Braves end season with doubleheader sweep of Cards

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[October 05, 2015]  ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves closed a forgettable season with two memorable pitching performances on the final day of the regular season Sunday.

The Braves swept a doubleheader from the St. Louis Cardinals, winning the first game 6-0 behind eight scoreless innings from Shelby Miller and taking the second game 2-0 behind 8 2/3 shutout innings from rookie Matt Wisler.

National League Central winning St. Louis finished the season 100-62 and will open the NL Division Series on Friday at home against the winner of the Pittsburgh Pirates-Chicago Cubs wild-card game on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. The Cardinals lost six of their last nine games.

Atlanta finished the season 67-95 and won five of its last six games. The Braves finished fourth in the NL East for the first time since 2008.

"In our game, if you pitch, you've got a chance," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We are really pitching well. You don't shutout a team with the best record in baseball if you don't pitch well and play some defense."
 


In the first game Miller (6-17) broke a 16-game losing streak and ended a franchise-record 24 game winless streak against his former team. Third baseman Adonis Garcia homered twice in support of Miller and became the team's third player to hit double-digit home runs.

"It's fine to put (that streak) behind us," Miller said. "I'm glad I got a win today and glad we got a win."

In the second game, rookie right-hander Matt Wisler came up one out short of his first career complete game and shutout. Veteran Edwin Jackson came in with runners on the corners to strikeout left fielder Randal Grichuk and earn his first save.

Wisler (8-8) scattered four hits and two of those were erased in double plays. He struck out three and walked one. Wisler, acquired from San Diego the day before the regular season started, finished the season with three consecutive victories. It was his second victory over the Cardinals.

"We pushed him about as far as we could," Gonzalez said.

St. Louis threatened in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Brandon Moss doubled with one out went to third on an infield grounder and right fielder Tommy Pham walked. Jackson entered to record the last out and pick up the first save of his career.

The Cardinals did not score a run in the three games at Turner Field and were swept by the Braves for the first time since July 2013. The Braves had not posted three consecutive shutouts since 1992.

"You hate to lose every game, no matter what it is," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Guys didn't go out and get the job done. We didn't get much going offensively all day."

St. Louis starter Lance Lynn (12-11) pitched five innings and allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in each frame, but permitted only one run to score. Lynn allowed five hits, didn't walk anyone, and struck out two.

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"I thought early on his stuff wasn't as sharp as he wanted," Matheny said. "He had another gear and found it when he got backed up against the wall. He's done that a couple of times. He found a groove late, which is good to build on."

The Braves scored a run in the first inning. Center fielder Michael Bourn singled, advanced to third on consecutive groundball outs and scored when left fielder Adonis Garcia singled.

Atlanta had threats in the next four innings. First baseman Pedro Ciriaco led off to start the second, but was picked off by Lynn. Wisler led off the third, but was erased in a double play. The Braves had runners on the corners and failed to score in the fourth inning and had catcher Ryan Lavarnway on third base with one out in the fifth before coming up short.

Atlanta tacked on a run in the seventh inning against St. Louis reliever Steve Cishek. Right fielder Todd Cunningham and catcher Ryan Lavarnway opened the inning with hits. Cunningham scored on Bourn's looping single to left.

The Cardinals substituted liberally in the first game and removed starter John Lackey (13-10) after only four innings. The only regular who started the nightcap was Grichuk.

"I think we got the guys tuned up that we wanted to get tuned up," Matheny said. "They got the feel of the game and that's what we were hoping for."



NOTES: The St. Louis Cardinals did not start any player in the second game who started the first game. ... The Atlanta Braves started INF Hector Olivera at third base and started UTL Adonis Garcia, who played third base in the first game, in left field. Atlanta also sat regular RF Nick Markakis and used OF Todd Cunningham. C Ryan Lavarnway caught both ends of the twinbill. ... In a scheduling quirk, after not playing Atlanta until the final three games of the 2015 season, the two teams will meet again on the first weekend of the 2016 season. ... Attendance for the final game was 31,441, which allowed the Braves to surpass two million for the season.

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