Crew Scoots way to win in pitchers' duel

ATLANTA -- After dealing with Julio Teheran's impressive effort at Turner Field on Tuesday night, the Brewers claimed a 2-1 win that came courtesy of a two-out, eighth-inning single that Scooter Gennett recorded off Braves setup man Bud Norris.
Norris erased the first of his two eighth-inning walks with a pickoff, but he paid for the one he issued to Jonathan Villar, who stole second base and scored on Gennett's single when right fielder Nick Markakis' throw sailed wide of the plate. The Brewers snapped a three-game losing streak, and the Braves fell to 2-18 at home this season.
Teheran notched a career-high 12 strikeouts, including four in one inning, and allowed one run over seven innings. The Braves right-hander has posted a 1.17 ERA over his past seven starts, but he has lacked run support. His only costly mistake occurred when Ryan Braun opened the fourth inning by drilling a 2-2 slider over the center-field wall for his eighth homer of the season.

"Some of the coaches said this is kind of typical of how our season has gone," Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. "You play a really good ballgame, and guys are busting their tail to get a win. I guess in this business, a lot of times you make your own luck, but the baseball gods will hopefully shine on us down the road and turn things around for us."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Strikeout flurry: Teheran became the second big league pitcher this season to record four strikeouts in an inning when he pitched around a wild pitch and a single that enabled the Brewers to put two on in the second inning. The Braves right-hander recorded three more strikeouts during a perfect third inning and had struck out seven of the previous eight batters he faced before Braun opened the fourth with a home run that cleared the center-field wall and traveled 419 feet, according to Statcast™.

"The guys have been trying hard to give me run support," Teheran said. "I'm glad that I did my job, but we lost the game. So it doesn't [matter]." More >
Oh, Hill no: Milwaukee third baseman Aaron Hill's snag of Erick Aybar's sharply hit opposite-field liner resulted in a double play that killed a bases-loaded threat the Braves mounted before Nelson recorded an out in the second inning. Hill also made a spectacular diving catch while part of an infield shift to rob Kelly Johnson of a single to center in the fourth inning.

"That's why they call it the hot corner," said Hill, with a laugh, on Aybar's bullet. "You get your glove up, and it worked out for us." More >
Jimmy two runs: Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson allowed two or fewer earned runs for the eighth time in 10 starts. He notched eight K's, three off his career best. It was the seventh time he allowed two or fewer earned runs while pitching at least six innings -- he's 3-2 with two no-decisions. Over his past three starts, Nelson has allowed three earned runs over 21 1/3 innings (a 1.27 ERA), but he is 0-1 with two no-decisions.

"I've always taken pride in battling and giving us a chance to win no matter how good or bad I feel," Nelson said. "I'm not competing against Teheran. I'm competing against myself, because if I execute my stuff, the defense is going to pick me up behind me. I'm not trying to one-up the other starting pitcher. I'm trying to one-up myself."
Missed opportunities: Along with squandering the bases-loaded threat in the second inning, the Braves were unable to take advantage of Ender Inciarte's one-out, third-inning double, which was followed by Gordon Beckham and Freddie Freeman striking out. Mallex Smith delivered a one-out, game-tying triple in the fifth inning, but he was left stranded at third base when Inciarte struck out and Freeman flew out to deep left field.

"Something has got to switch, because if you do something like that with the bases loaded and it turns into a double play," Johnson said of Aybar's lineout in the second inning. "We lined out several times today, and that one could have really helped. Julio pitched so well, and it really doesn't feel good to let that one go to waste."
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Teheran joined Kevin Millwood (2000), John Smoltz ('05), Tim Hudson ('07), Javy Vazquez ('09), Derek Lowe ('10), Kris Medlen ('12) and Alex Wood ('14) as the only Braves pitchers dating back to 2000 to record at least 12 strikeouts while issuing no walks over at least seven innings in a game.

REPLAY REVIEW
The Brewers successfully challenged that Gennett tagged Smith when Atlanta's outfielder's foot came off the bag after he slid into second base with what would have been a stolen base in the seventh inning. The call was overturned, and Smith was out.

"I've got to work on staying on the bag," Smith said. "With everything under the microscope like it is, I've got to make the adjustment."
But the Brewers were unsuccessful with the challenge issued when Norris successfully picked off Ramon Flores at first base in the eighth inning, and the call stood.

WHAT'S NEXT
Brewers: Milwaukee will send unbeaten rookie Junior Guerra to the mound when this three-game set resumes on Wednesday at 6:10 p.m. CT. Guerra, a former Braves farmhand, is 3-0 with a 3.96 ERA, and the Brewers are 4-0 in his starts.
Braves: Atlanta will counter with Mike Foltynewicz, who will be taking the mound one year and one day after limiting the Brewers to three hits and one run over 7 2/3 innings at Turner Field. The young righty followed two impressive starts against the D-backs.and the Royals with a disappointing one in Pittsburgh last week. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m. ET.
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