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Braves vie for sweep of Blue Jays in Beachy's return

Jun 22, 2011 - 2:35 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves turn to yet another young pitcher in 24- year-old right-hander Brandon Beachy as they go for the sweep today in the finale of a three-game interleague series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Turner Field.

Southpaw Mike Minor was the star of Tuesday's game between the teams, pitching seven brilliant innings while yielding only a run on five hits in a 5-1 Atlanta victory.

Minor (1-2) struck out eight and issued only one walk for Atlanta, which has won three straight overall.

Veteran Tim Hudson was the author of a mound gem in Monday's opener, allowing just two hits in a 2-0 Braves' win.

Brian McCann smashed a two-run homer and Jason Heyward added an RBI single for the Braves, who had lost five of six before the current streak, in Tuesday's triumph. Jonny Venters pitched a perfect ninth to close out the win.

Toronto's Zach Stewart (0-1) went 3 2/3 innings in defeat, giving up five runs on 10 hits while walking three and fanning two in his second major-league start.

Adam Lind picked up two hits, including an RBI single in the first inning for the Blue Jays' only run. Corey Patterson and Yunel Escobar added doubles for Toronto, which has lost three consecutive games and eight of 12.

Beachy, a native of Kokomo, Ind., reached the majors last season and made three starts for the Braves while allowing 16 hits and five earned runs across 15 innings.

He returned in 2011 and earned his first big-league victory in start No. 4 of the season on April 19, when he held the Los Angeles Dodgers to two hits in six scoreless innings of a 10-1 win.

Four subsequent starts resulted in no-decisions before a stint on the 15- disabled list due to a strained left oblique muscle began May 14.

Beachy made one rehab start at Triple-A Gwinnett, allowing four hits and a run in five innings. He has never faced the Blue Jays.

Toronto counters with lefty Jo-Jo Reyes, who'll make his 15th start of the season and the first of his career against his former team.

The 26-year-old Californian was a second-round draft pick of the Braves in 2003 and reached the majors with them in 2007, making 11 appearances and winning twice.

He pitched 30 times over the next three seasons before heading to Toronto as part of a five-player deal that sent Alex Gonzalez to Atlanta and fellow shortstop Yunel Escobar to the Blue Jays.

Reyes was 0-4 following a 7-3 loss to New York at Yankee Stadium on May 25, but has responded with three wins in four starts, including a 3-2 decision over Cincinnati on June 17.

He's 2-3 in eight road starts this season with a 4.05 earned run average in 40 innings.

Atlanta swept a three-game series from Toronto at Turner Field the last time these clubs met from May 22-24, 2009.