Freeman’s late-game heroics lead Braves to comeback win over Brewers

The Atlanta Braves extended their winning streak to three games in comeback fashion with a 10-8 win over the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night.

Despite trailing 8-4 earlier in the ballgame, the Braves took an 8-8 tie into the top of the ninth inning. Adonis Garcia led off the ninth with a double to left, followed by Freddie Freeman’s eighth home run of the year to put Atlanta up 10-8.

Jim Johnson recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Eric Thames and Ryan Braun before inducing a Travis Shaw groundout to record his fourth save of the season and secure the victory. Jose Ramirez, who pitched a perfect eighth inning, was credited with the win.

Bartolo Colon made the start on the mound, but he saw his night end after just five innings pitched. He allowed six earned runs on 10 hits and struck out five batters while walking a pair.

Milwaukee’s Chase Anderson entered Friday with 1.13 ERA and had allowed just three earned runs over 24 innings pitched. The Braves managed to get to Anderson and scored four earned runs on four hits, elevating his ERA to 2.13.

The Brewers wasted little time getting their offense going as they strung together back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the second inning, followed by an RBI-double from Keon Broxton to put Milwaukee up 1-0. One batter later, Orlando Arcia blasted a three-run shot to right to give the Brewers a 4-0 lead.

The Braves led off the top of the third inning with a Jace Peterson double to right field and Dansby Swanson’s fourth walk of the season. After Colon reached on a fielder’s choice, Ender Inciarte singled to left field to score Swanson and cut Atlanta’s deficit to 4-1.

With one away and runners on first and second, Garcia drew a walk to load the bases. Two batters later, Matt Kemp drove a pitch to right field for a bases-clearing double, tying the game at 4-4 in the top of the third.

Colon faced trouble once again in the bottom of the third, but he struck out Broxton to strand runners on the corners and keep the game tied.

Thames singled to right to lead off the bottom of the fifth for the Brewers. In the ensuing at-bat, Braun launched his seventh home run of the season to center field to give the Brewers a 6-4 advantage.

Atlanta’s right-handed relief pitcher Jason Motte made his debut in the bottom of the sixth inning, but his first appearance in a Braves uniform did not get off to the best start.

The first batter he faced was Orlando Arcia, to whom he surrendered a double to left. He then faced Domingo Santana in a pinch-hit spot, giving up a two-run home run and doubling Atlanta’s deficit to 8-4.

With Swanson aboard on second base and one out recorded in the top of the seventh, Lane Adams singled to right field for his first career major league hit. He then proceeded to record his first career stolen base, setting up runners on second and third with Inciarte at the plate. Inciarte doubled to left on a high fastball, driving in a pair and cutting Milwaukee’s lead down to 8-6.

Garcia followed suit with an RBI single to right, bringing the Braves within a run at 8-7. A Freeman lineout and Kemp strikeout ended Atlanta’s scoring in the seventh.

Following a Markakis strikeout, Tyler Flowers and Peterson strung together back-to-back one-out singles to put a pair of runners on in the top of the eighth inning. Flowers was pinch-run for by Julio Teheran - one day after coming in to pinch-hit against the Mets.

Thursday’s hero Kurt Suzuki singled to right field to drive in Teheran and tie the game at 8-8 in the top of the eighth.

Jaime Garcia will make the start for the Braves on the mound Saturday as they take on Jimmy Nelson and the Brewers at 7:10 pm ET.