Tyrell Jenkins anticipated this moment for years, but it was the past four days that were especially difficult to wait through. After getting knocked around severely Sunday at Colorado in his first bad start, the Braves rookie bounced back with his best performance Friday to earn his first major league win.
In his fourth start and first at Turner Field, Jenkins limited the Phillies to four hits and one unearned run in six innings of a 2-1 win, the third in four games for the Braves. They snapped a five-game losing streak against Philadelphia.
“Words can’t explain it,” Jenkins said. “Everyone can say they went to a big league ballpark, or they can say they’ve been on a 25-man roster. But to have your first big-league win, and just kind of the long road it’s been to get here…. I’m just excited. Can’t wait to call my mom and listen to her scream.”
After the Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an unearned run off two singles and an error by left fielder Jace Peterson, the Braves answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on three hits and a walk, including run-scoring singles by Gordon Beckham and Nick Markakis, who had three hits including a pair of ground-rule doubles.
The Phillies loaded the bases with two out in the fourth on a pair of two-out walks sandwiched around a single by pitcher Vince Velasquez, but Jenkins (1-2) got Odubel Herrera on a routine fly out to end the inning.
Beginning with Herrera, Jenkins retired the last seven batters he faced before giving way to left-hander Ian Krol to start the seventh inning.
“He didn’t throw the ball the way he wanted to last outing, had a rough one,” Markakis said. “But he bounced back great. He had a good pace, kept guys off balance and attacked the zone tonight.”
Krol, Mauricio Cabrera and Jim Johnson (fifth save) pitched an inning apiece for the Braves, who extended their streak to 18 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings by relievers.
Few wins have come easy for the Braves this season and this one wasn’t without some consternation. The Phillies got a two-out double from pinch-hitter Ryan Howard and a Cesar Hernandez walk before Johnson got Odubel Herrera on a grounder to shortstop Erick Aybar, who alertly threw to third base for the game-ending force play.
“I couldn’t watch (the ninth inning),” Jenkins said. “I saw the first pitch and went into the kitchen and made a sandwich. I had to do something to kind of not be stressed about it.”
Johnson, who has converted three saves in three opportunities over the past four days, has been the subject of multiple trade discussions and could be dealt before Monday’s 4 p.m. non-waiver deal deadline.
Jenkins, who turned 24 on July 20, had four strikeouts with four walks (one intentional) and threw 52 strikes in 91 pitches to collect his first win in his eighth major league game and fourth start.
“Everything was better tonight” than Sunday at Colorado, Snitker said. “His velocity was better, his command of the change-up was better, and just the total body of work was better, except for the one inning.”
After making his first three starts in the pitching snakepits of Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Colorado — arguably the three most hitter-friendly ballparks in the National League – he looked comfortable pitching in front of a home crowd of 27,732 in a ballpark that slightly favors pitchers.
Phillies starter Vince Velasquez (8-3) gave up seven hits, two runs and two walks in six innings for his first loss in eight starts.
Jenkins had a 6.43 ERA in three starts since moving from the Braves bullpen, but he pitched well in the first two before getting whacked at Coors Field, as have many other pitchers, particularly in their first time pitching in the thin air of mile-high Denver.
In a July 19 start at Cincinnati, he allowed two runs and four hits in six innings and was in position for his first win before Johnson gave up two runs in the ninth to force extra innings.
Then came Sunday at Colorado, where Jenkins lasted just 3 1/3 innings and gave up eight hits, seven runs, three homers and five walks. That included four runs in the first inning and a three-run homer by Nolan Arenado before Jenkins recorded his first out. He said he’d been thinking about the Colorado game all week.
“I couldn’t wait for this day to get here,” Jenkins said. “I hate sitting on a bad start. Kind of going back and seeing replays, every ball that was hit this past Sunday — it made me ready to get back out there tonight. Those bad starts kind of sit with you a little bit, you can’t wait to go back out there and prove to guys that you can pitch on this team at this level.”
After walking Cesar Hernandez to start Friday’s game, he retired the next three batters, then struck out the first two batters in the second inning.
