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 Picked up from the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, the veteran
right-hander allowed just four hits and a run over six innings as
the Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-2 Monday night at Turner
Field.
"I was really excited to have this opportunity," Correia said. "To
get a win the first time out, I couldn't ask for anything more."
Correia, who was 5-13 with a 4.94 ERA for the Twins, kept the Braves
off balance as he mixed his off-speed stuff with a fastball that sat
around 90 mph. He walked just one, struck out five and threw 54 of
his 82 pitches for strikes.
"He's always kind of baffled, because when you see him on tape ...
you feel like you can hit him, but we never did," manager Don
Mattingly said of going against Correia as an opponent. "His
curveball is good, he throws a cutter and fastball. He uses a
mixture of pitches, and he throws strikes. He going to make you beat
him, and he was good tonight."
Correia (1-0) also went 2-for-2 and scored a run, making for a
memorable Dodgers debut for the 33-year-old San Diego native who
spent his entire career in the National League before signing with
Minnesota as a free agent prior to the 2013 season.
"This is an organization I have a lot of respect for," Correia said.
"Growing up in Southern California and playing in this division for
a while, I always looked at the Dodgers.
"I really haven't had this feeling of excitement since I was first
called up (to the majors). That's almost what it felt like. I
haven't had a chance to pitch in meaningful games for a while."
The Dodgers (68-52) extended their lead to five games over idle the
San Francisco Giants in the National League West with the victory,
while the Braves (60-58) fell four games behind the idle Washington
Nationals in the NL East.
Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford had three hits and drove in two
runs, while center fielder Yasiel Puig added two hits, a walk and
two runs.
Braves starter Julio Teheran, who had a 1.48 home ERA prior to the
game, was charged with five runs over 7 1/3 innings while falling to
10-9 with a third consecutive loss. The right-hander allowed nine
hits, walked two and struck out five.
Correia, a career .115 hitter coming in, started the Dodgers'
three-run sixth inning with his second hit. Four more singles
followed, with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Crawford delivering
RBI hits. The third run scored when a bobbled grounder prevented a
likely inning-ending double play.
The Dodgers broke the game open with three runs in the eighth inning
despite the only hits being a double by right fielder Matt Kemp and
another RBI single by Crawford. There were three walks, an error,
two wild pitches and a passed ball on a strikeout in the ugly inning
for the Braves.
Atlanta scored a run in the ninth against reliever Carlos Frias on
first baseman Freddie Freeman's second hit of the game and a double
by catcher Evan Gattis.
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The Braves had just six hits in the game and lost for 10th time in 12
games.
"We haven't been able to keep the line moving the last couple of weeks,"
manager Fredi Gonzalez said of the Braves' struggling offense. "We've
got to score runs."
Correia retired the first nine Atlanta batters before second baseman
Emilio Bonifacio led off the four inning by blooping a single into
center field. After a sacrifice and a walk, left fielder Justin Upton
drove Bonifacio in by lining a single up the middle.
Teheran was sharp early in the game, facing just one over the minimum
through the first four innings. He gave up three singles during that
time, but he picked off Crawford in the second inning and Puig in the
fourth.
The pickoffs doubled Teheran's total for the season to four. He led all
major league pitchers with eight pickoffs last year.
NOTES: Braves 2B Tommy La Stella had to leave the game because of a
cramp in his upper right hamstring. The injury occurred when he went
after a ground single by Dodgers LF Carl Crawford in the second inning.
La Stella is expected to be able to return to the lineup Tuesday. ...
Braves SS Andrelton Simmons, who took batting practice and ran in the
outfield Monday, is expected to return to the lineup either Tuesday or
Wednesday. He sprained his left ankle last Tuesday in Seattle, and the
Braves have been playing a man short rather than put the Gold Glove
winner on the disabled list. ... The Dodgers optioned RHP Pedro Baez to
Triple-A Albuquerque to make room on the 25-man roster for RHP Kevin
Correia, who was acquired in a weekend trade. ... With the Dodgers
temporarily going to a six-man rotation, the Braves won't have to face
either LHP Clayton Kershaw (14-2, 1.78 ERA) or RHP Zack Greinke (12-8,
2.84 ERA) in the four-game series. ... LHP Mike Minor (4-7, 5.42 ERA)
will return to the Atlanta rotation after being skipped a start. He will
face RHP Dan Haren (9-9, 4.57 ERA) on Tuesday night.
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