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McCann grand slam helps Braves avoid sweep

Jun 23, 2013 - 10:27 PM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Brian McCann hit a first-inning grand slam and Paul Maholm ended a six-game losing streak versus Milwaukee as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Brewers, 7-4, to avoid a three-game sweep at Miller Park.

Jordan Schafer went 4-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored while Dan Uggla had two hits and drove in one run. Chris Johnson also hit a solo shot for the Braves, who also avoided their third straight shutout and ninth consecutive loss at Miller Park.

"Just to get a win today was huge," McCann said. "We lost a couple of games here, but we're having a good year. It was a fastball. It was big for me because I usually don't hit the ball out that way. I just put a good swing on it and got it up in the air."

Maholm (8-6) earned just his fourth win in 23 starts against the Brewers after giving up four runs on eighth hits over five innings.

Alfredo Figaro (1-2) absorbed the loss and was charged for six runs on nine hits. He lasted just 3 1/3 frames and walked three while serving up all three homers.

"Not locating his pitches, he was up in the zone with his fastball today and he couldn't command his off speed pitches," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said of Figaro. "When he's not throwing his off speed well, they only have one pitch top look for."

Jonathan Lucroy hit a two-run homer and Logan Schafer added a two-run single for the Brewers.

Center fielder Carlos Gomez left with a sprained left shoulder after making a spectacular leaping grab in the fourth, robbing Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons of extra bases. He retreated to the wall in deep center, leaped and made the catch, but landed awkwardly on his shoulder at the base of the wall and did not return.

After identical 2-0 shutouts in the first two games of the series, the Braves suddenly changed their recent offensive woes early versus Figaro.

Jordan Schafer led off with a double and Simmons followed with a single. Freddie Freeman walked to load the bases between Jason Heyward and B.J. Upton strikeouts. He made a mistake, though, when facing McCann with the bases loaded and served up a 2-1 offering over the plate which McCann blasted to left-center for a 4-0 Atlanta lead.

"That was a big lift for us," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "They say hitting is contagious so I hope it is for a couple of our guys."

Johnson and Jordan Schafer added to the Atlanta lead with solo homers in the second and fourth inning, respectively, to push the lead to 6-0.

The Brewers received some more bad news following Schafer's shot, as Gomez's injury occurred on Simmons' deep fly to center and forced the center fielder out of the game.

"Hopefully it's not going to be too bad," said Roenicke. "It could be a couple of days, it could be a week. I really don't know. We'll know more tomorrow. You could tell right away that he was hurt bad, they way he went into the wall."

Milwaukee fought back in the fifth and plated four runs.

Jean Segura smacked a one-out double to out runners on second and third. Logan Schafer added a two-run single to put the home team on the board. Lucroy followed and cut the deficit to 6-4 with a shot to dead-center and bring the Brewers back.

Atlanta had to utilize three relief pitchers in the seventh to escape a bases loaded jam. Jordan Walden took the mound with two outs and forced the pinch- hitting Juan Francisco to pop out to McCann to end the threat.

"I thought Walden was outstanding coming in with the bases loaded against a guy who can hit the ball out of this ball park," Gonzalez said.

Dan Uggla's RBI single in the ninth off Jim Henderson added some extra insurance for the visitors, while Craig Kimbrel retired the side in order in the ninth to grab his 21st save of the season.

Game Notes

Figaro has surrendered eight home runs in five starts this season ... Atlanta is 4-24 this season in games in which they don't homer compared to 40-9 when hitting at least one ... McCann finished with three hits ... Atlanta left 11 runners on base.