Charlie Morton, Braves shut down Athletics 3-1 to take series on Murphy’s bloop double
By BILL TROCCHI
Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — Sean Murphy drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop double in the seventh inning and the Atlanta Braves limited the Oakland Athletics to two hits in a 3-1 win Sunday.
Charlie Morton allowed one hit in six scoreless innings but ended up with a no-decision when the A’s tied the game in the seventh on a home run by Zack Gelof.
Murphy’s double down the right-field line knocked in Adam Duvall for a 2-1 lead. Ozzie Albies added an RBI single in the eighth, and Atlanta took two of three in the weekend series to finish a 3-4 homestand.
“I look at it individually and see some positives offensively with guys, which is what we’ve been trying to do,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We’ve been playing good baseball. We just haven’t hit, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel for a bunch of guys.”
Morton walked five and struck out six. He also hit a batter with a pitch, but never allowed an A’s runner to reach third base.
“I had really good command of the zone, for the most part,” Morton said. “If you are not giving up a ton of hard-hit balls, you can afford to try to make pitches. That’s basically what we did today.”
Luis Medina was stellar for the A’s in his first start of the season, lasting 5 2/3 innings and permitting just two hits and an unearned run. He had six strikeouts and two walks. Medina began the season on the injured list with a sprained right knee. He made three minor league appearances before starting Sunday.
“It was a great outing for Medina,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Really going out for the first time, and to be able to command his pitches, he looked great out there. He looked comfortable. We thought he would go four innings or so, but for him to get into the sixth and execute the game plan, it was really nice to see.”
Dylan Lee allowed a long home run to Gelof in the seventh, but Joe Jiménez and Raisel Iglesias each pitched a scoreless inning. Lee (2-1) picked up the win and Iglesias earned his 15th save.
Murphy’s shallow fly in the seventh landed just fair between right fielder Seth Brown, first baseman J.D. Davis and second baseman Gelof. Duvall scored from third on the play. Murphy had been 2 for 18 since returning from the injured list.
Atlanta added an insurance run in the eighth on Albies’ single. The Braves went 13-14 in May and have split their first two games of June.
“We don’t feel like everything is clicking,” Morton said. “I’ve been on teams where I’ve sensed we were in trouble. I don’t feel like that’s a room that’s going to allow that to happen. The quality of people in there is just too good.”
Marcell Ozuna went 1 for 3 with a double for Atlanta and reached base for the 26th consecutive game.
Gelof crushed his fourth home run of the season off Lee leading off the seventh. It was the first batter Lee faced after replacing Morton.
The Braves scored in the first inning courtesy of a two-out walk to Ozuna, a passed ball by catcher Kyle McCann and an RBI single by Matt Olson.
The game was delayed before the bottom of the sixth as the grounds crew tended to the pitching mound after rain fell in the top of the inning. After four minutes, Medina was able to resume his warmups.
ROSTER MOVES
Athletics: To make room for Medina, the A’s designated RHP Aaron Brooks for assignment. Brooks started Saturday’s 11-9 win over the Braves and was 0-2 with a 5.82 ERA in four starts this season.
Braves: Optioned C Chadwick Tromp to Triple-A Gwinnett after the game.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Mitch Spence (4-2, 3.52 ERA) will open a three-game series at home against RHP George Kirby (4-5, 4.08) and the AL West-leading Mariners on Tuesday,
Braves: LHP Max Fried (5-2, 2.97) faces Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (2-4, 3.29) in the opener of a two-game set at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
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