Teheran finally shines at SunTrust, Braves beat Phillies

ATLANTA — Julio Teheran found his go-to slider for the first time since the Braves moved into their new home last season.

Teheran outpitched Aaron Nola for a rare night of success at SunTrust Park and Atlanta snapped the Philadelphia Phillies’ six-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Monday night.

Teheran (1-1) allowed one run, five hits and three walks with nine strikeouts in six innings. He began the night 3-10 with a 6.20 ERA and 21 homers allowed in 19 starts at the Braves’ second-year stadium, but Teheran kept the Phillies guessing.

“I used a lot of my slider and my fastball,” Teheran said. “I was thinking first strike and I was doing really good. Whenever I throw a first-pitch strike, it’s different then. That’s something I’ve really been working on.”

Teheran has been trying for two years to make his slider the swing-and-missing offering that used to bolster his repertoire. He recalled Monday that Braves 2, Phillies 1

hitters used to swing through it, even when they know it was coming.

“It’s easy whenever you have a pitch like that that you can throw in there and you have the confidence to throw it 3-2,” Teheran said. “That’s something I did a lot. It was an advantage for me.”

After setup man A.J. Minter escaped a shaky eighth, Atlanta became the last team in the majors to record a save as closer Arodys Vizcaino retired two of the first three batters he faced and ended it on Carlos Santana’s groundout.

Nola (1-1) gave up four hits, two runs and two walks in six innings. The Phillies’ ace struck out two in a solid outing that wasn’t good enough for a right-hander who has held opponents to a .182 average over his last six starts dating to Sept. 13.

“Teheran threw a good game,” Nola said. “I think all their pitchers did. It was one nights where obviously in low-scoring games are hard-fought for both teams.”