By the time the Pirates were done batting around against Julio Teheran in the first inning, the only question was whether the rain or the home team would win out.
The showers never grew strong enough to wash away another awful road start for Teheran. The Pirates knocked him around early and went on to an 8-4 victory Saturday at PNC Park.
The Braves lost their fifth consecutive game and will look to avoid their second consecutive sweep Sunday.
Teheran (5-4) was an All-Star for the first time in 2014, but has been good only sporadically this season. Each sign of a possible turnaround — such as the allowing hit and no runs over seven innings against the Mets in his last start — usually is followed by a dud.
“I’m just trying to keep my mind strong,” Teheran said. “Every time I go out there I’m trying to give my best, and even if I don’t have my best, I’m just trying to battle.”
Teheran has especially struggled away away from Turner Field. He had a 7.17 ERA in his eight previous starts on the road, and it didn’t take long to see the trend would continue against the Pirates.
After Teheran retired leadoff hitter Josh Harrison, the next seven batters reached base. Starling Marte, Francisco Cervelli and Jordy Mercer had RBI singles, and Pedro Alvarez smacked a two-run double to the right-center gap.
As in many of Teheran’s outings this season, the Pirates poured it on during one big inning.
“It seems like it’s either early in the game or late in the game where he gets there,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “We’ve got to figure it out. This young man last year was an All-Star, and he’s got plenty of stuff to get people out with.”
Teheran finally ended the first inning by striking out Harrison. He allowed four hits and a run over the next five innings, but the dreadful beginning was too much to overcome for the Braves.
The Braves’ power-deficient lineup is missing its biggest bat with Freddie Freeman (wrist) on the disabled list, making it difficult to come back from big deficits. The Braves gave it a try in the seventh inning.
Joey Terdoslavich and Andrelton Simmons hit back-to-back singles, and Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton (6-1) hit pinch hitter Eury Perez with a pitch to load the bases. Jace Peterson followed with a three-run double to deep right-center that cut the deficit to 6-4 and chased Morton.
Cameron Maybin, Nick Markakis and A.J. Pierzynski all flied out to center field to strand Peterson. The Pirates added two runs in the bottom of the inning against relief pitcher Nick Masset.
Morton scattered 10 hits over six innings. Pierzynski doubled in the first inning, but Nick Markakis was thrown out trying to score from first. Maybin doubled in the third inning and scored on Markakis’ single before Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson left two base runners stranded.
Rain occasionally fell early in the game, raising the possibility it could be rained out before it became official with five innings. A brief, heavy shower delayed the game with one out in the top of the fifth before play resumed after 31 minutes.
The Braves gave the Pirates another run with a defensive miscue in the fifth inning.
With two outs, Teheran caught Alvarez off of first base, and the Braves got him in a rundown. But Marte broke for home before the Braves could tag Alvarez, and first baseman Terdoslavich’s throw home was too late to get Marte.
McCutchen left the game after Teheran hit in the left elbow with a pitch in the first inning. In the second inning Morton hit Braves shortstop Simmons in the leg with a pitch, prompting home-plate umpire John Tumpane to warn both benches.
There were no more incidents in the game. The Pirates said X-rays were negative on McCutchen’s elbow.
