Kyle Taylor, Valdosta Today Sports
SAN FRANCISCO – The Braves wrapped up the four game series with the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park in dramatic fashion.
It was a game that would include two late inning rallies from the Braves, and five combined home runs from both teams.
Madison Bumgarner (6-2) got the start for the Giants and was attempting to bring the Giants a series win over the Braves. Julio Teheran (4-2) went for Atlanta and would try to rebound from one of the worst starts of his career against the Dodgers.
Both pitchers pitched well for their teams, but neither did enough to factor into the decision. Teheran would get the game started off by giving up long balls to Brandon Belt (7) in the first, and Brandon Crawford (7) in the second.
Many of Teheran’s issues of late have come from is inability to locate his pitches for strikes. On Sunday, he continued to miss with his pitches by giving up four walks in six innings, but would find a way to keep his team in the game.
Freddie Freeman got a rare day off on Sunday, but would not take a seat on the bench without fighting with manager Fredi Gonzalez to stay in the lineup.
Instead, Chris Johnson got the start at first base and drove in the Braves first run off Bumgarner in the top of the fifth.
Johnson told SportSouth reporters before the game, “I’ve had some time at first base, so I’m confident enough to go out there and play well.”
Juan Uribe has been known in the past as a late inning hero with clutch home runs. In the top of the seventh, Uribe hit his second home run in as many days to put the Braves up 3-2 on Bumgarner and the Giants.
The excitement in San Francisco was just beginning.
In the bottom half of the seventh, former Brave, Gregor Blanco, got a run right back with an RBI single off Braves pitcher, Donnie Veal. Joe Panik then hit his fourth home run of the season and put the Giants back up by a 5-3 score.
It was not until the ninth inning that the Braves would once again start another rally. Giants closer, Santiago Casilla, who had converted 15 of 17 saves on the season, was on the mound to close it out for the Giants and win the series.
Uribe grounded out the start the inning. Fredi Gonzalez told Fox reporters in the pre-game that Freeman would be available to pinch-hit if the opportunity presented itself. Freeman came up to bat and hit his seventh homer of the season off the veteran closer to make the score 5-4, San Francisco.
Andrelton Simmons followed with a hard earned walk to put the tying run on base. Christian Bethancourt then came up and hit a ground ball right at Giants shortstop, Brandon Crawford, who misplayed the bounce on what would easily have been a double play to end the game.
Instead runners were now on first and second with A.J. Pierzynksi up to bat. Pierzynski popped it up and placed it just out of the reach of the second baseman. With the bases loaded, Jace Peterson cleared the bases with an RBI triple, once again being a late inning hero for the Braves.
Peterson told MLB.com reporters after the game, “I don’t think anybody ever feels out of a game. Everybody is going to keep competing and battling. So, no matter what the scoreboard says, we’re going to fight.”
Grilli came in to close it out in the bottom of the ninth to pick up his 15th save, completing the 7-5 victory for the Braves.
The Braves finished the series with a two game split of the Giants and move to 25-25 on the season. Atlanta is now three games behind the Nationals, and two and a half behind the Mets in the NL East. They are two and a half behind the Mets for the Wild Card, and also behind the Cubs and Pirates through the first 50 games.
The team will now move on to Phoenix to play the Arizona Diamondbacks and forego an off-day on Monday. The two will face off with Alex Wood (3-2) going for the Braves, and Archie Bradley (2-2) taking the mound for the Diamondbacks. First pitch will be tossed at 9:40 PM ET.
Braves Question of the Day
After 50 games into the season, how have the Braves lived up to your preseason expectations, and where do you see them finishing in the standings? Post your answer below!
