Teheran strikes out 10 over six no-hit innings
Uggla, Gattis, Parraz provide the offense with home runs in win over Astros
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Dan Uggla hit his first home run in nearly three weeks, and Julio Teheran produced yet another stellar start with six hitless innings for the Braves in Saturday afternoon's 3-2 win over the Astros at Champion Stadium.
Uggla and Evan Gattis drilled second-inning solo home runs off Philip Humber to provide an early lead for Teheran, who recorded 10 strikeouts during his six scoreless innings. The only blemishes on the 22-year-old right-hander's pitching line came courtesy of three walks, including the two he sandwiched between three strikeouts in the first inning.
Uggla began the bottom of the second inning with a high fly ball that carried over the left-field fence for his second home run of the spring and first since March 3. Two batters later, Gattis drilled a towering shot that hit more than halfway up the 60-foot batter's eye in straightaway center field.
Gattis' solo shot gave him three home runs in a span of four at-bats dating back to Friday's win over the Phillies. The 26-year-old rookie's recent power barrage has seemingly only enhanced the likelihood that he will begin the regular season as Atlanta's backup catcher.
Rick Ankiel's one-out seventh-inning double off Jordan Walden accounted for Houston's only hit until Craig Kimbrel served up a two-run homer to Ankiel in the ninth.
Humber proved perfect in three of his first four innings and retired the first two batters he faced in the fifth before allowing Jordan Parraz to add to Atlanta's lead with a home run over the left-center-field wall. The three solo shots accounted for the only runs and hits Humber surrendered in his six innings.
Up next: Kris Medlen will attempt to bounce back from his worst start of the spring season when he takes the mound in Sunday afternoon's game against the Nationals in Viera, Fla. Medlen allowed nine runs and 14 hits in five innings during Monday's win over the Phillies. Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Freddie Freeman are all expected to make the trip. The game will be shown on MLB.TV and first pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.