Brothers in arms
Another strong start leads Braves to sweep of Cards
ST. LOUIS — Mike Foltynewicz loves trying to one-up fellow pitchers in the Atlanta Braves’ redhot rotation.
He kept even with his cohorts Sunday by striking out nine batters while tossing five scoreless innings, and Freddie Freeman homered as the Braves held off the St. Louis Cardinals for a 6-5 win, the team’s third straight after a 2-5 stretch.
“It’s like a friendly competition with a fun group of guys,” Foltynewicz said. “It’s a good vibe.”
The Braves outscored St. Louis 22-10 while sweeping a three-game series in St. Louis for the first time since May 11-13, 2012.
Tommy Pham homered for St. Louis, which scored five times in the seventh to rally from a 6-0 deficit but still lost for the fourth game in a row.
Foltynewicz matched Julio Teheran and Max Fried to post the Braves’ third successive scoreless appearance by a starter. Teheran tossed six scoreless innings in a 5-1 win Friday, and Fried did not allow a run in 6 2/3 innings of an 11-4 victory Saturday.
“They’ve been awesome,” said Atlanta infielder and former Calhoun High School standout Charlie Culberson, who had two hits and drove in two runs Sunday. “It makes it easier for us (hitters). A little bit more relaxed for us going up there.”
Foltynewicz (6-4) surrendered one hit — a fourth-inning single to Marcell Ozuna — and three walks in an 86-pitch outing on a hot afternoon.
“He never gave in,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He kept grinding.”
Foltynewicz has allowed just two hits and one run over 10 innings in two outings since coming off the disabled list with tightness in his right triceps on June 25.
“He was kind of wildly effective,” St. Louis
infielder Kolten Wong said. “When you’re throwing as hard as he was, it makes it tough.”
The Braves’ three starters allowed seven hits with 24 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings during the series.
“We’ve been feeding off each other,” Foltynewicz said. “We’re always pulling for each other, pushing each other, asking questions. We hang around together, and you can see that we take it out to the mound. It’s been a really fun time.”
A.J. Minter picked up his third save in as many opportunities by setting the side down in order in the ninth inning. He has not allowed a run in his past seven appearances.
Freeman’s 16th homer of the season, a two-run drive, pushed the lead to 3-0 in the sixth. The blow highlighted a five-run inning for the Braves, a surge that included an RBI single by Culberson. Atlanta infielder Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the inning.
Pham hit a three-run homer off Peter Moylan in the seventh to bring the Cardinals to within 6-5.
St. Louis starter John Gant (2-3), a former Brave, allowed four runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
“I’ve definitely got to do better,” Gant said. “Came out on the losing end, so anytime that happens, improvements need to be made.”
Francisco Pena had a two-run single in the seventh for St. Louis, which will play 17 of its next 20 games on the road.
The Braves have been in first place or tied for first 60 of the past 62 days, and they kicked off a 10-game road trip in style.
The Braves open a three-game series against the Yankees in New York tonight, with Atlanta’s scheduled starter righthander Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 2.68). The Yankees will counter with righthander Jonathan Loaisiga (2-0, 1.93).
“To come out and win the first three games, that’s really nice,” Culberson said. “But this series is done. We took care of business. Time to move on.”