ATLANTA (AP) — Kenta Maeda allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings, Cody Bellinger homered and the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Tuesday night for their ninth straight win.
The slumping Braves were shut down by Maeda (10-4) but cut their deficit to one with Johan Camargo's two-run homer off Josh Ravin in the eighth. Atlanta ended the inning with Brandon Phillips, who had a pinch-hit single, on third base.
Bellinger led off the fourth with his 29th homer into the Braves' bullpen in right-center off Lucas Sims (0-1).
Sims and second baseman Ozzie Albies made their major league debuts for Atlanta, which has lost six in a row.
Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth for his 28th save in 29 chances.
Yasiel Puig doubled and scored on Chris Taylor's double in the third. Puig also singled, stole third base and scored on catcher Tyler Flowers' throwing error in the fifth.
The Dodgers (75-31) keep building on the best record in the majors. They have their third winning streak of at least nine games, following streaks of 10 (June 16-25) and 11 (July 4-19) games. Since a loss to the Padres on July 2, the Dodgers are 20-2, with the only losses coming at home to the Braves on July 20 and 21.
Sims yielded three runs and six hits in six innings. The 2012 first-round draft pick from Brookwood High School near Atlanta had three strikeouts and no walks.
The Braves have lost 12 of 15 since reaching .500 at 45-45 on July 16.
Chase Utley, who singled while pinch hitting for Maeda in the eighth, was thrown out at the plate by Nick Markakis while trying to score from second on Bellinger's single to right field.
The 20-year-old Albies walked and scored on Camargo's homer. Albies became the youngest player in the majors with his promotion from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Sims and Albies became the first pair of Atlanta teammates to start together in their first major league games since right-hander Al Santorini and catcher Walt
Hriniak on Sept. 10, 1968, against San Francisco.
Jim Johnson, who lost his sole claim as the Braves' closer with eight blown saves, pitched a perfect seventh.
Right-hander Yu Darvish, acquired by the Dodgers from the Rangers on Monday, will join the team Tuesday. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Darvish will make his debut with the team when he starts Friday at the Mets.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves LF Matt Adams left after five innings due to dizziness. ... With Braves LF Matt Kemp on the 10-day DL with a right hamstring strain, Adams moved from first base to left field and Freddie Freeman returned to first base. Freeman shifted to third base last month to keep Adams' bat in the lineup.
NOT AN ALL-STAR AT TEXTING
Roberts said he exchanged "a couple" text messages with Darvish "and welcomed him to the Dodgers." He said Darvish replied to say "his English is good but his text response is not very good. I just gave him a thumbs up, which is universal and we'll catch up tomorrow."
UP NEXT
Dodgers: RHP Brock Stewart (0-0, 0.00 ERA) allowed two hits and no runs in two innings of relief during his only appearance against the Braves on July 20. He has allowed no earned runs in 16 2/3 innings this season.
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran (7-9, 5.09) will look for his first career win in his eighth start against the Dodgers. Teheran is 0-6 with a 5.32 ERA vs. the Dodgers. He gave up four runs, three earned, in 6 1/3 innings of a 6-2 loss at Los Angeles on July 22.
