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Sanchez sharp as Braves snap skid

By The Associated Press
Posted 7:41PM on Saturday 7th July 2018 ( 5 years ago )

MILWAUKEE — Anibal Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh and Freddie Freeman added three hits, lifting the slumping Atlanta Braves to a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

Sanchez (4-2) retired 19 in a row at one point to help snap Atlanta's season high four-game skid. He exited with two outs in the seventh after being hit by a liner on his right hip.

Atlanta got to Brewers spot starter Aaron Wilkerson (0-1) early to end Milwaukee's five-game winning streak. Wilkerson had taken the rotation turn of Brent Suter, who went on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness on Friday.

Sanchez struck out six in a row at one point. But after two easy outs in the seventh, his day ended quickly following a walk to Hernan Perez.

Perez stole second, and Brad Miller's line drive deflected off Sanchez's hip and out of shortstop Dansby Swanson's reach to cut Atlanta's lead to 2-1.

Sanchez didn't appear too shaken up — smiling and getting high fives from the Braves dugout after exiting. Reliever Dan Winkler came in and recorded the final out of the inning.

Sanchez allowed one run off two hits and a walk. The veteran right-hander finished with eight strikeouts.

Johan Camargo's two-run single off Wilkerson gave Atlanta the lead in the first. Freeman and Nick Markakis added consecutive run-scoring triples in the eighth as Atlanta scored three times in the inning to put the game out of reach.

Freeman came into the game in a slump, batting .159 over his last 17 games before his three-hit performance.

Wilkerson allowed two runs off four hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out five.

Sanchez benefited from a heads up defensive play from Markakis in right field in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Travis Shaw flared a ball that should've loaded the bases.

Instead, Jesus Aguilar, at first, didn't read the play quickly enough and Markakis fired a strike to Swanson at second base for the first of Sanchez's 19 straight outs.

Sanchez settled in from there, using an array of changeups, cutters and a four-seam fastball to keep Milwaukee's offense in check.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Braves: Rookie LF Ronald Acuna Jr. was out of the lineup after leaving with left groin tightness on Friday night.

Brewers: CF Lorenzo Cain (left groin strain) is close to returning from the 10-day disabled list and could be activated as soon as Sunday. . LF Ryan Braun was a late scratch in the starting lineup with tightness in his right side, but pinch hit in the ninth. . RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled for the fifth time this year to provide pitching depth. Infielder Nate Orf was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

UP NEXT

Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (8-3, 3.10 ERA) looks to bounce back Sunday after allowing five runs without getting out of the third inning in an 8-5 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. RHP Junior Guerra (5-5, 2.87) goes for Milwaukee and is holding opponents to a .217 average in 16 starts this year.

Atlanta Braves' Nick Markakis, right, high-fives Dansby Swanson (7) and Ozzie Albies (1) after a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, July 7, 2018, in Milwaukee. The Braves won 5-1.

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