The Atlanta Braves needed a solid, strong outing for the rotation and a serious bounce back from the offense. Well they got it in San Francisco tonight as Williams Perez goes 7 great innings and the offense pounds out 14 hits.
In a night that saw it’s fair share of milestones, one is probably no bigger than one Williams Perez earned tonight … his first Major League win. I guess getting your first ever Major League hit along the way makes it a little more sweeter too.
The Braves offense wouldn’t wait until the late innings to score tonight. In the top of the 2nd inning, against an already struggling Tim Lincecum, the Braves started things off with a lead off hit by Nick Markakis and Braves newcomer Juan Uribe drew a walk. So with no out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Todd Cunningham would ground into a fielder’s choice. Markakis moved to 3rd, Uribe made a great slide to break-up the double play.
Andrelton Simmons drove in Markakis with a base hit towards Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. The ball just got out of reach of Crawford. Christian Bethancourt ended the inning on a double play ground ball.
Atlanta kept it going in the 3rd inning. After a strikeout to Perez, Jace Peterson singled up the middle. He eventually stole 2nd and took 3rd on a bad throw by Giants catcher Andrew Susac. Cameron Maybin then singled to score Peterson making it 2-0 Braves. Maybin stole 2nd in the frame. This was Maybin’s 100th stolen base of his career.
After a Freddie Freeman strikeout, Markakis flied out to right field to end the inning.
In the 4th, Juan Uribe led off with the 300th double of his career. I told you, many milestones reached tonight. He came around to score on Bethancourt’s single. After 4 and a half, the score stood 3-0 in favor of the Braves.
Heading to the top of the 5th, Peterson led off with a double, his second hit of the night. After a Maybin pop out to Brandon Belt at first, Freddie Freeman dumped a bloop into shallow left field, scoring Jace easily from 2nd. This made it 4-0 game. Nick Markakis then drew a walk, ending the day for Giants starter Tim Lincecum. Lincecum went only 4 and 2/3 innings. It was nice to see the Braves perform well against a pitcher who had been on a bit of a hot streak, especially in his home park.
Notice that I have yet to give any offensive recap for the Giants. Yeah, well, Williams Perez was just cruising. He was working fast all night. Perez looked like the seasoned veteran more than his counterpart did. He just simply executed pitches and made it look easy tonight. Effortless probably best describes his performance tonight.
It stayed 4-0 until the 8th. Uribe led off with a single and eventually stole 2nd, the third steal of the night for Atlanta. After a Cunningham strikeout, Simmons singled home Uribe making it 5-0. Simmons wound up at 2nd on the throw as Pagan tried to get Uribe at home, but to no avail. Bethancourt and pinch-hitter Chris Johnson would record back to back outs ending the frame.
In the bottom of the inning, things got a little dicey. Luis Avilan, on in relief of Perez, got two fairly quick outs. Joe Panik singled to start the inning but Hunter Pence grounded into a fielder’s choice. Pence was safe at first while Panik was forced out at 2nd on a double play attempt. Avilan would get Belt to strikeout. Crawford then singled on a high chop to Avilan. Avilan went back off the mound to field it but hurried the throw and he threw it by Freeman, allowing Pence to move to 3rd and Crawford to 2nd.
Jim Johnson spelled Avilan at this point. On Johnson’s first pitch, Pagan would send it back where it came from, off Johnson’s backside. OK, so maybe not exactly where it came from. Uribe, charging in from 3rd, bare-handed the ball and slung to Freeman to get Pagan to end the threat. That was probably the only real trouble the Braves were in on the night. Yes, Perez was that good.
The Braves tacked on three more runs in the top of the 9th. Peterson led off with a triple to right center, finishing only a home run short of the cycle. Maybin followed with a single, sending Jace home easily. After outs to Freeman and Markakis, Juan Uribe strolled to the dish. On an 0-1 pitch, Uribe turned on a hanging split-finger (a triple short of the cycle). The no-doubter went deep in to the stands, about 7 or 8 rows back in left. Uribe’s first homer with the Braves made it an 8-0 ball game.
Brandon Cunniff came on in the bottom of the 9th. He allowed two hits, but managed to preserve the shutout and secure only the second win on this lengthy west coast trip for the Braves and the first win for Williams Perez.
So on a night of firsts (Perez’s 1st ML hit came in the 6th) and milestones reached, Atlanta looks to try an earn a split tomorrow afternoon (4:05 EST) in San Francisco. Scheduled starting pitchers are Julio Teheran (4-2, 4.91) for Atlanta and Madison Bumgarner (6-2, 3.00) for the Giants.
Hopefully we can ambush MadBum much like Lincecum tonight.