by ldh2013 » Sat Jul 09, 2016 9:53 am
ATLANTA -- Clevelands Danny Salazar was trying to match fellow rookie Alex Wood. . The Indians struggled at the plate, however, and Salazars night ended after 77 pitches through four innings. "Were just in a position with him right now where, if he has long innings, we owe it to him and to the organization to keep an eye on him," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "Theres going to be a day when we can turn him loose and let that four turn into six or seven, but not right now." Salazar allowed Elliot Johnsons two-run triple in the second inning as Wood joined four other Atlanta pitchers in beating the Indians 2-0 on Tuesday night. Cleveland, despite holding the Braves to only three hits, was shut out for the eighth time this season. The Indians had won two straight and five of six. Salazar blamed himself for shaking off Carlos Santana in the second and throwing a fastball away to Johnson when the catcher wanted something off-speed. "I was a little bit disappointed in myself because I felt great tonight, but I couldnt find my release point," Salazar said. "Changeup, fastball, slider -- everything was up." The Braves have won two straight, improving the majors best record to 79-52. They have won 14 of 17 at Turner Field and own baseballs home mark at 45-18. Wood (3-2) allowed five hits, a career-high four walks and struck out five in 5 2-3 innings. Hes 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in his past six starts. Salazar (1-2) gave up three hits, two runs and two walks in four innings. The right-hander struck out three. Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 42nd save, most in the majors, in 45 chances. He struck out Drew Stubbs and retired pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall and Michael Bourn on groundouts. Atlanta went up 2-0 in the second when Brian McCann walked with one out, advanced to third on Joey Terdoslavichs single to right field, and both runners scored when Johnson tripled over Drew Stubbs in front of the wall in right field. "It hit off the wall, and he still almost caught the thing," Johnson said. "So obviously Im glad it went our way, we got that cushion for Woody and he took it the rest of the way." Wood issued his four walks in the first three innings, but he worked around Asdrubal Cabreras leadoff double in the fourth and Kipnis two-out double in the fifth. A two-out single by Michael Brantley chased Wood in the sixth. The next Atlanta pitcher, Luis Ayala, walked Stubbs, the only batter he faced, but Scott Downs ended the threat by striking out pinch-hitter Jason Giambi. Cabrera went 3 for 4 and was the only batter with more than one hit, but Johnson drove in the games only runs. Bourn, who filled the same roles for 208 games during the previous 1 1/2 seasons with Atlanta, credited Wood with keeping Cleveland batters off balance. "He kept attacking the zone," Bourn said after going 1 for 5 with two strikeouts. "It was our first game against him and he dominated us pretty much. But there aint no pretty much -- he dominated us. We got zero runs off him. Weve got to find a way to put some runs on the board and help our pitchers out." Notes: Clevelands bullpen has a 2.65 ERA over its past 43 games. ... Atlanta had its fewest hits in a victory since getting three on July 19, 2012, against San Francisco. ... Braves RF Jason Heyward rejoined the team for the first time since getting hit by Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese last Wednesday, breaking the right side of his jaw with a 90-mph fastball. Heyward hopes to return for the playoffs. ... Atlanta RHP Brandon Beachy was in the clubhouse one day after learning theres no structural damage in his surgically repaired elbow. Beachy, who has missed 109 games over the past two years, hopes to return by the end of next month. ... The Indians and Braves met for the first time since 2007 and for the first time at Turner Field since 2004. . -- Patrick Holland scored the shootout winner and Robert Mayer made 30 saves, as the Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Lake Erie Monsters 3-2 in the American Hockey League on Friday. .Note: Three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime/shootout win, one for an overtime/shootout loss. Wednesdays resultsAt TorontoSweden 5 Switzerland 1Czech Republic 4 Russia 1At MontrealCanada 5 U. . Five-time cup winner Sevilla became the nights only topflight team to be upset by a lower-division team when third-tier Racing Santander won 2-0 in Seville to overturn a 1-0 first-leg loss.San Jose Sharks defenceman Brad Stuart had a telephone hearing with the NHL at 3:30pm et on Wednesday for his elbow on New York Rangers forward Rick Nash during Tuesdays game. Early in the first period, Stuart pinched in from the blue line, hit Nash and was assessed a minor penallty for elbowing. . Nash remained in the game for the rest of the first period, but did not return for the second. "It just didnt feel right," Nash said after the game. "I could feel it. Any time you get a head shot, youre concerned. Its not a good feeling." ' ' '
