Atlanta Braves Clippings

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Braves.com

Fill-in start unravels as Braves' bats go quiet

By Mark Bowman and John Donovan / MLB.com | 1:43 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Hector Gomez's two-out double sparked a seven-run fourth inning that allowed the Brewers to overcome Wily Peralta's early exit and cruise to an 11-0 win Friday night over the Braves at Turner Field.

"It was one of those innings where you keep the line moving," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "They did it last night [the Braves had a seven-run seventh in a 10-1 win Thursday], we were able to do it tonight."

After Gomez doubled off the left-field wall, Braves starting pitcher Eric Stults intentionally walked Martin Maldonado to load the bases for Peralta, a .084 career hitter who promptly drew a six-pitch walk. The Brewers produced seven straight baserunners with two outs in the fourth inning, which was highlighted by consecutive doubles from Khris Davis and Ryan Braun against Trevor Cahill.

"It went from a 2-0 game, which was very reachable, to all of the sudden they scored seven runs and it really got out of hand," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, after his team endured its second shutout loss of the season.

Peralta surrendered one hit over four innings before exiting with tightness in his left side. Michael Blazek allowed just one hit over three innings in relief and also notched his first career hit, a seventh-inning RBI double off Ian Thomas.

Thomas was recalled earlier in the day to provide insurance after Stults made an emergency start in place of Alex Wood, who was sidelined with a stomach virus.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Peralta buckles down: Peralta, who entered the game 1-5 with a 4.32 ERA in eight games, faced some early pressure from the Braves but came through twice in the clutch. Peralta got switch-hitting Todd Cunningham to strike out on an 0-2 slider with two out and two on in the first. In the third, with runners on first and second and two outs, Peralta got right fielder Nick Markakis to ground to second to end that threat.

Wood's absence: When Gonzalez learned late Friday morning that Wood was still sick, he had no choice but to start Stults, who had been removed from the rotation after his ERA rose to 5.36 after his May 13 outing in Cincinnati. The left-hander surrendered Braun's two-run homer in the first inning and totaled four strikeouts over the next two innings. But his inability to get the third out in fourth inning led to a rough night for Atlanta's pitching staff.

Brawny Braun: Braun crushed three hits -- a first-inning opposite-field two-run homer and a pair of doubles -- to continue a torrid hitting streak. In the past 16 games, Braun is hitting .358 (19-for-53) with six homers and 20 RBIs. He finished Friday's laugher 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. He also walked once.

QUOTABLE "It's unfortunate that Alex is sick, but that's the way it goes. You got to be ready, and I felt like I was ready coming into the start, but it was just one of those that just didn't go the way I wanted it to." -- Stults

"It was probably the moment of the game. We put together a great two-out rally. His at-bat was a big part of it." -- Counsell, on Peralta's two-out walk in the Brewers' fourth inning

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS • The Brewers tallied at least 10 hits and 10 runs for the third time in their past 13 games. They had previously matched these marks just once this year and a total of five times throughout the 2014 season.

• This marked the fifth time in Atlanta history (since 1966) that the Braves surrendered at least 11 runs while tallying three hits or fewer in a shutout loss. The previous occasion was a 12-0 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Aug. 31, 1996.

WHAT'S NEXT Brewers: Mike Fiers will take the mound when Atlanta and Milwaukee resume their four-game series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Braves are the only National League team, aside from the Brewers, that Fiers has not faced.

Braves: Atlanta will counter with Shelby Miller, who leads the Majors with a 1.33 ERA. Miller has allowed just one run in 25 innings over his three starts in May, while holding batters to a .099 average and .261 OPS. He came one out shy of notching a no-hitter his last time out.

Walks costly for Stults in emergency outing

Veteran lefty battles command against Brewers in start for ill Wood

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 1:01 AM ET

ATLANTA -- The Braves might not have known exactly how ill Alex Wood was feeling, but they couldn't have been feeling much better after watching Eric Stults unravel with two outs in a seven-run fourth inning of the Brewers' 11-0 win Friday night at Turner Field.

"We weren't thinking, 'Go out and give us seven or eight innings or a two-hit shutout,'" Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It was an emergency spot start. After the third inning, you go 'OK, he's going to be able to give us five innings.'"

Stults learned he was making this start late Friday morning, shortly after the Braves' medical staff told Wood, the scheduled starter, to remain home while dealing with a stomach virus. This was the first start for the veteran left-hander since he lost his rotation spot after his ERA rose to 5.36 on May 13.

As he spoke to reporters before the game, Gonzalez said he would "jump for joy" if Stults completed five innings, but the skipper did not have to carry through with that promise.

After surrendering Ryan Braun's two-run homer in the first inning, Stults retired 10 of the next 12 batters he faced. He seemed to still be in solid position with two outs in the fourth, when the Brewers put runners at second and third base on Hector Gomez's double. Martin Maldonado, who had one hit in his previous 29 at-bats, and Milwaukee's starting pitcher Wily Peralta, a career .084 hitter, were the next two batters.

But after intentionally walking Maldonado, Stults issued a six-pitch bases-loaded walk to Peralta. When Luis Sardinas followed with an infield single, Gonzalez took the ball from Stults and handed it to Trevor Cahill, who proceed to allow three hits, including consecutive doubles by Khris Davis and Braun, before mercifully ending the inning.

"I felt like that inning got away from me," Stults said. "It was an inning where I could have limited the damage, but I wasn't able to do it [with the] next few pitches. Unfortunately it was one of those nights. I didn't get hit hard, but the walks came back to bite me."

This was certainly an odd outing for Stults, who surrendered just three hits but issued five walks while allowing seven runs over 3 2/3 innings. The only other Atlanta pitcher to allow at least seven earned runs while surrendering three hits or fewer in less than four innings was Buzz Capra, who allowed seven runs on three hits and four walks while lasting one inning against the Astros on Aug. 15, 1977.

Gonzalez said he might use Wood out of the bullpen within the next couple days to prepare him for Wednesday's start at Dodger Stadium. Meanwhile, Stults has no choice but to dwell on the opportunity squandered because he was not able to find the strike zone against the opposing starting pitcher.

"I felt good physically, but it's just one of those things that, you know, I wasn't able to pick my team up today," Stults said.

Braves miffed by 'blatant' use of substance

In aftermath of Smith's ejection, many OK with pitchers improving grip

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | May 22nd, 2015

ATLANTA -- Count Braves right fielder Nick Markakis among the Major League hitters who are comforted by the trend of pitchers using a hidden foreign substance to improve their grip of the baseball.

But when that substance is clearly visible -- like it was Thursday night when Brewers left-hander Will Smith was caught with a mixture of sunscreen and rosin on his right forearm -- umpires really have no option other than to abide by the rules.

"When you do it that blatant, you kind of deserve to get caught," Markakis said. "There are a ton of other places you can put it. I'd rather have a guy out there with a clue about where it's going. But then again, it's in the rule books and you can't do it. It's a tough situation for [Smith] to be in, but sometimes you have to use your head a little more."

Markakis and Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman both acknowledged the safety benefits a batter can gain by a pitcher using a substance to gain a firm grip. But teammate Jonny Gomes said he views the substances as performance enhancers.

"I've played with guys who used substance and I've played against guys [who used substance], but you can't have it on your arm," Gomes said. "Head back to the drawing board and figure a different way out if you need that to perform."

Smith appealed the eight-game suspension Major League Baseball levied against him on Friday afternoon. Thus, the suburban Atlanta resident will be available for the remainder of this weekend's series at Turner Field. But it's safe to assume that he will not repeat his mistake from Thursday, when he provided Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez a clear opportunity to see the substance.

"It was just so blatant," Gonzalez said. "You see guys all the time with stuff on their hats or the rosin. It's fine and I'm fine with that. But gosh darn, that's almost rubbing it in your face."

Though he had seen the substance as Smith warmed up and threw his first four pitches (including an 0-2 breaking ball that bounced and hit Pedro Ciriaco to load the bases), Gonzalez opted not to alert the umpires until the reliever touched it before throwing his second pitch to Jace Peterson.

"I know what the hitters are saying, 'Don't let the ball slip and hit me in the head,'" Gonzalez said. "But you know what? If [one of my players] walks back this way and I had let that guy throw three nasty curveballs to punch him out with the bases loaded, shame on me because [Smith] got some help. I have the Atlanta Braves to answer to, my team and our fan base and our front office. If I wouldn't have gone out there, I'd have had a tough time sleeping."

Wood skips start due to stomach virus

Veteran left-hander Stults fills in for Braves against Brewers

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | May 22nd, 2015

ATLANTA -- Braves left-hander Alex Wood did not make Friday night's scheduled start against the Brewers because of a stomach virus. Eric Stults started in his place.

The Braves announced this change approximately four hours before Friday's scheduled first pitch. Wood had shown some recent improvement on the mound. Since surrendering three first-inning runs to the Nationals on May 9, he had allowed just one run over his past 12 2/3 innings.

Wood showed symptoms on Thursday night, and after seeing a doctor Friday morning, it was clear that he would have to be scratched from the start.

"Luckily for us, we have Stults in the bullpen," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I don't know how long we could go with him, but if he could give us four or five innings, I'll jump for joy."

Stults was moved recently to the bullpen after compiling a 5.36 ERA through seven starts. The veteran southpaw has surrendered two home runs in each of his previous three starts.

For Fredi, lineup key to Braves' success

Manager constantly changing strategy based on who's hot on roster

By Terence Moore / MLB.com | May 22nd, 2015

During the opening 31 games for the Braves this season, guess how many different starting lineups they had?

Yep, 31.

"I've got a computer program," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez with a straight face, before he eased into a smile at Turner Field.

Seriously, folks, the only combination of hard drive and software Gonzalez uses to decide who bats where for a given game is between his ears.

This is some trick for Gonzalez. Consider, too, that his eternal juggling mostly has worked. For instance: The Braves have struggled for the last several years at trying to manufacture runs, but they've improved this season in that category. That's partly because they've gone from one of the worst teams in baseball at avoiding striking out to one of the best. Only the defending American League champion Royals strike out less than the Braves. In addition, the Braves are fourth in the Major Leagues in sacrifice hits, and they are eighth in sacrifice flies. They've also been one of the most prolific teams all season at hitting with runners in scoring position.

Which brings us back Gonzalez, in the midst of his fifth year with the Braves after managing the Marlins for four seasons. He constantly is searching for the best set of matchups each day, each hour, each second.

Or so it seems.

"Some of this is by necessity," Gonzalez said. "Take, for example, we had [Nick] Markakis in the leadoff spot for a while, because we wanted that on-base percentage up there, and then Kelly Johnson goes out with an oblique, so we needed to figure out who's going to hit behind [Freddie] Freeman. We were playing [Phil] Gosselin a lot, and then he goes out with a thumb injury. But you know what's good about this team? You get to play the hot hand."

No question there, because Gonzalez has a slew of hands to choose from these days. When one of those hands goes cold on offense, another has a tendency to heat up.

You can start with veteran A.J. Pierzynski , who ripped pitches so well to start the season that he went from backup to starting catcher for the Braves in place of slumping rookie Christian Bethancourt. One moment Eric Young Jr. finds his name on Gonzalez's lineup card in center field, and the next, Cameron Maybin is swinging his way into the picture. When everybody is healthy, there is a plethora of choices at third base: Alberto Callaspo, Chris Johnson, Kelly Johnson and Gosselin.

Then there's rookie Todd Cunningham, who is efficient at all three outfield positions, including left field, where he can alternate with Jonny Gomes.

The possibilities go on and on for Gonzalez.

"No, no. It really is fun," Gonzalez said. "We lose Kelly Johnson [to his oblique injury] in Cincinnati last week, and then we have an off-day that Thursday in Miami, and that whole day, I'm thinking about the lineups. So I come in on Friday afternoon, and I put the lineup up, and [hitting coach Kevin] Seitzer goes, 'Wow, I never thought about moving [Jace] Peterson to the leadoff spot.'"

All Peterson did against the Marlins was make the first home run of his Major League career a grand slam, and he torched Miami at the plate the rest of the weekend.

Added Gonzalez, "I put Peterson in the leadoff spot at that time, because we needed somebody to protect Freeman in the four hole, and I knew Markakis could do that, and then I started to fill out the rest of the lineup from that point."

The Braves did have accomplished holdovers such as Andrelton Simmons, Freeman and Chris Johnson after an offseason that gutted the offense from the previous year, but this roster was unknown territory for Gonzalez entering 2015. He determined what he needed to do with it in a hurry. He had help along the way, and he continues to have that help.

"I'll sit and talk to the hitting coaches, and I'll say to them, 'OK, tell me what you think,'" Gonzalez said. "I'll tell them I'm thinking about playing Maybin or EY. 'Tell me what you think about that. I'm open.' Seitzer might say, 'Well, Maybin is starting to swing the bat well, so give him some more at-bats.' Or it could be something like, 'You know what? You haven't played EY in two weeks. You better give him some at-bats.' So it's a collaboration with our coaching staff.

"Sometimes you get a matchup that you think is favorable, but there really is no set way I do it, and unlike what some might believe, there really is no computer involved with the decisions. It's just a feel."

After all, computers can't feel.

Miller to face Brewers in follow-up to near no-no

By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | 12:17 AM ET

Shelby Miller will look to continue his recent dominance on the mound for the Braves, and Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers will face Atlanta for the first time in his career Saturday afternoon at Turner Field.

Miller is coming off a two-hitter of the Marlins on Sunday and has posted a Major League-best 1.33 ERA while working off his three fastballs. Miller isn't succeeding by striking out a high number of batters -- just 7.17 per nine innings -- but he's induced weak contact from opposing hitters, who have managed just a .183 batting average on balls in play against him.

Fiers has struggled through eight starts this season after putting up a career year in 2014 with a 2.13 ERA over 71 2/3 innings. However, his last two outings have been effective. He has allowed just four runs over 12 innings against the White Sox and Tigers, striking out 10 and walking two.

Three things to know for this game

• This season, Miller has averaged 95.24 mph on his four-seam fastball. That's above the Major League average, but what's been even more impressive is that his two-seam fastball has been nearly the same velocity (94.43) while showing more vertical and horizontal movement.

• Over Fiers' five-year Major League career with the Brewers, he has thrown 265 1/3 innings without facing the Braves. After this start, the 29-year-old will have faced every National League club except his own team.

• Miller and Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski have established a successful relationship this season. With Pierzynski behind the dish for five of Miller's starts, the right-hander has allowed just three earned runs in 36 innings (0.75 ERA) while striking out 27 batters and walking eight. Miller has allowed five earned runs in 18 innings (2.50 ERA) with rookie Christian Bethancourt catching.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves quotes after loss to Brewers

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves quotes after 11-0 loss to Brewers on Friday at Turner Field.

FREDI GONZALEZ

On the game

When you have to make substitutions—you’ve got Woody (Alex Wood) getting sick, that’s not anybody’s fault, really. Sometimes if you don’t get past a certain point in the game, the game can get out of hand. I thought the point of the game when we walked the pitcher with the bases loaded and two outs. Then all of a sudden it went from a 2-0 game which was reachable, very reachable, to they score seven runs and it really got out of hand. From that point on we just tried to piece it together and not get anybody where they could be able to pitch again tomorrow. I think we did that. I think Nick (Masset) and J.J. (Jim Johnson) gave us two solid innings on the back end because one thing you hate in those games is to bring in a position player to finish the game. That’s no fun. J.J. did a good job going out there in the ninth inning and making it fairly quick. Same thing with Nick. I think we should be in good shape.

On if Eric Stults and Christian Bethancourt seemed out of sync

There was a couple of times when there was some cross-up going on. I know we use very difficult sign sequences with men on second base and maybe that was what you saw there. That part of the game, that is what really made the whole game go in a down spiral.

On if he felt better about Stults after second and third innings

We weren’t thinking go out and give us seven, eight, complete game, two-hit shutout. It was an emergency, spot starter. After the third inning, you go, OK, he is going to be able to give us five innings. And I think he would have if we don’t walk the pitcher there in that situation. I think he goes back out and gives us a chance to get those five innings.

On if Wood will make his next start

His next start will be no problem. I’m trying to get him back as soon as we can with this virus and maybe help us out of the bullpen with his next start. You’ve got to let those things kind of run its course. He’s going to come in early tomorrow with our medical team and see where his strength is at.

On if early deficit made it tough on offense

I think so. It’s hard to battle. I thought we had some balls that were hit hard. It’s hard to battle from those deficits and they added on a little bit, too.

ERIC STULTS

On when did he find out he’d start and how did he prepare

I found out this morning. Normal preparation, I had plenty of rest. It felt like most any other start.

On how rest of performance felt other than fourth inning

Unfortunately in a start you can’t really take the bad out of it. That’s just the way it is. After the first inning, the walk to (Carlos) Gomez to start the game and a pitch up to (Ryan) Braun, I felt like the first few innings went pretty well. Then in the fourth it just kind of unraveled there.

On if anything changed after intentional walk in fourth inning

The one at-bat, the double (by Hector Gomez), I felt like I threw a strike. I looked at the video, it looked like a strike. It kind of flip-flops that bad. Instead of being 1-2, you are 2-1. I made a pitch over the plate because I didn’t’ want to go 3-1, he hits a double there and I felt like that kind of changed the complexion of that inning whereas if you’ve got a guy down 1-2 you’ve got him where you want him. But you’ve still got to come back

and make pitches and I just wasn’t able to make enough pitches therein the fourth, the walk to the pitcher didn’t help and then the infield single kind of did me in.

On if he was unhappy or surprised when he got removed from the game

No, not really. I think I was just frustrated with myself. I felt like that inning got away from me. It was an inning where I could have limited the damage. I wasn’t able to do it the next few pitches and unfortunately it was one of those nights. I didn’t get hit hard but the walks came back to bite me.

On if he felt rusty after not pitching for a while

Not really. Like I said, I felt good physically. But it’s just one of those things I wasn’t able to pick my team up today. It’s unfortunate Alex was sick but that’s just the way it goes and you’ve got to be ready. I felt like I was ready coming into the start but it just didn’t go the way I wanted it to.

CHRISTIAN BETHANCOURT

On the fourth inning

It was one of those tough innings. You are trying to do anything you can to get out of that inning. They were swinging the bat. We had some issues, we got crossed up twice. We got confused. We are humans, I guess we are allowed to do that. We’ve just got to move on to the next page.

On the eight walks issued by Braves

Those are the things that frustrate you, me as a catcher and them as a pitcher. You don’t like to be walking that many guys. We are humans. They are not perfect and I completely understand that. We’ve got to get back on track tomorrow and get the win and do things better.

On being in a big deficit

They did a pretty good job pitching and they controlled our bats tonight. You’ve got to tip your hat to that and they did a good job and that’s why they got the win.

Brewers rout Stults, Braves 11-0

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After recently sending lefty Eric Stults to the bullpen because he was ineffective as a starter, the Braves ended up needing one more good spot start from him.

They didn’t get it. The Brewers roughed up Stults and eased to an 11-o victory on Friday at Turner Field.

After the Braves routed the Brewers 10-1 in the series opener, the visitors returned the favor. The Brewers ran out to a 2-0 lead on Ryan Braun’s home run in the first inning and then blew the game open with two outs in the fourth by scoring seven runs, five of them charged to Stults.

The Braves pressed Stults into duty because scheduled starter Alex Wood was scratched because of a stomach virus. Manager Fredi Gonzalez didn’t get word that Wood was unavailable until late Friday morning.

Lucky for the Braves, they had Stults in the bullpen and he hadn’t pitched since starting against the Reds on May 13. Unfortunately for the Braves, Stults had the same issues against the Brewers as he did in most of his other starts.

Stults (1-5) lost his fourth decision in a row while recording an 8.72 ERA in those games. The Braves had replaced him in the starting rotation with Williams Perez, who made his first big-league start on Wednesday.

Stults hurt his cause against the Brewers by walking five batters (one intentional) and allowing the home run and two doubles.

“I felt good physically but it’s just one of those things where I wasn’t able to pick my team up today,” Stults said. “It’s unfortunate Alex was sick but that’s just the way it goes and you’ve got to be ready. I felt like I was ready coming into the start but it just didn’t go the way I wanted it to.”

The Braves had just three hits, all singles. They had four base runners in four innings against starter Wily Peralta, two by way of walk and one a hit batsman, before he left the game because of tightness in his left side.

Three Brewers relievers held the Braves to two hits over the final five innings.

“They did a pretty good job pitching and they controlled our bats tonight,” Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to that.”

Stults walked the first batter he faced, Carlos Gomez, and Braun hit his 11th home run of the season for the 2-0 lead. Stults settled down over the next two innings but another lead-off walk, this time to Braun, got him into trouble in the fourth.

Hector Gomez knocked a two-out double that moved Braun to third and Stults intentionally walked catcher Martin Maldonado to get to pitcher Peralta. Maldonado isn’t a good hitter but it seemed a safe move to walk him because Peralta had no hits and eight strikeouts in 13 at-bats this season.

But Stults fell behind 3-0 in the count to Peralta before walking him to bring home a run. The Brewers kept coming until they had batted around.

Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons couldn’t corral Luis Sardinas’ ground ball deep in the hole and the infield hit scored a run. That prompted Gonzalez to replace Stults with Trevor Cahill, another starter-turned-reliever.

“I felt like that inning got away from me,” Stults said. “It was an inning where I could have limited the damage. I wasn’t able to do it the next few pitches and unfortunately it was one of those nights. I didn’t get hit hard but the walks came back to bite me.”

Stults had his shortest outing since he lasted 2 1/3 innings while pitching for the Padres against the Nationals on June 8.

“We weren’t thinking, ‘Go out and give us seven, eight (innings), complete game, two-hit shutout,’” Gonzalez said. “It was an emergency, spot starter. After the third inning, you go, ‘OK, he is going to be able to give us five innings.’ And I think he would have if we don’t walk the pitcher there in that situation.”

Cahill could do no better than Stults. Gomez singled and Khris Davis and Braun hit back-to-back doubles to add five more runs before Cahill finally ended the inning by striking out Aramis Ramirez.

The Braves walked batters in the fifth and seventh innings to help the Brewers add on two more runs.

“Those are the things that frustrate you, me as a catcher and them as a pitcher,” Bethancourt said. “You don’t like to be walking that many guys. We are humans. They are not perfect and I completely understand that. We’ve got to get back on track tomorrow and get the win and do things better.”

The one positive for the Braves is that they finished the game using only one of their top relief pitchers, Jim Johnson.

“One thing you hate in those games is to bring in a position player to finish the game,” Gonzalez said. “That’s no fun. J.J. did a good job going out there in the ninth inning and making it fairly quick. Same thing with Nick (Masset). I think we should be in good shape.”

Brewers hammer Stults, Braves

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A recap of the Braves’ loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday at Turner Field.

How the game was won: The Brewers knocked around emegency starter Eric Stults and eased to an 11-0 victory. Stults was pressed into duty when scheduled starter Alex Wood was scratched because of illness. Stults lasted just 3 2/3 inning and allowed seven runs while walking five batters. The Brewers scored seven runs with two outs in the fourth inning.

Number:1. Career hits in 36 games for Brewers relief pitcher Michael Blazek after he singled in the seventh inning. Blazek previously had one career at-bat.

Next: The Braves play the Brewers at 4:10 p.m. Saturday on Fox Sports 1. Shelby Miller (5-1, 1.33 ERA) faces Mike Fiers (1-4, 4.75).

Braves say they couldn’t let Smith slide on foreign substance

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Baseball rules do not allow pitchers to have foreign substances on their bodies, and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez noticed Brewers relief pitcher Will Smith definitely had some on his non-throwing arm Thursday night.

So Gonzalez asked umpires to check Smith’s arm during the seventh inning. They did so and crew chief Jim Joyce quickly discovered a sticky substance on Smith’s arm—the pitcher said it was sunscreen and rosin—and ejected him. Major League Baseball suspended Smith for eight games on Friday but he was available to pitch as he appeals the decision.

It all seems pretty straightforward but, like with many baseball rules, there are grey areas.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said hitters prefer pitchers use something to get a better grip so they don’t hit them. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said it’s common for pitchers to do so, especially in cool conditions such as Thursday, and added that he “guarantees” Braves pitchers also do it.

Gonzalez said he understands all of that but he kept coming back to two points in explaining why he had umpires check Smith, who is from Newnan.

Gonzalez said he didn’t do it until he saw the pitcher touch the substance with his pitching hand and, maybe more importantly, Gonzalez said Smith was so blatant about it he had no choice.

“Gosh darn, that’s almost rubbing it in your face in a situation where you are trying to get an advantage to your team,” Gonzalez said Friday. “I let that guy throw three nasty curveballs and he gets a punch out with the bases loaded, shame on me because he had some help. I have the Atlanta Braves to answer to, my team, our fanbase, and our front office. If … I let that slide, I think I would have a tough time sleeping.”

Smith hit the first batter he faced, Pedro Ciriaco, and then threw a first-pitch strike to Jace Peterson. That’s when Gonzalez said Smith touched his pitching hand to the substance, prompting him to alert the umpires. Smith cursed at the Braves’ dugout as he left the field.

Braves outfielder Jonny Gomes is among players who don’t think it’s OK for pitchers to use substances to aid in gripping the ball.

“The rule is in place because it’s performance-enhancing,” Gomes said. “It has nothing to do with individually the guy. We don’t dislike the guy anymore. I don’t think he’s disrespecting the game. He’s trying to get an edge. We are all trying to get an edge.

“There are a few rules in this game you can bend, there are a few rules you can kind of get around. But people talk about a lot of bullpen guys use some sort of substance. With that being said, there are only about one or two of these incidents like this a year.”

Gomes added that pitchers who depend on foreign substances to grip the ball need to use their time in the minor leagues to “figure out how to get your fastball to work without hitting a guy.”

Braves scratch pitcher Wood (ill), Stults gets start

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves left-hander Alex Wood was scratched from his scheduled start against the Brewers on Friday because of a stomach virus.

Wood started feeling ill late Thursday night but the Braves remained hopeful he’d be able to make his start. However, manager Fredi Gonzalez got word Friday morning that Wood wouldn’t be able to pitch.

Left-hander Eric Stults started in place of Wood.

“We had to scramble,” Gonzalez said. “Luckily we had Stults in the bullpen. I don’t know how long we can go with him but if he can give us four or five innings I will jump for joy.”

The Braves recalled left-hander Ian Thomas from Triple-A Gwinnett for help in the bullpen. To make room for him on the roster, the team sent infielder Adonis Garcia to Gwinnett.

The Braves did not announce any changes to the starting rotation with Wood missing his start. They don’t have any off days before Wood’s next scheduled start.

Williams Perez replaced Stults in the starting rotation this week. Stults didn’t make any relief appearance and had last pitched May 13 when he allowed six hits and five runs over five innings against the Reds.

In seven starts before Friday Stults was 1-4 with a 5.36 ERA.

Braves prospect Jenkins making a name in Double-A

By Carroll Rogers - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mississippi Braves right-hander Tyrell Jenkins hasn’t yet reached the big time, but the big time has definitely reached him.

The Braves’ 13th-ranked prospect by Baseball America is good friends with Robert Griffin III. Jenkins, a native of Henderson, Texas, signed to be Griffin’s successor as quarterback at Baylor when the St. Louis Cardinals drafted him 50th overall in the compensatory round in 2010.

Jenkins has taken — and tried to offer in return — advice from Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright on dealing with a season-ending injury. And Sunday, he used a near no-hitter by his golfing buddy and fellow St. Louis-to-Atlanta trade piece, Shelby Miller, to get fired up for his latest start in Double-A.

“When (the Marlins) broke it up I felt like they broke up a no-hitter from the whole organization,” said Jenkins, who watched the last three innings from the visiting clubhouse in Pensacola, Fla., before taking the mound. “He pitched a great game. It motivated me to go out and do the same.”

Like Miller, Jenkins is doing his part to validate the Braves’ end of the November trade that sent Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden to St. Louis for Miller and Jenkins. Jenkins pitched seven shutout innings Sunday, despite walking five and never having a good feel for his change-up. He entered his start Friday against Jacksonville 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA in eight starts, having allowed just one run over 20 innings in his previous three starts.

Most important to Jenkins, he’s thrown 45 1/3 innings, which is more than halfway to his career-high of 82 1/3 innings in 2012. That was the year he tore his latissimus muscle for the first time. He tore it again in 2013, this time a 95 percent tear.

After some soul-searching and convincing from his mom that he’d made the right decision to play baseball and needed to stick with it, Jenkins underwent the same experimental shoulder surgery Jake Peavy had. Jenkins said his case was only the second performed on a pitcher by Chicago surgeon Anthony Romeo.

Jenkins returned from a 10-month rehabilitation in June and posted a 3.28 ERA in 13 starts in high Single-A and a 2.22 ERA in six starts in the Arizona Fall League before he was traded.

Jenkins’ four-seam fastball is back up in the mid-90s — he’s touched 96 mph this year — and he pitched seven innings in each of his past two starts.

He’s earned a reputation in the Braves organization for being good in the clubhouse and engaging with fans. It might explain why Jenkins developed close friendships with guys such as Miller, Griffin, and Wainwright.

Jenkins was watching the Cardinals game last month when Wainwright tore his Achilles, and he texted Wainwright right away. He said Wainwright kept bringing the conversation back to him, and how he was doing with the Braves. Wainwright is a former first-round pick of the Braves.

“He told me it’s a great organization to be in, a great pitching organization,” Jenkins said. “He told me to listen and be open to (coaching), and he told me that he’ll see me in September.”

The Cardinals come to Atlanta the final three games of the regular season. Technically it’s October, but Jenkins hadn’t actually looked at the Braves schedule to check. He’s focused on the work he has to do to get a September call-up.

“Hopefully I get to see him then,” Jenkins said.

Ex-Braves: Gone but not forgotten

By Mike Luck - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Updates on former Braves players around baseball:

Jason Heyward, OF

St. Louis Cardinals

He hit two homers in the past week, doubling his season total. But Heyward is hitting only .245 and is on pace for 47 RBIs this season (he had 58 last season).

Craig Kimbrel, P

San Diego Padres

The closer has given up runs in three of his past four outings, and his ERA stands at a shocking 5.74. But Kimbrel is 11-for-12 in save opportunities.

Dan Uggla, 2B

Washington Nationals

He’s not playing much, but he is hitting 62 points higher this season than in 2014. The bad news about that is it still leaves him at .211 after batting just .149 last season.

Evan Gattis, OF-DH

Houston Astros

He had a good week, batting .273 with two homers and six RBIs. Gattis is on pace for a 30-homer season, but is batting .196 and has struck out 37 times in 39 games.

Justin Upton, OF

San Diego Padres

Another strong week at the plate (hitting .333) boosted his stats, and he’s hitting. 284 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs. He’s on pace for career highs in homers and RBIs.

Brian McCann, C-1B

New York Yankees

McCann is making $17 million this season, but hitting just .234 (.125 in the past week). He’s hitting .318 at Yankee Stadium, but .188 on the road.

Tim Hudson, P

San Francisco Giants

Hudson bounced back from a rough stretch by pitching 6 1/3 shutouts innings Tuesday against the Dodgers. He’s 2-3 with a 4.01 ERA in his 17th season.

Jeff Francoeur, OF

Philadelphia Phillies

The 31-year-old Francoeur had three hits in five at-bats over two games and is hitting .229 with three homers and 12 RBIs. He’s 4-for-8 as a pinch-hitter.

Rafael Furcal, INF

Kansas City Royals

He was playing in Double-A but decided to retire Tuesday after 14 major league seasons. He ends his career with a .281 average, 1,917 hits, 113 homers and 314 stolen bases.

Melvin Upton Jr. OF

San Diego Padres

He’s started a minor-league rehab with El Paso and had three hits (nine at-bats) in his first two games. Upton will get at least 50 at-bats there before joining the Padres.

Fox Sports South

Three Cuts: Brewers get to emergency starter Stults, dump Braves

Cory McCartney

ATLANTA -- One night after their offense erupted for a double-figure outburst, the Brewers turned the table on the Braves.

A seven-run fourth inning amid the struggles of emergency starter Eric Stults -- who walked five -- and Trevor Cahill put the Braves in a hole and the offense had little answer for Wily Peralta and Co. as Milwaukee cruised 11-0 Friday night.

It was the second time this season the Braves have been shut out.

"Unfortunately it was just one of those nights," Stults said. "Didn't get hit hard, but the walks came back to bite me.

From that ugly fourth-inning to retaliation for Will Smith's ejection and more, taking three cuts from Turner Field.

1. SPOT START GOES AWRY FOR STULTS

Sporting a 40.7 percent fly-ball rate, Ryan Braun was probably the last person Stults wanted to see three batters into his start for an ailing Alex Wood.

Braun took Stults deep for a two-run home run, starting off a rocky night for the left-hander. He only allowed three hits, but was hampered by five walks as he lasted 3 2/3 innings after giving up seven runs. Those were the most runs that Stults (1-5) has allowed since equaling that number on Sept. 4, 2013 against the Giants.

After Braun's homer Stults appeared be settling in. He faced the minimum in the second and third innings (thanks to Carlos Gomez getting caught stealing on a 1-3-4 play), and had two outs in the fourth after retiring Aramis Ramirez (fly out) and Jason Rogers (strikeout).

He gave the Brewers life with a double to Hector Gomez, then intentionally walked Martin Maldanado to load the bases and get to pitcher Wily Peralta.

Then the floodgates opened.

Stults led Peralta 1-2, but threw four straight balls to walk in a run. Luis Sardinas followed with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead to chase Stults, but replacement Trevor Cahill would give way to five more runs -- three credited to Stults.

"I thought the (turning) point of the game was that we walked the pitcher with the bases loaded, two outs," Gonzalez said. "Then all of a sudden it went from a 2-0 game, which was reachable, very reachable, to they scored seven runs and it really got out of hand. From that point on we were just trying to piece it together."

It was a rarity for the Braves, who haven't seen a starter give up seven or more runs since Aaron Harang last June 18, 2014 vs. the Phillies. It's also been nearly 12 years since the Brewers had this high scoring of a game vs. Atlanta, last hitting double figures on June 25, 2003.

This also marked the Braves' worst shutout loss since they fell 12-0 to theDiamondbacks on May 16, 2009.

"I felt like that was an inning I could have limited the damage, but I wasn't able to do it," Stults said.

As for Wood, he is expected to come in Saturday morning and meet with the medical staff. Gonzalez noted he could come back out of the bullpen before making his next start.

2. EARLY RETALIATION ... AND THAT'S IT

Never mind that Freddie Freeman voiced his opinion for pitchers using foreign substances. The Brewers opted to make the multi-time All-Star first baseman pay for Gonzalez bringing attention to reliever Will Smith, who was ejected Thursday for having sunscreen and rosin on his forearm.

Wily Peralta threw a 95-mph fastball toward Freeman that he jumped back to avoid and if it did hit him it just grazed him. Nonetheless, Freeman was put on first.

It was an odd choice in who to plunk given that after Thursday's Braves win, Freeman said the following: "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."

Smith, who was suspended eight games -- ban that he is planning to appeal -- said he uses it for grip and not to gain movement on pitches.

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

Atlanta outfielder Jonny Gomes had choice words for Smith and any other pitcher looking to gain an edge.

"At the end of the day the reason there is a rule is because it's performance-enhancing," he said. "I think if you're in the big leagues your should know how to control all two, three, four, five of your pitches."

Whether retaliation was warranted or not given that a guy was ultimately called out for breaking a rule, Peralta and Milwaukee deemed it was Freeman that needed to pay for it.

Just think what would have happened had he voiced a different opinion.

3. DESPITE BETTER PLATE DISCIPLINE, BRAVES' BATS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MORE SILENT IN '15

The biggest knock against the since dismantled version of Atlanta's offense was its feast or famine nature.

Given that it was shut out 16 times last year and 17 more in '13 (figures that are in the top 14 in franchise history), that narrative was apropos.

But even amid those zeros in the run column in '14 the Braves still managed to get men on base. The combined no-hitter at the hands of the Phillies on Sept. 1 marked the only time last season in which Atlanta had less than three hits in a game. In all they had three or less seven times.

Friday vs. Milwaukee the Brewers managed three hits -- one of which came off of Peralta -- and Cameron Maybin's eighth-inning single was the second for the starting lineup (the other came from Cahill).

That leaves Atlanta three games from tying last season's games with three or less hits and it has played just a little over a quarter of the season.

These Braves still aren't striking out in bunches. They had eight on Friday night -- more than their season average of 6.2 -- but as this loss ending on a sharply hit line drive to Luis Sardinas showed, putting the ball in play hasn't been enough to entirely distance this Braves offense from last year's.

"It's hard to battle from those deficits and we had some balls that were hit hard," Gonzalez said

Braves' Gomes has strong words for pitchers using foreign substances

Cory McCartney

ATLANTA -- No matter his reasoning, the Braves' Jonny Gomes isn't interested in why the Brewers' Will Smith uses a foreign substance on his arm, which led to his ejection Thursday at Turner Field.

"At the end of the day it's a rule. We have to follow the rules," the Atlanta outfielder said before Friday's game. "The rule is in place because it's performance-enhancing.

"It has nothing to do individually with the guy. I don't dislike the guy any more. I don't think he's disrespecting the game; he's trying to get an edge. We're all trying to get an edge."

Smith, who was suspended eight games -- a ban that is on hold with the left-handed reliever planning to appeal -- after he was tossed for having rosin and sunscreen on his forearm in the seventh inning of Thursday's 10-1 Braves' win.

Smith said he uses it for grip, not to gain any movement on his pitches.

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

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman disclosed that he'd rather a pitcher use it to offer them more control and keep batters from being beaned.

"As a hitter, you want them to do it so they have a better grip so we won't get hit in the head," he said Thursday.

While Gomes admits its prevalent in the game, it doesn't mean that he wants to see it or that he'd rather pitches use it.

"No. Not at all," he said. "At the end of the day the reason there is a rule is because it's performance-enhancing. I think if you're in the big leagues your should know how to control all two, three, four, five of your pitches."

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said that he could see something on Smith's arm glistening and told the umpires. Crew chief Jim Joyce went to the mound, touched Smith's arm and ejected him.

"I've played with guys who use substance, played against guys, but you can't have it on your arm," Gomes said. "Head back to the drawing board and figure a different way out if you need that to perform."

Atlanta Business Chronicle

Cobb officials to vote on price it will pay for Braves’ stadium

Carla Caldwell

The Cobb Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the “Guaranteed Maximum Price” of SunTrust Park. Cobb Chairman Tim Lee says no matter what the cost, the the county’s contribution is capped at $300 million.

Lee told the Marietta Daily Journal that as American Builders 2017 - the joint venture of four firms hired as the general manager of the project - and the Atlanta Braves finalize the design of the stadium, a guaranteed maximum price for the core cost of the stadium will be set. He stressed the $300 million cap, the paper reports.

Lee said commissioners might not receive the price tag until early Tuesday.

The initial cost of the stadium was estimated at $672 million, but there have been reports the cost may have grown by at least $50 million.

Cobb County has said it will pay approximately $300,000 million through the issuance of bonds by the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority.

The stadium is expected to open in time for the 2017 season.

In late April the Braves and Omni Hotels & Resorts confirmed a new 260-room, 16-story hotel for the mixed-use development around SunTrust Park, Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Amy Wenk reported.

The Omni Atlanta Northwest Hotel also will have 12,500 square feet of meeting space, a signature restaurant, an elevated pool deck and bar overlooking the plaza and ballpark, Wenk reported.

The Sports Xchange

Red-hot Braun, Brewers destroy Braves at Turner Field

By Sports Xchange

ATLANTA -- Hot-hitting right fielder Ryan Braun had two doubles, a home run and reached base five times to help the Milwaukee Brewers to an 11-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday at Turner Field.

Braun went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and scored twice. He hit a two-run homer in the first inning, walked and scored in the fourth, doubled in two runs in the fifth, reached on catcher's interference in the sixth and doubled in the eighth.

Braun is hitting .358 over his last 16 games and has raised his average to .273. He was hitting .222 on May 5.

The winning pitcher was reliever Michael Blazek (4-1). The rookie threw a season-long three innings, allowing no runs, one hit and three strikeouts in relief of Wily Peralta, who left the game because of soreness in his left side. Blazek also picked up his first career hit and RBI in the seventh inning.

Corey Knebel struck out the side in pitching a scoreless eighth and Neal Cotts worked a perfect ninth to help the Brewers secure their third shutout.

The losing pitcher was Eric Stults (1-5), an emergency starter when Alex Wood became ill with a stomach virus on Friday morning

Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta was not involved in the decision. He left the game after pitching four scoreless innings because of tightness in his side. Peralta had allowed one hit, one walk and one strikeout.

The Brewers jumped on top in the first inning when right fielder Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer to right field, his 11th of the season.

Milwaukee batted around in the fourth, chased Stultz and scored seven runs to take a 9-0 lead. Most of the trouble occurred with two outs when Stultz intentionally walked catcher Martin Maldonado, who had one hit in his last 29 at-bats, to load the bases and face Peralta.

But Peralta, who does not have a hit all season, worked a walk to push one run across and set the rally in full motion. Shortstop Luis Sardinas drove in a run with a sharp infield single to end the night for Stultz, who allowed seven runs on three hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Center fielder Carlos Gomez greeted right-hander Trevor Cahill with an RBI single. Left fielder Khris Davis followed by ripping a ground-rule double to drive in two runs and Braun completed the inning with a two-run double.

The Brewers made it 10-0 with a run in the fifth. First baseman Jason Rogers, who opened the inning with an infield single, came around to score on a double play.

NOTES: Braves LHP Alex Wood was scratched from his start on Friday when he came down with a stomach virus. He was replaced by LHP Eric Stultz, who had been dropped from the rotation but had not yet pitched in relief. Wood's next scheduled start is May 27 in Los Angeles, but he could pitch sooner. ... Milwaukee LHP Will Smith received an eight game suspension after being ejected from Thursday's game for having a foreign substance on his right forearm. He will remain on the active roster while he appeals the suspension. ... Starting pitchers for Saturday's game are Milwaukee RHP Mike Fiers against Atlanta RHP Shelby Miller. Fiers grew up as a Braves fan in Florida and will make his first appearance against Atlanta. Miller pitched 8 2/3 innings of no-hit ball in his last start against Miami before settling for a two-hitter.

Associated Press

Braun powers Brewers to easy win over Braves

By GEORGE HENRY (Associated Press)

ATLANTA (AP) -- Now that his surgically repaired right hand feels better than it has in two years, Ryan Braun is putting up some big numbers.

Braun homered and drove in four runs, four Milwaukee pitchers combined to hold Atlanta to three hits and the Brewers beat the Braves 11-0 on Friday night.

''The challenge isn't doing it over a month,'' Braun said. ''The challenge is doing it over the course of a season, but the last month I've swung the bat a lot better than I have in a long, long time.''

On a day that began with Major League Baseball suspending reliever Will Smith eight games for using a foreign substance to doctor his pitches, Milwaukee wasted little time beating up on Braves starter Eric Stults.

The win was the Brewers' largest margin of victory since Sept. 22, 2010, when they beat Cincinnati 13-1.

''We played a good game,'' Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. ''That's what we've been looking for. Let's play a consistent brand of baseball.''

Braun was an early catalyst, hitting his 11th homer, a two-run shot, to make it 2-0 in the first. The 2011 NL MVP added a two-run double off Trevor Cahill in the fourth and now has 29 RBIs in his last 23 games.

Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta gave up one hit, walked two and struck out two in four innings. He left the game early because of tightness in his left side.

Michael Blazek (4-1), making his longest appearance of the season, earned the victory in relief by allowing one hit and striking out three in three innings. Corey Knebel allowed one hit in the eighth, and Neal Cotts got the last three outs.

Braun has hit particularly well when swinging on the first pitch this season. After facing Stults in the first, Braun had a .636 average, seven homers and 13 RBIs in 22 first-pitch at-bats.

He's been a particularly tough out over the last two weeks, batting .359 with six homers and 20 RBIs over his last 16 games. He added a double off Nick Masset in the eighth.

''Yeah, I feel good,'' Braun said. ''It's a challenge to get back to a good place. Working on my mechanics and obviously I wasn't able to use my top hand for the better part of two years, I can let the ball get a lot deeper (in the strike zone). My bat path is a lot better, a lot more consistent. It gives me a lot more room for error.''

A night after they had a season-low two hits in a 10-1 loss, the Brewers scored seven runs, all with two out, to take a 9-0 lead in the fourth.

Slults, an emergency starter when Alex Wood was stricken with a stomach virus, issued a bases-loaded walk to Peralta for the game's fourth run and allowed Luis Sardinas' infield RBI single to make it 6-0. That chased Stults, and manager Fredi Gonazlaez brought in Cahill, another former starter who'd been banished to the bullpen.

Cahill fared no better, giving up Carlos Gomez's two-run single, Kris Davis' RBI double and Braun's two-run double.

Stults (1-5) allowed three hits, seven runs, five walks and struck out five in 3 2-3 innings. The left-hander has lost all four starts and has an 8.72 ERA in 22 2-3 innings this month.

Blazek got his first career hit in the seventh, driving in a run with a double off Ian Thomas to make it 11-0.

Smith plans to appeal his suspension for using rosin and sunscreen on his pitching hand. He's available to pitch until his appeal is heard.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: C Jonathan Lucroy continues to take batting practice as he recovers from a broken left big toe, but Counsell said he's still likely two weeks from beginning a rehab assignment.

Braves: Gonzalez has yet to decide when Wood, who was not at the ballpark on Friday, will pitch next. ''I'm going to try to get him back here as soon as we can with this virus,'' Gonzalez said. ''Maybe he can help us out of the bullpen before his next start.'' ... 3B Chris Johnson, recovering from a broken left hand, will take batting practice at Turner Field on Saturday. He's been working at extended spring training in Florida recently and hopes to begin a rehab assignment on Monday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Mike Fiers (1-4) will face Atlanta for the first time. Despite 52 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings this year, Fiers has a 4.75 ERA in eight starts.

Braves: RHP Shelby Miller (5-1), making his ninth start, leads the NL with a 1.33 ERA. He's 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA in eight career starts against Milwaukee.

Brewers-Braves Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)

When the Atlanta Braves acquired Shelby Miller during the offseason, the organization felt he had the potential to be an elite pitcher.

He's proving them right.

Coming off a near no-hitter, Miller tries to continue his dominance this month and against the visitingMilwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

After Miller (5-1, 1.33 ERA) followed a 15-win campaign by going 10-9 with a 4.50 ERA during his second full season in 2014, Atlanta made a curious move by dealing offensive staple Jason Heyward to St. Louis in a deal that brought the right-hander south.

"We loved Shelby and we didn't blink," Braves president of baseball operations John Hart told MLB's official website. "We just went with it. ... We just felt it was the right deal for us.

"We valued Shelby and felt there was still upside."

Ranked among the major league leaders in ERA and WHIP (0.83), Miller has certainly shown that upside. In his last three starts, he's gone 2-0 with two complete games, allowed one run and eight hits over 25 innings while walking four and striking out 20.

"He's got it going on," Hart said. "He's got some weapons and he's developed those weapons."

His no-hit bid Sunday ended with two outs in the ninth of a 6-0 victory at Miami.

"Obviously things didn't finish as we wanted to," said Miller, who yielded two hits and one walk while facing 29 Marlins. "In the end I had a lot of fun.''

Hart credits Miller's tireless work ethic on and off the field for his success this season.

"He's made a lot of adjustments and it's been a lot of fun to watch," Hart said. "The one thing that I like is this guy is prepared and he's taking ownership in his career. He's in the video room and the weight room. He's paying attention and he's experimenting. This is a pretty special young man on top of what he has been able to do for us on the mound."

Miller's often been at best his while going 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA in eight starts against Milwaukee (16-27), which evened the set with an 11-0 rout Friday. After pounding out 11 hits in Thursday's 10-1 series-opening victory, Atlanta was held to three.

The Brewers had two hits in the opener then recorded 12 while improving to 4-4 on a 10-game trip.

With a two-run homer and four RBIs Friday, Milwaukee's Ryan Braun has homered in three of the last four games and is batting .358 with six and 20 RBIs in his last 16 contests.

''The challenge is doing it over the course of a season, but the last month I've swung the bat a lot better than I have in a long, long time," said Braun, who is 4 for 12 versus Miller.

Teammate Aramis Ramirez is 0 for 6 in the series but 7 for 16 with two home runs against Miller.

Milwaukee's Mike Fiers (1-4, 4.75) is 0-3 with a 6.29 ERA in five home starts but 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three on the road. He allowed two runs for a second consecutive outing while lasting 5 2-3 innings and not factoring in the decision of Monday's 3-2 win at Detroit.

This will be the right-hander's first appearance against the Braves.

Milwaukee reliever Will Smith was suspended eight games for having a foreign substance on his arm Thursday. He's available to pitch until his appeal is heard.

Alex Wood misses start because of stomach virus

ATLANTA (AP) -- Pitcher Alex Wood has a stomach virus and will not start for the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

Eric Stults, who was bumped to the bullpen last week, took Wood's place against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Wood first told the team he wasn't feeling well Thursday night after the Braves' 10-1 victory over the Brewers.

When the left-hander's condition did not improve by Friday afternoon, the Braves recalled left-hander Ian Thomas from Triple-A Gwinnett to bolster the bullpen. Stults is 1-4 with a 5.36 ERA in seven games, all starts.

Thomas has gone 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 20 career relief appearances.

Infielder Adonis Garcia was optioned to Gwinnett to make room on the 25-man roster.