Gomes, Miller lead Braves to series win in Toronto
TORONTO -- Right-hander Shelby Miller tossed six strong innings while outfielder Jonny Gomes had a three-run double in the Braves' 5-2 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
Miller continued his rather impressive start to the year by allowing five hits and three walks with six strikeouts in another solid performance. The 24-year-old has allowed three earned runs over 16 innings since joining Atlanta as part of a deal for outfielder Jason Heyward and right-hander Jordan Walden.
Video: ATL@TOR: Miller holds Blue Jays to two runs over six
First baseman Freddie Freeman had a pair of hits and scored two runs for the Braves and Chris Johnson added an RBI single. Russell Martin provided one of the few bright spots for Toronto with a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning, which scored Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
Video: ATL@TOR: Martin doubles home two runs in 6th
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Pompey struggles in center: Blue Jays center fielder Dalton Pompey had an afternoon to forget. With the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning, Gomes hit a sharp liner to deep center. Pompey appeared to get a bad break on the play and then got twisted around, which allowed the ball to sail over his head as all three runners came around to score. Pompey's troubles continued in the third when he made an errant throw over the head of third baseman Josh Donaldson as another run scored. The two miscues made things difficult on lefty starter Daniel Norris, who allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits over 2 2/3 innings. More >
Video: ATL@TOR: Freeman scores on Pompey's throwing error
Blue Jays' walking wounded: Toronto second baseman Devon Travis was forced to leave Sunday's game in the first inning with a left rib contusion. Travis led off for the Blue Jays but was promptly hit in the ribs by a pitch from Miller, which left Toronto without one of its hottest hitters. Travis currently is listed as day to day, but the Blue Jays can ill afford to lose him for any period of time considering the club is already trying to make ends meet without the services of shortstop Jose Reyes, who is out with a cracked rib. More >
Video: ATL@TOR: Travis exits after being hit by a pitch
Miller shines again at Rogers Centre: Miller has only made two starts in Toronto, but he's made his presence felt on both occasions. The Braves' hurler pitched a complete-game shutout in 2014 at Rogers Centre as a member of the Cardinals, and on Sunday had blanked the Blue Jays until late in the sixth inning. The right-hander improved to 2-0 on the season. More >
QUOTABLE
"I'm going through a little bit of a dead-arm phase, so it's really tough for me to feel that late life on everything that I was used to in Spring Training. … I can definitely get through it, dead arm is just something where you feel 100 percent fine, it just doesn't come out like it usually does. Even if I throw one that says 93 or 94 mph, it just doesn't have the same life on it. I can't really command it the way I'm used to." -- Norris, after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Veteran lefty Jeff Francis became the 22nd Canadian-born player in Blue Jays history when he entered out of the bullpen in the fifth inning. In addition to Francis, Toronto also has Canadians Pompey and Martin on the 25-man roster. More >
Video: ATL@TOR: Francis tosses 3 1/3 scoreless innings
In 885 career games in which he's had at least two at-bats, the Braves' Alberto Callaspo has fanned two or more times in a game only 48 times. His career rate of 11.2 plate appearances per strikeout is No. 1 among all active players.
WHAT'S NEXT
Braves: The Braves are entering their second series of a three-city, nine-game road trip. After taking two of three from the Blue Jays over the weekend, they'll face the Mets for a trio of matches before wrapping things up in Philadelphia against the Phillies. The series in Queens begins Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Blue Jays: Toronto will take a much-needed day off on Monday before opening a three-game series against division-rival Baltimore on Tuesday at 7:07 p.m. ET. Left-hander Mark Buehrle will take the mound against Baltimore's Bud Norris in a rematch of the Orioles' home opener from earlier this year.