Teheran shines as Braves pummel Cardinals

[May 17, 2019]  Veteran Atlanta right-hander Julio Teheran stole a little thunder from rookie teammate Austin Riley, using his arm and his bat to push the Braves to a 10-2 victory over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.

Riley went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in his second big-league game. His double missed leaving the yard by a foot. But the night belonged to Teheran, who pitched five shutout innings, squeezed home a run and singled home another.

It was the third straight outstanding start for Teheran (3-4). He allowed two hits, four walks and struck out four in squaring his career record against the Cardinals at 3-3. Teheran has given up only one run over 17 innings in his last three starts.

The Braves got to St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (3-4) for five runs in four innings. The Georgia native and former first-round pick of the Braves gave up five hits and five walks. Wainwright entered the game with the highest winning percentage (.750) among active pitchers against the Braves and lost in his first career appearance at SunTrust Park.

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 with a home run, his eighth, scored three runs and drove in two.

The Braves scored twice in the second inning. Brian McCann brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Riley scampered home on Teheran's squeeze bunt.

Atlanta scored three more times in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Nick Markakis doubled home a run, and Riley and Teheran followed with RBI singles.

Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran (49) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis got on the board in the sixth inning when Marcell Ozuna hit his 13th homer of the season, a solo shot, against reliever Jacob Webb.

The Braves strung together three more runs in the sixth and took an 8-1 lead on RBI singles by Freeman, Josh Donaldson and Markakis. Ronald Acuna Jr. singled home a run in the seventh, making it 9-1.

St. Louis got a solo homer from Matt Carpenter, his fifth, in the eighth, and Freeman answered with his homer in the bottom half.

--Field Level Media

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