388 with nine doubles, four homer runs and 12 RBI. That on-base percentage is the lowest of his six major league seasons and that 19.7 strikeout rate he's sporting is the highest it's been in three years. But most surprisingly, Heyward's fielding has dipped with a minus-0.3 defensive WAR. That figure stood at 17.3, 9.2and 15.9 the previous three seasons.

Walden appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals with 12 strikeouts, four walks and a 0.87 ERA. While he's been solid, he's also on the disabled list and likely out until after the All-Star break with a right shoulder strain.

ADVANTAGE: Braves

THE DEAL: JUSTIN UPTON AND AARON NORTHCRAFT FOR JACE PETERSON, MALLEX SMITH, MAX FRIED AND DUSTIN PETERSON

Upton has produced a typical fast start for the Padres with 11 home runs, 29 home runs and a .285/.347/.556 slash line for a 11.1 offensive WAR and he's also added an element of his game that was missing in a Braves uniform: he's running.

With nine stolen bases, Upton already has more than he had in either of his two seasons in Atlanta and is on pace to get back to the 20/20 level the Braves thought they would see.

Trading Upton in a walk year was a move that gave the Braves organizational depth, and unexpectedly, it also gave them an every day second baseman in Jace Peterson, who has started 32 games at that spot so far. Hitting .269/.346/.328, including .290/.380/.371 in May, he has also developed into viable option at leadoff and given Gonzalez the luxury of moving Nick Markakis down to protect Freddie Freeman.

"Peterson is developing the right way, going out there and getting better every single game, playing solid second base," Gonzalez said. "I'm really, really pleased."

Speedy Mallex Smith is earning rave reviews at Double-A and has 10 steals already and Dustin Peterson has a .314/.392/.448, but Max Fried, the highest-ranked prospect they earned in this deal, is out rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

As good as Peterson has looked and as much potential as the other prospects have, Upton is having an All-Star caliber season, and right now that's all that matters.

ADVANTAGE: Padres

THE DEAL: EVAN GATTIS AND JAMES HOYT FOR MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ, RIO RUIZ AND ANDREW THURMAN

The expectations that Minute Maid Park's dimensions would lead to a 30-home run season out of Gattis remain very much intact with eight so far in an Astros uniform and he could challenge for 100 RBI for the first time with 24 at this point. He's hitting just .196/.220/.413 though, and his 24.1 strikeout rate -- which included 12 in an 18 at-bat span -- trails only theWhite Sox's Adam LaRoche (24.1) among designated hitters.

Since being called up April 30, Foltynewicz has been an impressive edition to the Braves despite an elevated ERA (5.32). He's struck out seven in each of his last three starts, which combined with the two in his May 1 debut vs. the Reds gives him 23, the second-most for any Atlanta rookie in their first three major league starts, trailing only Mike Minor's 26.

"Folty, I can't wait for him every fifth day now, because I think he's just going to get better and better," Gonzalez said. "We're going to keep pushing him like we did in Cincinnati (going 6 2/3 innings), just keep pushing him, and I think he'll be better off for it."

"He's a big, strong kid and he's cranking up 95, 96 ... Lucky for us and lucky that we are in a position that we can still win and develop a guy like Foltynewicz."

While Gattis has done what's expected of him in helping the Astros climb to first in the American League West, that Foltynewicz has moved up this quickly to seemingly grab a rotation spot for the foreseeable future gives the Braves a win in this deal too.

ADVANTAGE: Push

THE DEAL: MANNY BANUELOS FOR DAVID CARPENTER AND CHASEN SHREVE; ANTHONY VARVAROFOR AARON KURCZ, CASH

Banuelos has dropped his ERA at Triple-A Gwinnett to 2.70 to go with a 3-0 record and he's averaging just over two walks a game compared to nearly five strikeouts, serious signs of progress after a rocky spring in which he had a 9.45 ERA.

The once highly-ranked Yankees prospect could still vie for a role in Atlanta before the year is up, but given the issues the ups and downs of the Braves bullpen, having Carpenter and Shreve around -- or Anthony Varvaro, who was dealt to theRed Sox -- could have alleviated a lot of concerns.

Carpenter had thrown 15 1/3 innings for New York, though his ERA has ballooned to 5.28 after allowing at least a run in four of his last six outings, while Shreve has 2.30 ERA in 15 2/3 innings, striking out 17 with five walks. Varvaro sported a 4.09 ERA for the Red Sox before he was designated for assignment and later claimed by the Cubs.

The Braves are sitting 23rd in the majors with a 4.21 bullpen ERA, a group that in moving players back and forth between Atlanta and Gwinnett, is missing the cohesiveness of units past. Carpenter's numbers aren't great, but having he and Shreve would have provided more stability.

ADVANTAGE: Yankees

THE DEAL: CAMERON MAYBIN, CARLOS QUENTIN, JORDAN PAROUBECK AND MATT WISLER FORCRAIG KIMBREL AND MELVIN UPTON JR.

Kimbrel remains among the league leaders in saves, but he's one behind Jason Grilli, who would take his place in Atlanta, and has an ERA that currently sits at 5.74 after allowing runs in four of his last six appearances. He also had this unfortunate incident when he threw to first with no one there. (http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/05/10/123506870/craig-kimbrel-throws-pickoff-to-first-with-no-one-there)

Upton has yet to suit up for the Padres, playing with Triple-A El Paso as he works his way back from a left foot injury.

Playing in his place in center field, Maybin is providing unexpected offense. He's hitting .256/.350/.433 with four homers (his most since 2012) along with providing a strong presence despite a minus-2.4 defensive WAR.

Wisler, the real coup in this trade for Atlanta, has a 4.40 ERA in eight starts in Gwinnett, but three of his last three starts included one earned run. But if we're grading this on what each side is getting at the MLB level right now, that the Braves have largely been able to replicate Kimbrel with Grilli and rid themselves of Upton's high strikeout rate on a team that has the fewest Ks in the majors, it's an Atlanta win.

ADVANTAGE: Braves

Asheville Citizen-Times

Braves coach Kevin Seitzer a good match for Maybin

By Bob Berghaus

When Phil Garner managed the Milwaukee Brewers, he didn’t get overly excited if a player started fast or slow.

Not every player is the same. A good start could have been a carryover from spring training games when the player may not have been facing top pitching. A slow start could be be attributed to a player coming off an injury or working with a new approach at the plate.

Garner said he didn’t start making any judgments on how a player’s overall season may be until he had 100 at-bats.

Using the same logic with Cameron Maybin, an argument could be made that former Roberson High standout could be headed toward his best season in the major leagues.

Maybin was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Atlanta Braves the day before the season opener. He began platooning in center field with Eric Young. Maybin got off to a slow start, with 7 hits in his first 40 at-bats, a .175 average.

Maybin didn’t panic. He’s been working on a different approach with Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and they started seeing results when April turned into May.

Following Thursday’s 10-1 win over Milwaukee, in which Maybin drove in a run and extended his hitting streak to six games, he’s hitting .255 for the season. While that’s just eight points higher than his career average of .247, he’s 17 for 54 (.315) since the 7 for 40 start.

Not counting 2008 when he hit .500 in 32 at-bats as a September call-up for the Miami Marlins, Maybin’s best season was in 2011 when he batted .264 with 40 runs batted in and 40 stolen bases for San Diego. Maybin started that year 9 for 40 (.225) but hit .298 in his next 57 at-bats, showing the same type of improvement he has during this last month with Atlanta.

“My confidence is high,” Maybin told MLB.com after Thursday’s win. “I’ve been able to put in some really good work with (Seitzer) in the cage.

“And every day is a competition. Every day I feel like you have to fight to keep the job, win the job. So my mentality is to come out and go hard everyday and things will work out.”

Maybin was made the Braves’ everyday centerfielder earlier this month. He has four homers and has driven in 18 runs. Seitzer has worked with him on shortening his stroke and the result has been no strikeouts in the last five games.

Seitzer was a .295 career hitter during a 12-year career that began in Kansas City and ended in Cleveland. He spent five seasons with the Brewers and was a guy who loved to talk hitting and got along with younger players. That Maybin is having success with Seitzer as his coach is not surprising.

Following that breakout year in 2011 after which he was rewarded with a five-year, $25 million deal, Maybin has struggled with injuries and consistency. Maybe this trade has been good for him. He’s closer to home and is jelling with his hitting coach. Maybin also is just 28 and still has the chance to have many good years.

Whether that will happen remains to be seen. But for now he’s playing better than he has in a long time, which is a nice thing to see.

MiLB.com

SAL notes: Braves' Davidson heads home

Rome outfielder, 18, talks position change, returning to Asheville

By Bill Ballew / Special to MLB.com

Braxton Davidson did not have far to travel last June when the Atlanta Braves drafted the Asheville, North Carolina, product with the 32nd overall pick. His path to the big leagues then ventured even closer to home last weekend when he and the Class A Rome Braves visited McCormick Field for a four-game series with the Asheville Tourists.

Greeted by more than two dozen friends and family members as well as many of his former teammates from T.C. Roberson High School, Davidson struck out three times in as many at-bats in the series opener on May 14 after he peppered the parking lot with numerous blasts beyond the right-field wall during batting practice.

Another 0-for-3 showing followed on Friday, May 15, before Davidson notched three singles and scored a run to guide the R-Braves to a 6-3 victory on Saturday.

"It's always good to see familiar faces, and it's a great feeling knowing that people are supporting you," said the 18-year-old Davidson. "Being in the Braves organization and playing in the South Atlantic League is special because I grew up as a Braves fan and came to games here all the time. Being able to play and chase my dream as a Brave is special because not everyone gets to play the game they love for a living. I'm thankful and blessed to have this opportunity and I'm trying to make the most of it."

Davidson was considered to possess as much power as any high school player available in last year's Draft. He has shown signs of his pop during his first 34 games with the R-Braves by hitting three home runs with five doubles. And though he struck out 37 times in his first 111 at-bats, Davidson has displayed a mature approach at the plate by walking on 24 occasions, which was tied for second in the SAL through games of May 19.

"He has a great idea of what he's doing with the bat," said Rome manager Randy Ingle. "He's very disciplined, doesn't swing at a lot of balls out of the strikezone. He's making adjustments in a couple of areas, and overall he's doing an outstanding job."

One area in which the Braves are working with Davidson is his mechanics at the plate. The alterations include incorporating a slight leg kick to improve his timing, which the outfielder feels will help him reduce the number of times he swings and misses.

Davidson is also honing his skills in right field after playing first base for most of his amateur career. Braves coach Bobby Moore has been impressed with the youngster's first-step quickness and instincts in the outfield, adding that Davidson has above-average arm strength with excellent accuracy and carry on his throws.

"I played outfield in travel ball and also for the first 10 games or so during my senior year of high school," said Davidson, who is hitting .243/.382/.369. "I'm just trying to get better every single day in order to be the best I can be. It's tough out there, especially switching from one position that you grew up playing your entire life to another one in pro ball. But this game is all about making adjustments and that's what I'm trying to do."

Most of his adjustments are coming against older competition. In fact Davidson, who will not turn 19 until June 18, entered the season as the ninth-youngest player in the SAL. That does not intimidate the outfielder, who appreciates having the opportunity to compete and improve against some of the game's best prospects.

"It's fun playing against guys who are three, four and even five years older than you," Davidson said. "But it doesn't matter how old you are, you still have to step up to the plate and challenge them. They're not going to back down. I need to show at my young age that I'm not backing down. I just need to be more consistent and do what I know I'm capable of doing."

In brief

Another homecoming: Rome outfielder Stephen Gaylor should not have much trouble finding his way around town after he was promoted to the Braves last week from extended spring training. Signed by Atlanta as a non-drafted free agent in August 2014, Gaylor is a Rome native who played at Rome High School as well as nearby Berry College.

Marietta Daily Journal

BoC set to vote on maximum price of SunTrust Park

By Ricky Leroux

MARIETTA — The Cobb Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on approving a final “Guaranteed Maximum Price” of SunTrust Park on Tuesday, but Cobb Chairman Tim Lee emphasized that regardless of the price, the county’s contribution to the project is capped. The vote will happen at Tuesday’s meeting of the commissioners, set for 7 p.m. Lee told the MDJ this week that as American Builders 2017, the joint venture of four firms hired as the general manager of the project, and the Atlanta Braves finalized the design of the stadium, a guaranteed maximum price for the core cost of the stadium would be set. “There’s a core project cost, then there’s a total stadium cost,” Lee said. “The core project cost is what American Builders is being held responsible to build. That’s, if you would, the nuts and bolts of the stadium.” Lee called the board acknowledging the GMP a “milestone” in the construction process. “All the agreements we approved back a year and a half ago (state) at some point, there would be a guaranteed maximum price, which would be the price that American Builders would have to deliver the core product to the Atlanta Braves (for),” Lee said. “In the paperwork — the agreements — the board has to acknowledge that number by vote. We’re not approving it. It’s an official way for the Braves to tell us what the core cost of the stadium will be and what the agreement with American Builders to build it is.” The GMP is still being worked out, Lee said, and the commissioners might not receive the price tag until Tuesday morning. Regardless of what the GMP ends up being, Lee said the county’s contribution to the core cost of stadium is capped at $300 million. “It doesn’t matter, really, to us what that GMP is because we’re capped,” Lee said. When the stadium project was first announced, the price tag for the total project was estimated to be $672 million: the county would contribute $300 million and the Braves would pay for the remaining $372 million. The county’s contribution is set to come from the issuance of up to $397 million in bonds, which are planned to be issued by the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority, the organization that owns the Cobb Galleria and will own SunTrust Park. The amount to be issued in bonds will likely be somewhere between $368 million and $397 million, according to Cobb Finance Director Jim Pehrson. Of that amount, the Braves have agreed to repay $92 million over the course of 30 years in debt service, Pehrson said. Any bond revenue above the $368 million will be used for the cost to issue the bonds and capitalized interest, Pehrson added.

Associated Press

Braves take advantage of Smith's pine tar ejection for win

ATLANTA -- Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez doesn't regret calling out Milwaukee reliever Will Smith for breaking a rule that some pitchers might break every night.

"It was about as plain as it could be," Gonzalez said. "It's pretty blatant. Really. It's glistening through the lights. You could see it in the dugout."

Julio Teheran pitched seven strong innings and the Atlanta Braves took advantage of Smith's seventh-inning ejection for using rosin and sunscreen illegally in a 10-1 victory Thursday night.

Play was stopped briefly with Atlanta leading 2-1 and the bases loaded with one out in the seventh when Gonzalez successfully argued that Smith had a foreign substance on his right forearm.

Crew chief Jim Joyce walked over to the mound, touched a shiny substance on Smith's arm and ejected the pitcher from the game. Gonzalez claimed that Smith was breaking the rules after the left-hander threw a pitch that bounced in front of the plate and hit pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco in the leg.

After Smith made one pitch to the next batter, Jace Peterson, Gonzalez walked onto the field.

"I never went out there until he went to it (his arm)," Gonzalez said. "You can look at the video. That's when I went out to the home plate umpire to check."

Smith was furious at Gonzalez but also blamed himself for not wiping it off before entering the game.

"It was chilly and kind of windy," Smith said. "I had rosin and sunscreen on my arm. I just forgot to wipe it off before I went out and pitched. I had to kind of get ready in a hurry. I just forgot. That's it."

Smith added that the only purpose of using rosin and sunscreen is to help him feel the ball better.

"That's it. It's the grip," he said. "It's not going to spin more. You're not going to throw harder. You've got what you got."

The Braves have won five of six. Milwaukee has dropped four of six.

Teheran (4-1) allowed two hits, one run, one walk and struck out eight in seven innings.

Christian Bethancourt's RBI single chased Brewers starter Matt Garza (2-6) with one out in the seventh. After Smith hit Ciriaco, the next two pitchers -- Neal Cotts and Michael Blazek -- combined to allow RBI singles to Jace Peterson andFreddie Freeman, Cameron Maybin's two-run single and Nick Markakis' RBI double.

Freeman scored the last run of the inning when Jonny Gomes, batting for the second time in the seventh, reached on a throwing error by second basemanHector Gomez.

"Every pitcher does it," Freeman said. "As a hitter, you want them to do it so they'll have a better grip so we won't get hit in the head."

Brewers manager Craig Counsell believes Gonzalez has pitchers on his staff that use the same substance to help them grip the ball.

"It's very common," Counsell said. "It goes on on the other side, I guarantee you. It's the rule. I think pitchers are using it but I guess you've got to be discreet about it."

Joyce told a pool reporter that he had no choice but to eject Smith.

"I'm not going to make (the ejection) dramatic, because it is what it is and it's clear cut," Joyce said. "Like I told Craig, `I have no recourse. This is immediate and fatal, unfortunately."

Garza allowed five hits, four runs, two walks and struck out three in 6 1/3 innings, dropping to 0-4 with a 4.93 ERA in six career starts against Atlanta. He was coming off a 14-1 loss last Saturday in which he allowed 10 hits and 10 runs at the New York Mets.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: Counsell said SS Jean Segura, out since May 13 with a broken finger on his right hand, could be getting closer to his return. "When we get back home (to begin a four-game series against the Giants on Monday), that's probably going to be the big day," Counsell said.

Braves: 3B Chris Johnson, sidelined since April 30 with a broken left hand, could return next Thursday at San Francisco. Gonzalez said Johnson will have five at-bats in extended spring training Friday, take batting practice on Saturday, rejoin the Braves for batting practice Sunday and then have a rehab assignment in three games next week.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Wily Peralta (1-5) is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA in three career starts against Atlanta, but gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings of a 5-1 loss to the Mets on Sunday.

Braves: LHP Alex Wood (2-2) is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance against Milwaukee. Wood gave up seven hits and one run in a 5-3 win at Miami on Saturday.

Brewers-Braves Preview

The Atlanta Braves are capitalizing on strong efforts on the mound, while an infraction on it proved costly for the Milwaukee Brewers.

After an ejection for an illegal substance led to a big inning for the Braves, they look to Alex Wood to deliver another impressive performance against the NL-worst Brewers on Friday night.

Atlanta (20-20) has a 3.97 ERA on the season, but the staff has a 1.83 mark while winning five of the last six games. Julio Teheran and two relievers combined on a two-hitter in a 10-1 win over Milwaukee (15-27) in Thursday's opener of this four-game set.

The Braves' highest scoring performance of the month featured a seven-run seventh inning, and six came after Brewers reliever Will Smith was ejected for having a combination of rosin and sunscreen on his right forearm.

"It was about as plain as it could be," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It's pretty blatant. Really. It's glistening through the lights. You could see it in the dugout."

Wood (2-2, 3.83 ERA), meanwhile, is 0-2 with a 6.19 ERA in three home starts after compiling a 1.59 ERA while winning four of his final five there last year.

However, he is coming off one of his best performances of the season, allowing two runs -- one earned -- and seven hits in seven innings of Saturday's 5-3 win at Miami. That was six days after the left-hander overcame a three-run first by tossing 5 1/3 scoreless while not getting a decision in a 5-4 loss at Washington.

"We're still talking about some things and working on those," Wood told MLB's official website. "But the results the last two starts are definitely encouraging. It's nice to know when I'm working on things and trying to figure things out, I can still put up outings like (Saturday). I've just got to keep working and go from there."

Wood is 2-0 while allowing one run in 10 1/3 innings over five meetings with the Brewers. He yielded one run in seven innings in a 5-2 win in his only career start against them April 1, 2014.

The Brewers' .226 batting average is the worst in the majors, and they've hit .195 with 2.3 runs per game while losing six of the last seven games with Atlanta.

Ryan Braun is 2 for 25 with a homer and two RBIs over that stretch. He went 0 for 3 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly Thursday after batting .340 with five homers and 15 RBIs over the previous 14 games.

Milwaukee is starting Wily Peralta (1-5, 4.32), who is 0-5 with a 5.18 ERA over his last six road starts. He's dropped all three this year with a 5.63 ERA while allowing opponents to hit .380.

The right-hander was hammered for five runs and nine hits with three walks in five-plus innings of a 5-1 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday.

He's 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA in three career starts against the Braves, but lost his only visit to Atlanta 9-3 on May 19, 2014. He gave up three runs and nine hits with four walks in five innings.

Peralta served up a solo homer to Freddie Freeman, who went 2 for 3 in that meeting.

Freeman is batting .348 in 16 games after collecting two hits and two RBIs on Thursday.