Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves

Rookie Williams Perez strong as Braves beat Rays

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 20: Williams Perez #61 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Turner Field on May 20, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

Credit: Daniel Shirey

Credit: Daniel Shirey

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 20: Williams Perez #61 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Turner Field on May 20, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
By David O Brien
May 21, 2015

How the game was won: Rookie Williams Perez pitched five strong innings and worked out of two big jams in his first major league start, and Freddie Freeman doubled and scored in the sixth inning to lift the Braves to a 2-1 win over the Rays. Freeman bounced a one-out double over the fence, advanced on a Nick Markakis single, and scored on Todd Cunningham's groundout to snap a 1-1 tie and the Braves won for the fourth time in five games.

Number: 5. Number of earned runs allowed by Perez in 32 innings over six starts this season. He was 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in five starts at Triple-A Gwinnett, and gave up one run, six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in five innings of his first major league start Wednesday, after pitching in relief in his first two major league appearances.

What's next: The Braves continue their homestand when they start a four-game series against the Brewers on Thursday, with Julio Teheran (3-1, 4.33 ERA) facing Brewers right-hander Matt Garza (2-5, 5.72).

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