Atlanta Braves Win 5-4! Julio Teheran On Point; Bethancourt Sinks Bucs With Walk-Off HR!
By Dan Horton
Atlanta Braves starter Julio Teheran had his pitches working well early on. Through two innings, his change-up, slider, and fastball were more effective than in his last hand-full of outings combined. A good performance from him was desperately needed. Going deep into the game could not be more critical tonight. With everyone in the NL East losing today but the Mets (playing in ARI), the Braves needed a win badly. Staying away from the ticking time bomb that is this Braves bullpen is a theme worth repeating.
The Braves got on the board early, which is always a good thing. Leading off the bottom of the 2nd inning, Braves 3rd baseman Chris Johnson sent a tomahawked pitch to center. His first homer on the year just cleared the wall.
With the Pirates throwing a lefty tonight in Jeff Locke, Johnson made the most of it early. Jonny Gomes did too. He followed Johnson’s home run with a base hit, beating the extreme defensive shift against him. The Braves left him stranded at 1st after Teheran struck out looking to end the inning.
The bottom of the 3rd saw Cameron Maybin lead off with a base hit, then proceeded to swipe second easily. Obviously, stealing it on the pitcher because Bucs catcher Francisco Cervelli didn’t even bother trying to throw him out.
Andrelton Simmons, after failing in two bunt attempts, grounded out to 2nd moving Maybin to third. Next batter Freddie Freeman sent a deep fly to Andrew McCutchen in center scoring Maybin to push the lead to 2-0 Braves.
Teheran was using his fastball a lot better tonight than he was the last three or four ball games. However, it was the fastball that got him in trouble in the 4th inning. After a bunt single to Gregory Polanco, Sterling Marte wedged a strike out between McCutchen. The Bucs center fielder homered to deep center on a fastball, his 8th of the season, tying the game at 2. Teheran bounced back getting the next two hitters to end the inning.
The Braves took the lead back in the bottom of the 4th. After two quick outs, Jonny Gomes drew a walk. He stole 2nd on a running head start. Gomes had Locke read perfectly and beat the throw from Cervelli easily. Christian Bethancourt came through with a clutch single through the hole between shortstop and third base. Gomes scored after Marte’s throw to home was way up the line, making it 3-2 Braves.
Teheran grounded out to end the frame. However, the curious thing there was that the Pirates elected to pitch to Bethancourt with Teheran on deck and 1st base open. Of course I wasn’t complaining, but you’d think they walk Bethancourt there to get to Teheran. Fortunately for the Braves, they didn’t.
Julio Teheran was at probably the best he’s been in the last month or so. Every one of his pitches were working and he had command of all of them. His slider was breaking late. His change-up, when he threw it, was diving. His fastball was jumping, even late into the 7th inning. After McCutchen’s 4th inning homer, Teheran retired 12 straight hitters.
The score hung at 3-2 for two and a half innings as both Teheran and Locke were effective.
The bottom of the 7th began promising for Atlanta and they were able to add some insurance. Bethancourt led off with a single and Teheran was able to sacrifice him to 2nd base. Cameron Maybin drove home Bethancourt on a soft line drive to center. That would end the night for Locke. Antonio Bastardo came on in relief of Locke with one out in the 7th.
In a game that was moving along at a very quick pace, Bastardo slammed on the brakes bringing the pace of the game to a crawl. Something I’m sure Julio Teheran disliked very much. Teheran was in a rhythm and after hitting for himself in the inning, you had to wonder if he would go back out for the 8th. He did.
However, after getting the first out of the 8th, Teheran surrendered back to back seeing eye singles. Julio’s night ended but he was a completely different Teheran tonight. The good kind of different. His final line on the evening: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (all earned), 5 K’s, 0 BB’s and 1 HR allowed. Makes you wonder if Bastardo’s slow rhythm had any effect on how Teheran fared in the inning.
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Jim Johnson relieved Teheran. He would get the first man he faced, but the defense couldn’t turn two on a grounder that the only play to make was to 1st. This allowed the runners to advance to 2nd and 3rd. The demon in the Braves bullpen has still not been exercised, apparently. Johnson made a decent enough pitch to Polanco that he sent towards 2nd base, just past the glove of a diving Pedro Ciriaco. Both runners scored easily on the hit, ruining a fantastic night for Julio. Unfortunately, those two runs went to Teheran, and the game was now tied up at 4. Johnson got the third out without another run coming across.
Julio Teheran deserved a much better fate than what he received tonight after giving way to the bullpen. Atlanta went quietly in the bottom of the 8th, except a two out single by Juan Uribe. Jason Grilli spelled J. Johnson in the 9th with a 1-2-3 inning.
So the stage was set. The opportunity to walk it off in the 9th. If the Braves were to do it, it would have to be against Pirates reliever Vance Worley.
Well, it didn’t take long! On the first pitch he saw from Worley, Christian Bethancourt went the opposite way for the game-winning, walk-off winner! A pitcher’s pitch, Worley’s slider caught just enough of the plate and Bethancourt didn’t miss it. His first homer of the season gave Atlanta the win in the bottom of the 9th! Actually, his first career home run was a walk-off and capped a 3 for 4 night for Bethancourt! For what it’s worth, Joe Simpson‘s call of the game winner on radio is worth a listen.
Maybe Fredi Gonzalez should start going with the current “hot hand” in Bethancourt a little bit more now.
The Braves were able to eek this one out in dramatic fashion and snaps the Braves losing streak, as Grilli gets the win and Worley is saddled with the loss. The performance by Teheran tonight was just what the doctor ordered. Going 7.1 innings saving Atlanta’s suspect bullpen. The Teheran of old was a sight for sore eyes for sure! Thankfully, The Braves were able to save a great night for Julio by at least getting the win.
The Braves seek to take the series tomorrow in the rubber game. It will be Braves young lefty Alex Wood (4-2, 3.19) against Pirates young gun G. Cole (8-2, 1.90). Game is scheduled for a 1:35 PM EST first pitch.
Hopefully this win will spark a different kind of streak. The Braves sit one game under .500 and 2.5 games out of the NL East lead. Here’s hoping the Mets lose to the D-Backs in Arizona. A good stretch of games would be a really nice, welcomed change!