Teheran has 12 strikeouts but Braves fall to Brewers, 2-1
ATLANTA (AP) Brewers manager Craig Counsell says Atlanta's Julio Teheran is pitching as well as anyone in the National League.
Just don't look at Teheran's record for evidence of that.
Teheran allowed only one run while setting a personal record with 12 strikeouts before reliever Bud Norris gave up Scooter Gennett's tiebreaking single in the eighth inning that lifted Milwaukee to a 2-1 victory over the Braves on Tuesday night.
The loss spoiled Brian Snitker's home debut as the Braves' interim manager. Snitker, the former Triple-A Gwinnett manager, was promoted after Fredi Gonzalez was fired on May 17.
''It's exciting. Wish the outcome was different,'' Snitker said.
Teheran is 1-2 with a 0.89 ERA over his last six starts. He has 42 strikeouts and nine walks in that span.
''Teheran has been pitching as well as anybody in the league,'' Counsell said.
Overall, Teheran is 1-4 with a 2.57 ERA.
''I'm feeling confident right now,'' Teheran said. ''Everything is going the right way and the way that I want it to go. It's good when you feel like that.''
The Brewers improved to only 7-14 on the road, but the Braves are a major league-worst 2-18 at home with no series wins.
''At some point in time it's going to start going our way,'' Snitker said.
With two outs in the eighth, Norris (1-6) walked Jonathan Villar, who stole second base. Gennett then lined a single to right field. Villar scored as Nick Markakis' throw to the plate from right field was up the third-base line.
Ryan Braun's eighth homer gave the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
Jimmy Nelson allowed one run in six innings for Milwaukee.
Michael Blazek (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh. Jeremy Jeffress recorded the final three outs to earn his 12th save.
Mallex Smith tied the score by driving in Erick Aybar from second base with a fifth-inning triple to the right-field corner.
WASTED CHANCE
The Braves loaded the bases with no outs in the second but could not score. Aybar lined into a double play before Teheran's groundout to second base ended the inning.
4 WHIFFS, 1 INNING
Teheran logged four strikeouts in the second inning. After fanning Jonathan Lucroy and Chris Carter, Teheran struck out Kirk Nieuwenhuis, but the third strike was a wild pitch that enabled Nieuwenhuis to reach first base. Following Aaron Hill's single, Flores struck out to end the inning.
Craig Kimbrel recorded Atlanta's last four-strikeout inning against Miami on Sept. 26, 2012.
Carter had four of the Brewers' 15 strikeouts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: LHP Will Smith (sprained right knee) threw a scoreless inning with one strikeout and one hit allowed in his first rehab stint with Class A Brevard County on Tuesday. ... RHP Corey Knebel (left oblique strain) and RHP Matt Garza (right latissimus strain) are moving closer to rehab assignments.
Braves: RHP Shae Simmons has had good results at Triple-A Gwinnett in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. He could be promoted in June, providing a possible boost for the bullpen. ''That would be like making a nice trade when you get him back,'' Snitker said. ... LHP Manny Banuelos (left elbow inflammation) was activated from the 15-day disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra (3-0), who had 11 strikeouts while allowing three runs over seven innings in a 5-3 win over the Cubs on Thursday, will make his fifth start when he faces the Braves on Wednesday night. The Brewers are 4-0 in his starts.
Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz will try to regain his momentum after lasting only three innings, allowing five runs, in an 8-2 loss at Pittsburgh last Thursday. He allowed a combined two runs over 15 innings in his two previous starts.