Home runs put charge in Braves
Braves 9, Brewers 3: Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton homered to help Mike Minor win his second consecutive start, and host Atlanta beat Milwaukee last night.
Pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit also homered for Atlanta in a matchup of first-place teams. The Braves, who had lost 12 of 18, never trailed.
Atlanta began the night with the fewest runs in the majors. But the Braves had 15 hits, and they improved to 18-5 when hitting a home run.
Minor (2-2) gave up two runs and five hits with five strikeouts in 62⁄
3 innings.
The Brewers have lost three straight and four of six.
Wily Peralta (4-3) allowed nine hits, four walks and three runs — two earned — with five strikeouts in five innings. The right-hander had been 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in three starts in May.
LAST NIGHT’S HIGHLIGHT
White Sox 7, Royals 6: Alexei Ramirez homered and drove in four runs, Dayan Viciedo and Paul Konerko also hit homers and Chicago overcame a five-run deficit to beat host Kansas City.
Suspended Tejada signs with Marlins
Suspended infielder Miguel Tejada signed a minor-league contract with the Miami Marlins.
Tejada is serving a 105-game suspension he began last year for testing positive for an amphetamine.
He would be eligible to play in the Marlins’ 65th game, which is scheduled to be on June 10 at Texas. He could appear in minor-league games at double-A or lower beginning May 31.
MRI on White Sox slugger Abreu negative
Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu will continue to rest his inflamed left ankle after an MRI showed no structural damage.
The rookie left Saturday’s game against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning. He was placed on the disabled list on Sunday.