Braves defeat Diamondbacks for much-needed win

The Atlanta Braves will enter the All-Star break on a good note after securing a much-needed 5-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The victory snaps a two-game losing streak and prevents a sweep. It also sends the team into the break with some good feelings after a few tough weeks.

The Braves needed a good start from Julio Teheran and he delivered allowing just four hits over 6.1 shutout innings. Teheran struck out six and walked three.

Atlanta’s offense finally strung together some hits in the third inning against Diamondbacks’ starter Patrick Corbin. Johan Camargo led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a double by Dansby Swanson to put the Braves in front 1-0.

After a sacrifice bunt by Teheran, Ozzie Albies singled home Swanson with an infield single and advanced all the way to third on a throwing error by Jake Lamb. After a ground out by Ronald Acuna, Freddie Freeman delivered a double to right that scored Albies to make it 3-0.

Atlanta still wasn’t finished as Nick Markakis worked a full count against Corbin and then dumped a single to center that scored Freeman to increase the lead to 4-0.

The Braves would tack on an additional run in the seventh when Preston Tucker connected on a pinch-hit home run to right to increase the lead to 5-0. That was Tucker’s first homer since April and his fourth of the season.

Jesse Biddle replaced Teheran in the second with runners at first and second but was able to retire Daniel Descalso and Steven Souza to keep Arizona scoreless. The Diamondbacks finally broke through in the eighth when Jon Jay homered to right off of Daniel Winkler to cut the lead to 5-1. A.J. Minter worked a perfect ninth to secure the win for Atlanta.