Braves top Rays 2-1, Perez strong in 1st MLB start
Williams Perez didn’t get a decision in his first major league start, but the Braves rookie was plenty impressive Wednesday in helping the Braves beat a Tampa Bay team that came in tied for first place in the American League East and with its best pitcher on the mound.
After giving up a run in the first inning, Perez worked out of big jams in the fourth and fifth innings of a 2-1 win that gave the Braves a split of their two-game series against the Rays at Turner Field.
“He did terrific,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves picked up their fourth win in five games. “You can’t ask for anything more from him.”
Perez was charged with six hits, one run and one walk in five innings, and his seven strikeouts included consecutive K’s with two runners on base to end the fifth inning with the score tied 1-1.
An inning later, Freddie Freeman doubled and scored on Todd Cunningham’s groundout to send the Braves back to within one game of .500 at 19-20 as they near the quarter pole of the season.
“I want to thank God that I was able to do a good job for the team,” Perez sid. “I was a little nervous.”
It didn’t show. At least not after the first inning, when Perez gave up consecutive one-out singles to Steven Souza Jr. and Evan Longoria and a sacrifice fly to put the Rays ahead 1-0. Four innings later, he would strike out Souza and Longoria swinging at curveballs with two runners on.
“Those two outs there in the fifth are going to go a long way for his development in the future,” Gonzalez said.
Braves rookie Brandon Cunniff (2-0) came in with two on in the sixth inning and pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings, as four relievers cranked out four scoreless innings and closer Jason Grilli collected his 12th save in 13 chances.
“(Perez) got in a little jam and made big pitches,” said Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who doubled in the the third inning and scored the tying run on an Alberto Callaspo single, after the first of two 10-pitch walks by Jace Peterson.
“We didn’t do much, but we did just enough. Hopefully we keep doing just enough for the rest of the season.”
Rays starter Jake Odirizzi (3-4) allowed just four hits, two runs and two walks in six innings, but right-hander again received almost no run support. He has a losing record despite a 2.43 ERA in nine starts. The Rays scored two or fewer runs while he’s been in all but one start, including five games when they scored one or no runs while he was in.
Freeman struck out with two runners on base to end the third inning, and had just one RBI and one extra-base hit in nine games before he came through with the game’s biggest hit, a ground-rule double with one out in the sixth. Nick Markakis followed with a single and Cunningham put the Braves ahead with an RBI groundout.
Freeman also started a crucial defensive play when the big first baseman ranged to his right in the fourth inning to field Asdrubal Cabrera’s bases-loaded grounder and start a 3-6-1 double play. After catching Simmons’ throw, an excited Perez spiked the ball before walking to the dugout.
Perez, who turns 24 on Thursday, was 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in five starts at Gwinnett and hadn’t started in 17 days, which played into the decision to lift him after 79 pitches and five innings.
He’d made two relief appearances for Atlanta. After getting rocked for two hits, four runs, a homer and two walks while recording just one out in in his debut May 8 at Washington, Perez bounced back with two scoreless innings (one hit, two walks) May 13 at Cincinnati, then was moved to the rotation in place of struggling veteran Eric Stults.
