The Atlanta Braves ended a 53 game streak…the longest streak in MLB history!

On Wednesday, the Atlanta Braves welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers into SunTrust Park

The Los Angeles Dodgers, in case you haven’t heard, are just really super good at baseball in 2017.  The Atlanta Braves?  Well, we’re getting there!

Entering play on Wednesday, they owned an MLB-best 75-31 record, had the presumptive 2017 NL Rookie of the Year, the 2016 NL ROY, the current MLB batting average leader, the National League Pitcher of the Month for July, a three-time Cy Young winner, a lockdown closer who didn’t issue his first walk until June 25^th, and had just acquired the best available arm at the trade deadline.  Whew…

All that, and the Atlanta Braves beat em’ on Wednesday!  In fact, in the past six games between these two teams, the Braves have won three.  Since July 4th, Dodgers are 17-0 against the rest of the MLB and 3-3 against the Braves.

How about that Wednesday night game

Julio Teheran received the start for Atlanta. Brock Stewart took the hill for Los Angeles.

After a scoreless first, the teams traded home runs in the second with rookie slugger Cody Bellinger swatting a solo shot for the Dodgers and utility man Danny Santana launching a two-run homer for Atlanta. 2-1 ATL

Two innings later, Los Angeles evened the score. With Chris Stewart on third, Joc Pederson laced a ball towards first. Freddie Freeman made a diving stop, landing on the bag to retire Pederson but Stewart was able to race home. 2-2

In the fifth, the teams again traded runs. Longtime NL-East foe Chase Utley singled home Yasiel Puig in the top half, Freeman drove in Ender Inciarte in the bottom half. 3-3

Teheran did exit the game after throwing just 64 pitches.  It looked like he injured his leg or had cramps in his right leg during his at-bat the previous inning.  Brian Snitker said he should be okay for his next start.

The game remained knotted until the bottom of the eighth.

With a runner on, Tyler Flowers stepped to the plate, pinch-hitting for Rex Brothers. On the first pitch he saw, Atlanta’s primary backstop laced a two-run, opposite field shot to right to give the Braves a 5-3 lead.

Arodys Vizcaino nailed down the save.

Next: Atlanta Braves trade deadline takeaways

Notes:

Though Teheran didn’t have his best outing (5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 K), it still allowed him to lower his ERA at SunTrust Park. Unfortunately, he had to leave the game with thigh cramping.

Bellinger’s home run was his 30^th of the season, making him just the tenth National League rookie to accomplish the feat.

Vizcaino looked great in lieu of displaced closer Jim Johnson.

To his credit, Johnson pitched two-thirds of an inning without giving up a run but still seems unlikely to resume closing duties.

Brandon Phillips started the game at third to allow Ozzie Albies to stick at second. Between Phillips, Albies, Johan Camargo, Sean Rodriguez, Matt Adams, Danny Santana, and Freddie Freeman, the Braves will likely have a bizarre and unpredictable infield for the remainder of the season.