Braves 8 - 7 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Braves outlast Blue Jays in slugfest

Apr 18, 2015 - 5:11 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Jonny Gomes and Freddie Freeman hit eighth- inning home runs to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 8-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Atlanta collected 12 hits, including four from Nick Markakis, who reached base five times and scored three runs. Andrelton Simmons drove in two runs on a double and scored twice himself.

"Those guys are going to swing the bats, and we were just trying to match them," said Markakis.

Julio Teheran was bounced after allowing a career-high four home runs in five innings. He finished with five runs allowed on seven hits and two walks. Cody Martin (1-0) picked up his first big league win with a scoreless inning of relief.

Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson each hit their first two home runs of the season for the Blue Jays, and Devon Travis also went deep to lead off the game.

Drew Hutchison was charged with five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts. Brett Cecil (0-1) allowed both Atlanta home runs after entering the game in a 5-5 tie.

"We have to go out and execute pitches," Hutchison said. "Obviously we need to do a better job than what we're doing right now."

Atlanta took its first lead with two outs in the fifth. Simmons lined a pitch over Jose Bautista's head in right field to score Markakis and Chris Johnson. Simmons moved up to third on the throw home and scored on Jace Peterson's triple.

That 5-4 lead was short-lived. Travis grounded out to open the fifth before Donaldson launched his second home run of the game to center field.

Until the eighth, each team's bullpen managed to settle the game down. Toronto called on Cecil, but Atlanta countered with Gomes pinch-hitting for Cameron Maybin. He hit his second home run of the season to put Atlanta back in front.

Cecil got the next two batters, but Markakis' single kept the inning alive. Freeman followed by launching a home run to right field to extend the lead to 8-5.

Atlanta summoned Jim Johnson in the eighth, but he was greeted rudely by Martin, who hit his second home run to the opposite field. The next two Blue Jays singled, and Ryan Goins moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Atlanta conceded a run to get an out, and Donaldson then grounded out to end the inning and strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base.

Jason Grilli came on in the ninth to record his fifth save and did so with an uneventful 1-2-3 inning.

Travis' leadoff home run on the third pitch of the game put the Blue Jays up 1-0 and continued his scorching start in his rookie season.

The Braves responded a half inning later with an unearned run. Goins, filling in for the injured Jose Reyes at shortstop, made a two-out error to set up Eric Young Jr.'s single to score Simmons.

After Dioner Navarro struck out to open the bottom of the second, Teheran allowed another home run, this time to Martin.

Again, Hutchison failed to produce a shutdown frame. Markakis was already on base with a single, and he moved up to second on Johnson's hit. A.J. Pierzynski then singled through the infield, and Bautista's throw home was not in time.

The Blue Jays answered quickly with a two-run home run to the opposite field off the bat of Donaldson.

Game Notes

Toronto is 0-4 in one-run games this season ... The Blue Jays had not been under .500 since May 14, 2014 ... Martin's first home run ended an 0-for-22 dry spell ... Reyes is expected to miss this series with a broken rib ... Johnson made his first career start at DH for Atlanta.






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