Homers send Braves to defeat in 5-0 loss to Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays took game three and the series from the Atlanta Braves on a pair of fourth-inning home runs, winning 5-0 on Thursday Night at Turner Field.

After looking primed for a series win after the victory on Tuesday night, the Braves' bats fell completely silent, scoring one run over the next two games and were shut out for the 15th time this season.

Matt Wisler, making his second start since rejoining the rotation, had a Jekyll and Hyde performance with some good innings and some bad innings. Following a leadoff walk in the first, he retired sluggers Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion in order. He had relatively easy innings in the second and third before a troublesome fourth.

Encarnacion homered to lead off the inning, the first Wisler had allowed since getting hammered for four at Wrigley Field against the Cubs on August 23. Cliff Pennington continued what was a phenomenal series, hitting a three-run bomb later in the inning to give the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead. Pennington finished the series with a .364 average (4-for-11) and five RBIs after coming into the series hitting .114 with just four RBIs since being acquired by the Jays in early August.

"There were some positive things tonight," Wisler said after the game. "My slider was the best it's been in a long time. Obviously you have to look at the negatives, though. That fourth inning really cost us the game. I've got to clean that up."

Wisler surrendered a total of nine hits in his six innings of work, two walks and three strikeouts, and is now 5-8 this year. Edwin Jackson pitched two hitless innings and Sugar Ray Marimon surrendered a homer to Donaldson in the ninth.

"He gave us six innings, and that was a big goal," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said following the contest. "After that fourth inning we said, 'Hey, you need to stay out there. Just keep pushing.'

"In the grand scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal. But it is when you're developing young pitching. It is to go back out there an extra two innings and compete," he said.

Marco Estrada faced absolutely no threat from the Braves lineup on the night as he only allowed five baserunners, none of them reaching second base. He went eight shutout innings, allowing three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts to improve to 13-8 on the year. Wisler, Cameron Maybin, and Andrelton Simmons got the only hits on the night for Atlanta.

"We didn't get any good hacks," Gonzalez said. "He changes speeds and changes locations with his fastball. He's tough to square up."

Dioner Navarro had a great night at the plate for Toronto, going 3-for-4 with a double. Ryan Goins also notched a pair of hits.

The Phillies come to town on Friday night to begin a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 ET on FOX Sports South.