Corbin, Peralta propel D-backs past Braves
ATLANTA -- Patrick Corbin produced one of his finest starts since returning from Tommy John surgery and David Peralta helped build a lead that proved comfortable enough for the D-backs to preserve during Saturday night's 8-4 win over the Braves at Turner Field.
Corbin surrendered three hits and notched eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. The D-backs southpaw retired 18 of the 21 batters he faced through the first six innings. He showed some fatigue as he neared the end of his eighth start since returning from the elbow surgery. But he was not harmed by the two two-out walks he issued before exiting the seventh inning with the bases loaded.
Video: ARI@ATL: Peralta opens the scoring with an RBI single
"Today I felt like I had my best fastball since I've been back," Corbin said. "It felt really good. Just keeping the ball down and mixing it up and in and then just working off my slider. It just seemed like everything was clicking today. It's getting better and [I hope to] just continue to improve."
The Braves made things interesting with a four-run eighth inning that was highlighted by Nick Swisher's two-run homer off Daniel Hudson. But the D-backs managed to preserve the contributions made by Peralta, who began the fourth inning with a homer and capped his three-RBI night with one of the two sacrifice flies Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz surrendered during the decisive fifth inning that gave Arizona a 6-0 lead.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Staying hot: Peralta continues to make a case for everyday playing time with his performance at the plate. Over his last five games he is a combined 13-for-21 with 11 RBIs. Peralta has settled into the cleanup spot in the lineup behind Paul Goldschmidt.
"I'm feeling pretty good," Peralta said. "Yesterday, we didn't have a good game, but we just turned the page. We came with the same attitude and the same energy and tried to win the game. We're just going to keep doing what we're doing now." More >
Video: ARI@ATL: Peralta lifts a sac fly to plate Inciarte
More growing pains: Foltynewicz displayed good life with his fastball, which touched 99 mph twice as he ended the top of the third with his second strikeout of Goldschmidt. But Atlanta's hard-throwing hurler struggled with fastball command, and his slider began to flatten out as he surrendered four hits and two sacrifice flies while facing just six batters in the fifth inning. He was charged with six earned runs and nine hits in just 4 2/3 innings.
"You see some good glimpses coming out of [Foltynewicz's arm]," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Now we've got to get the whole thing together -- the pitches, the location, his pitchability and getting through innings."
Video: ARI@ATL: Foltynewicz whiffs Goldy to end the frame
Putting out the fire: David Hernandez, who underwent Tommy John surgery around the same time as Corbin, helped his rehab partner secure the win when he came on in relief with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh and struck out Joey Terdoslavich to end the threat.
"It's always tough there in the seventh not to finish it and get out of it myself," Corbin said. "But Dave did a great job coming in with the strikeout."
Video: ARI@ATL: Hernandez fans Terdoslavich to end the jam
Two-out rally: The Braves had been limited to just four hits before Jonny Gomes delivered a two-out single that accounted for the first of Atlanta's four runs in the eighth inning. Adonis Garcia followed with an RBI double and Swisher capped the rally when his two-run homer rattled the right-field foul pole. But after cutting their deficit to 6-4, the hosts saw their hope to claim a comeback win evaporate as the D-backs widened their lead in the ninth inning against Jake Brigham. More >
Video: ARI@ATL: Gomes singles in the Braves' first run
QUOTABLE
"There are a lot of good things I can take from this to the next start. I threw a lot of good sliders tonight. I've just got to get to where I throw that consistently down and away, instead of leaving it over the middle of the plate. I threw a couple good [split-finger fastballs] tonight, too. So there are some little positive things that keep me going into the next bullpen and next start." -- Foltynewicz, on allowing six runs over 4 2/3 innings vs. the D-backs
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Edwin Jackson recorded four strikeouts and completed 2 1/3 perfect innings in his Atlanta debut. Jackson became the 55th player and 28th different reliever used by the Braves this season. The previous franchise record was 50 different players, set by the 2007 club.
Video: ARI@ATL: Jackson goes 2 1/3 frames in Braves' debut
WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: The D-backs will send Rubby De La Rosa to the mound in Sunday afternoon's series finale (10:35 a.m. MT) at Turner Field. De La Rosa is coming off a win against the Phillies and is 4-0 with a 2.81 ERA over his last five starts.
Braves: Atlanta will counter with Shelby Miller in Sunday's series finale that will begin at 1:35 p.m. ET. Miller has posted a team-best 3.16 ERA (minimum nine starts) while going winless in his past 15 starts. His run support has been 1.38 during this frustrating stretch.
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