Return to Georgia not so peachy for Beachy

ATLANTA -- Brandon Beachy's second start for the Dodgers turned out to be another bump in the road in the recovery process from his second Tommy John surgery, as he struggled against the Braves in Los Angeles' 7-5 series-opening loss.

"I'm very frustrated," Beachy said Monday night after his first game back at Turner Field since 2013 when he was with the Braves. "My stuff was better, [I] just failed to execute in a few crucial spots."

Beachy, who worked four innings and allowed four runs and five hits -- including Braves right fielder Nick Markakis' first home run of the season -- said he felt a bit better this start but still has to improve his command.

"It's frustrating, that's the word," Beachy said, "because I feel like I can execute it, and then I do, and then I don't."

Beachy -- whose fastball averaged 90 mph, according to Brooks Baseball -- seemed to be settled in during the second and third innings, and he had two outs in the fourth before allowing a double to Eury Perez, issuing an intentional walk to Andrelton Simmons and then walking opposing starter Matt Wisler on five fastballs.

"Obviously that's unacceptable, and that's something I just can't do," Beachy said of the walk to Wisler, which led to two more runs. "You can't do it. But it happened."

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he didn't know how long it would take for Beachy to get back to the form he showed before surgery, and noted that this start was similar to his first, when he allowed three runs in four innings against the Brewers.

"Two years is a long time," Mattingly said. "I think each guy's [recovery is] different. Brandon's stuff is going to play, I think it's just a matter of him getting sharper and sharper."

But with the Dodgers nearing August in first place in the National League West, there is a question of how much of a leash the team can give Beachy to fine-tune his command.

When that question was posed to Mattingly, he responded: "It's one of those things that we'll continue to talk about and discuss."

Beachy understands that the decision to keep sending him out to the mound is out of his hands, but he told reporters that for him to get over the hump, he needs to keep going out there and making pitches.

"I try not to think about that as much as I can," he said. "I have to get outs. I understand that. I'm fortunate enough for them to keep giving me the ball I have to get better.

"And I plan to do that."