The Atlanta Braves have struggled to consistently push runs across the plate in recent weeks without Freddie Freeman, Chipper Jones and Brian McCann in the lineup. While Jones remains on the disabled list, Freeman and McCann showed just how big of an impact they can have as they both made the start for the first time in more than a week.
Despite moving out to an early 5-0 lead in their series finale with the Cardinals, the Braves rallied in the late innings to claim a 10-7 victory. They finished their regular season series with St. Louis at 5-1, with their lone defeat coming on Monday.
McCann hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse, and Freeman followed two spots later with a solo home run of his own to make the score 3-0. Freeman then doubled in his next at-bat to drive in a run, and Jose Constanza made the score 5-0 with a line drive single back up the middle to bring Freeman home.
The Cardinals rallied for five runs in the sixth inning, doing so with five singles and a walk. Tim Hudson exited the game after 5.2 innings as his struggles against St. Louis continued.
Atlanta pushed three more runs across in the bottom of the sixth to take back an 8-5 lead. St. Louis scored two in the top of the eighth, but the Braves rallied again for two runs of their own to go up 10-7. Craig Kimbrel struck out two of the four batters he faced (one reached on a Jack Wilson error) as he closed out the ballgame.
The club will finally get an off day on Thursday before beginning a three-game series with the Nationals on Friday.
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