Following a slugfest on Friday night, the Atlanta Braves needed Mike Minor to give them a strong effort on the mound. The young lefty worked the best game of his career against a tough Brewers lineup, leading Atlanta to a 2-1 victory at Turner Field. The Braves have now won four straight after losing four games to start the season.
Minor worked 7.1 stellar innings, throwing 99 pitches. He allowed just two hits and one walk, striking out four. He retired 17 straight batters at one point spanning from the second to eighth innings. He was lifted after surrendering a double with one out in the eighth, giving way to Jonny Venters.
Atlanta struck for their two runs in the second inning. With Brian McCann on first, Jason Heyward dribbled a ball into left field. McCann slid into third, and in the process of the third baseman receiving a throw, it got away and was accidentally kicked by the umpire. McCann trotted home easily and Heyward advanced all the way to third. Juan Francisco, who was filling in for an ailing Chipper Jones at third, belted a first pitch fastball to the wall for an RBI-double.
Venters entered in the eighth and allowed one run to score before striking out Rickie Weeks with two more runners on the corners. Craig Kimbrel loaded the bases in the ninth, but he struck out George Kottaras and Mat Gamel back-to-back to end the game as a crowd of 37,408 roared.
The Braves will go for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon. Brandon Beachy will take the mound for a 1:35 ET start.
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