Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman knows how well Ervin Santana commands his fastball on both sides of the plate.
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“I talked to him after, he said it went OK”, Molitor told reporters at Turner Field before Wednesday night’s game. “That’s the most important thing”.
Brandon Kintzler earned his 12th save in 13 chances after facing four batters in the ninth.
Minnesota applied pressure in the 8th with Mauer’s 10th homerun of the year as well as a Kurt Suzuki single scoring Plouffe.
“The inning where he induced the double play was big”, Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. “He throws strikes. He changes speeds”. Kepler singled home Dozier, who led off the game with a double, and Kepler scored on Plouffe’s double. “He can bury his breaking ball when he wants to”.
Gibson hasn’t pitched against the Braves in his career, but has struggled in interleague games, going 2-7 with a 6.10 ERA in 11 games against the National League. Ryan Pressly gave up Matt Kemp’s RBI double and Nick Markakis’ RBI groundout, but he stranded a runner at third when Adonis Garcia lined out.
Centeno made it 3-2 in the sixth with a soft RBI single that bounced in left-center field.
Gibson had one previous complete game when he went eight innings in a 4-2 loss at Kansas City last September 8.
Trevor Plouffe, who went 3 for 5 with two runs batted in and a run scored in Tuesday night’s 4-2 victory, started again at third on Wednesday.
Braves SS Dansby Swanson, the No. 1 overall draft pick of 2015, will be in the lineup Wednesday and make his major league debut when he’s called up from Double-A Mississippi.
The Braves opened a spot for the former Vanderbilt All-American by trading shortstop Erick Aybar to Detroit on Tuesday for utility player Mike Aviles and catching prospect Kade Scivicque.
Swanson, 22, played just 127 minor league games and had a modest.261 batting average with MS after an early-season promotion from Class A Advanced Carolina, where he hit.333.
A magnetic imaging resonance exam taken Monday revealed no structural damage, a relief because Sano missed the entire 2014 season following surgery to reattach a ligament in his throwing elbow.
Braves: Snitker said All-Star RHP Julio Teheran was encouraged after making a rehab appearance Sunday at Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s had even more trouble lately, pitching fewer than 15 innings over his last three starts while allowing 14 runs (7.98 ERA, 6.14 FIP). He’s been sidelined since July 30 with a right lat strain.
Right-hander Mike Folytnewicz (6-5, 4.50 ERA) will start for the Braves against Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson (4-6, 4.86 ERA).
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Braves starter Joel De La Cruz (0-6) matched Santana after giving up a first-inning run and allowed four hits over 5 2/3 innings.
