Cameron Maybin hit a three-run homer, and Kelly Johnson added a solo shot in the Braves’ four-run third inning, and for nearly two hours it looked as if that would be enough to complete a sweep and get Julio Teheran his second road win.
But Carlos Gomez had other plans.
Gomez’s second home run of the game, a three-run shot off Luis Avilan in the eighth inning, lifted the Brewers to a 6-5 win in the series finale at Miller Park.
“That was a good pitch that we made,” Braves catcher Ryan Lavarnway said of Avilan’s knee-high, 3-1 change-up to Gomez. “Credit to him, he hit it. He’s one of their (big) guys. Winning the series, that’s what’s important. That’s always what we’re looking to do.”
The Brewers averted a sweep and handed the Braves just their second loss in eight July games, also preventing the Braves (42-43) from climbing above .500 for the first time since June 1.
Teheran got no decision after allowing three runs, two hits (both homers) and three walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings. He got no decision to remain winless in his past nine road starts, but he made strides after posting a staggering 8.23 ERA and .363 opponents’ average in his previous eight away from Turner Field.
“I thought Julio pitched well,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves open a four-game series at Colorado on Thursday, their last before the All-Star break. “Both home runs he gave up were 2-0 pitches, and one was well-hit. The other two home runs that beat us — I didn’t think the ball Gomez hit off Avilan was going to go out of the park. It did. …
“But I thought Julio pitched well. Seven innings. It wasn’t easy; it was 100-plus (115) pitches, but he gave us a nice opportunity to win the ballgame.”
Gomez’s winning homer off Avilan came after the left-hander had given up a pair of bloop singles to start the inning and struck out Jonathan Lucroy looking for the first out. When the right-handed Gomez ripped the change-up, Avilan threw his hands in the air and clasped his head in frustration.
Teheran got no decision and has a 1-5 record and 6.95 ERA in 10 road starts, with 13 homers allowed in 55 2/3 innings. At Turner Field, he is 5-0 with a 2.04 ERA in eight starts, with only three homers allowed in 53 innings. Disparity extreme.
After homers by Maybin and Johnson in the third inning gave the Braves a 4-0 lead, they were outscored 6-1.
Teheran hasn’t won on the road since opening day at Miami. After giving up consecutive one-out walks to Jonathan Lucroy and Gomez in the first inning, he got Adam Lind to pop out and struck out Khris Davis to end the inning.
“Sometimes it takes a little kick in the pants for him to flip the switch and get angry and get real competitive,” Lavarnway said, “and he was able to do that before any real damage happened, and get out of a jam there.”
Said Teheran: “I got a little mad because I don’t want to just keep doing what I’ve been doing. I’m just trying to compete and do what I’ve been doing at home, trying to attack the hitters. I think getting mad helped me a little bit. And Ryan did a good job calling pitches and trying to keep me focused on the game.”
After the two walks, Teheran retired nine batters — five strikeouts — before walking Lind with one out in the fourth. Davis followed with a long home run on a 2-0 fastball, the Brewers’ first hit of the game. Gomez homered on a 2-0 slider in the sixth inning to trim the lead to 3-2.
“I made two mistakes,” Teheran said. “I fell behind to two hitters, and you know how that works at this level, if you fall behind you’ve got to come throwing a strike.”
Maybin, the best surprise of the season for the Braves, gave them a charge in the fourth when he drove starter Mike Fiers’ 1-1 change-up over the left-field fence. Lavarnway led with a single and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt and a Teheran sacrifice. After Jace Peterson walked, Maybin did what he’s done since late April.
Maybin has hit .320 with a .385 OBP and 38 RBIs in his past 62 games, and his .412 average with runners in scoring position ranks among among major league leaders. He has has eight homers in 299 plate appearances, one off the career-high nine homers he hit in 568 plate appearances for the Padres in 2011.
Two batters later, Johnson hit his eighth homer and second in three games.
