Club Bereich » andez has rediscovered his form. He has struck out

MIAMI -- Julio Teherans low ERA rose a smidgen, which was OK because his modest batting average rose a lot. Teheran pitched 7 1-3 innings and had two hits Friday night to help the Atlanta Braves move a game ahead of Miami atop the NL East by beating the Marlins 3-2. The right-hander doubled to lead off the seventh, and the Braves went on to score twice in the inning to take the lead. "I felt I had to start a rally, and just tried to put the ball in play," Teheran said. "I think that was the biggest play of the game." The Braves trailed 2-0 in the sixth inning but rallied to break a four-game losing streak. "I know weve been losing," Teheran (5-3) said. "Its nice to do my job and help the team." Teheran allowed five hits and two runs, which raised his ERA to 1.83. He came into the game 2 for 25 this season and hiked his batting average to .143. The right-hander improved to 4-0 in six career starts against the Marlins with an ERA of 2.50. "Hes a stud," teammate Chris Johnson said. "He earned this one. He had our backs, and we got him just enough." Three relievers combined to complete a five-hitter. Craig Kimbrel, who took the loss Thursday at Boston, pitched a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances. The Braves won for only the third time in their past 13 road games. They totalled just eight hits but had several lineouts. "We hit the ball harder than any other game this year," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We were hitting rockets right at people all night long. The score wasnt indicative of how well we swung the bat." Giancarlo Stanton hit his NL-leading 16th home run in the first inning to put the Marlins up 2-0, but Tom Koehler (4-5) couldnt hold the lead. He gave up three runs in seven innings and was annoyed to allow four walks. "Its tough to win ballgames when youre giving a team extra opportunities," he said. The Marlins lost for only the second time in their past 13 games against NL East teams. Freddie Freeman went hitless and struck out three times. He is 0 for 28 with 12 strikeouts against Miami this year and is batting .347 against the rest of the majors. With the Braves trailing 2-1 to start the seventh, Gonzalez said it was a no-brainer to let Teheran hit, in part because the teams bullpen was stretched thin. Teheran rewarded the decision with an opposite-field double. Jason Heyward followed with a run-scoring triple, and B.J. Uptons sacrifice fly drove in an unearned run to put the Braves ahead. Johnson singled home Atlantas first run in the sixth. While the Braves liked the way Teheran hit, they were more impressed with the 23-year-olds pitching. "The more he goes out there, the more impressed I get -- his demeanour and how he goes about his business," Gonzalez said. "You watch him grow up in front of your face." Teherans only glaring mistake was a hanging slider to Stanton, whose homer was a typical tape-measure job. It cleared the hedge beyond the 418-foot sign in centre field, ending a streak of 15 consecutive scoreless innings for Teheran. He started a new streak the next inning. "He was throwing four or five different pitches and commanding them all," Miamis Ed Lucas said. "He does a really good job changing speeds, especially for somebody who is as young as he is. Hes got a really good feel for pitching." The Marlins, who began the night with the best home record in baseball, fell to 20-9 at Marlins Park. NOTES: Miami C Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 0 for 3 and is in a 1-for-18 slump. ... RHP Ervin Santana (4-2, 4.06) is scheduled to start Saturday for the Braves against Miami RHP Jacob Turner (1-2, 5.35). Jonathan Holder Jersey . Various media outlets, including the Detroit Free Press, indicate a deal is close, while USA Today cited an unidentified person directly involved with the negotiations as saying the pact is for two years. Zack Britton Jersey . According to a report from the Hamilton Spectator, Infrastructure Ontario has informed the City of Hamilton and the Tiger-Cats the stadium may not be ready by the June 30 deadline. http://www.cheapyankeesjerseyschina.com/paul-oneill-jersey/. Pekovic had an MRI test Tuesday on his right ankle that revealed bursitis, which is inflammation of the fluid-filled pad that cushions the joint. Brett Gardner Jersey . Vinci also beat Dulgheru last week in Bucharest en route to her first WTA final in a year. Vinci next faces sixth-seeded Kurumi Nara of Japan, who beat Czech qualifier Katerina Siniakova 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-2. No. Stephen Tarpley Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training.SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez wore an extra ice pack. Theyre usually only wrapped around his shoulder, not his calf as well. Despite getting a little physically beat up, Hernandez had no problem shutting down Houston. Seattles ace struck out nine over eight strong innings for his third straight victory, Willie Bloomquist provided a jolt of offence with his first home run since 2011 and the Mariners beat the Astros 6-1 on Friday night. "A little bruise. Im fine," Hernandez said. "He got me, he got me pretty good." An extra bruise on Hernandezs left calf was the only downside to Seattles fourth win in five games that has the Mariners back above the .500 mark. Hernandez (6-1) allowed only five hits and continued a strong last two weeks on the mound. After going more than a month between victories, Hernandez has rediscovered his form. He has struck out 21 and walked just two over his last three starts. Four of his nine strikeouts against the Astros were looking, a sign that he had command off his fastball. "Everything was working," Hernandez said. "I was throwing a lot of strikes. The game plan was just to throw strikes and use a lot of fastballs." Bloomquist drove in three runs, but the highlight was his two-run homer just inside the left-field foul pole in the sixth. It was his first long ball since Aug. 10, 2011, when Bloomquist was playing for Arizona, a span of 626 at-bats. Bloomquists homer came on the first pitch after Mike Zunino had doubled off the top of the wall, missing a homer by inches. Bloomquist rounded the bases with a wry smile on his face and appeared to be catching plenty of grief in the dugout for the long lapse between homers. His last homer also came against Houston -- when the Astros were still a National League team -- and led off the bottom of the first inning. "Dont even go there," Bloomquist laughed when asked about his last homer. "I dont want to remember, lets put it that way. Had a lot of ground-rule doubles in the meantime. I know its been a while. Thats not my swiing, but Ill take them when they come if they ever come.dddddddddddd" Kyle Seager also drove in three runs with a two-run single in the first and a broken-bat blooper in the seventh. Robinson Cano also had two hits, raising his batting average to .326. The only batter to cause Hernandez fits was Jose Altuve, who improved to 8-for-16 all-time against Seattles ace. Altuve had an RBI single in the third, doubled in the fifth and lined a single off Hernandezs calf in the eighth. Hernandez stayed in and started an inning-ending double play from Dexter Fowler for his final batter. It was the second straight start Hernandez pitched eight innings. "Felix was pretty darn good tonight in a lot of different ways," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Certainly with his pitch count he was very efficient and he fielded the ball with his glove and his leg." Houstons Rudy Owens made his major league debut after getting called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on short notice. The Astros decided to skip Brad Peacocks scheduled start after he experienced soreness in his forearm. Owens struggled through the first inning then settled down. He kept Houston within 3-1 heading into the sixth despite allowing a baserunner in every inning. The game got away from Owens (0-1) in just a couple of pitches. After giving up the double to Zunino, Owens watched Bloomquist hit the first pitch out. Owens was optioned back to Oklahoma City after the game. "We just couldnt muster anything offensively against Felix and that pretty much was the difference in the ballgame," Houston manager Bo Porter said. NOTES: Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker (shoulder) threw a three-inning simulated game Friday and said he feels ready to go out on a rehab assignment. Walker has not pitched in a game this season. ... Houston OF George Springer was held out of the lineup for second straight day