What better way to close out Turner Field than with a Braves win thanks to a dominant pitching performance? Julio Teheran turned in a gem while equalling a career-high in strikeouts in a 1-0 Atlanta win over Detroit to wrap up the Turner Field era and the 2016 regular season.
Teheran was the story on a nostalgic filled evening allowing just three hits and a walk over seven innings of work to go along with a career-high tying 12 strikeouts. He threw 100 pitches with 80 of them going for strikes.
The Braves went to work early against Tigers starter Justin Verlander. Ender Inciarte led off with a single and advanced to third on a base hit by Adonis Garcia. Freddie Freeman brought him home with a sacrifice fly to give Atlanta an early 1-0 lead.
Verlander nearly matched Teheran pitch-for-pitch the rest of the way. He allowed six hits and that lone first inning run over seven innings while striking out eight.
Jose Ramirez got off to a rough start in the eighth allowing a lead-off double to Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias. Ramirez came back and struck out pinch hitter Victor Martinez and then escaped after Ian Kinsler lined to shortstop Dansby Swanson who fired to second to nab Kinsler for the double play.
Jim Johnson was rewarded with a two-year contract extension prior to Sunday’s game and he came on in the ninth and struck Justin Upton with the tying run at first base to end the game.
The Braves finish an emotional day with a 1-0 win and wrap up the 2016 season on a high note.