This was going to be a tough task for the Braves even if they didn’t need their bullpen to pitch seven innings. That development just made it even more daunting for the Braves against the Indians on Monday.
The Indians extended their majors-long winning streak to 10 games with an 8-3 interleague victory at Turner Field. Braves starting pitcher John Gant left the game in the third inning after suffering an abdominal oblique injury and the Indians scored seven runs against Braves relievers.
Lonnie Chisenhall’s three-run homer off of Tyrell Jenkins in the fourth inning gave the Indians (45-30) a 4-1 lead. The Braves (26-50) answered with Tyler Flowers’ lead-off home run against Trevor Bauer in the bottom of the inning to pull within 4-2 before the Indians added four runs over the final three innings.
Gant was facing the ninth Indians batter of the game when he left with what the Braves said was a strain to his left abdominal oblique. The Braves recalled the rookie right-hander on June 8 for his fifth stint with the team this season and had him take injured starter Williams Perez’s spot in the rotation.
Gant had a 3.24 ERA with a .217 opponents’ batting average in his previous three starts. The Braves said his injury will be reevaluated on Tuesday.
“Those things are funny, obliques,” Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. “They pop up on you at weird times. There’s nothing good with those things, pitchers, hitters, doesn’t matter. It’s a core sport. That’s tough when it happens.”
Jenkins was pressed into action with the Braves trailing 1-0, no outs and a runner on first base. Jenkins got three consecutive outs and the Braves tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Nick Markakis.
The Indians regained the lead for good in the fourth with three consecutive hits: singles by Francisco Lindor and Mike Napoli, and Chisenhall’s home run to right field. Jenkins (0-1) allowed four earned runs over four-plus innings with three strikeouts and a walk.
The Indians added two runs against left-hander Ian Krol in the eighth and Jason Kipnis’ solo home run against Matt Marksberry in the ninth. The Indians have outscored their opponents 68-22 during the 10-game winning streak.
The Braves generated few scoring chances against Bauer (6-2) over six innings. Flowers’ home run was one of their five hits against Bauer, who walked three batters and struck out five.
“He’s got that big breaking ball,” Snitker said. “With his fastball you really don’t set location because he throws it both sides of the plate. It’s not real easy to hit.”
