A.J. Pierzynski’s recent tear at the plate continued Tuesday night as the Braves catcher collected three hits in support of rookie starter Manny Banuelos on the way to a 4-3 win over the Brewers at Miller Park. The victory was Atlanta’s sixth in its past seven games as the club improved to 42-42.

Pierzynski crushed a solo home run in the second inning and followed it with a run-scoring single in the fourth off Brewers starter Tyler Cravy. Cravy, making his second career start, retired nine of the first 10 Atlanta batters, but surrendered seven hits over the next three innings, including an RBI triple by Cameron Maybin and Nick Markakis’ RBI single in the seventh off reliever Will Smith.
“Second time [through the order], they were pretty comfortable,” Cravy said. “I don’t think I threw inside enough. They did a real good job staying on balls low and out of the zone and putting good swings on those.”
Banuelos, also making his second career start, recovered from a 29-pitch first and a Jonathan Lucroy solo home run to allow just three hits over his final 4 1/3 innings. The effort proved effective enough to provide the southpaw his first Major League win.
“We talked about needing to get more than one or two pitches over the plate, so we started throwing some more curveballs and some sliders,” Pierzynski said. “[Banuelos] threw them for strikes and they had to change their game plan because they were going up there looking for first-pitch heaters and swinging.”
Pierzynski began his third straight three-hit game with the second-inning home run that accounted for the only baserunner Atlanta produced until Kelly Johnson drew a two-out walk in the fourth. That helped put Johnson in position to score on the first of two singles notched by Pierzynski, who has 10 hits in his past 13 at-bats.
Lucroy’s solo home run off Banuelos got the Brewers on the board in the opening frame for the eighth time in their past nine games. The homer was only Lucroy’s second since coming off the disabled list May 31. However, the Brewers catcher entered Tuesday batting .289 (37-for-128) with 15 RBIs during that span.
“It felt good to hit one like that, go [opposite field] on a changeup,” Lucroy said. “Just trying to get comfortable and hit the ball hard, and wherever it goes, it’s going to go. I hit the ball hard my third at-bat, but right at the guy. That’s the way it’s been going, man. Just keep hitting the ball hard and hopefully they fall more than they’re caught.”
After adjusting to the aggressive approach the Brewers took during the first inning, Banuelos righted himself with a five-pitch second. His third-inning pickoff of Jean Segura proved significant when Ryan Braun notched a two-out double. The Braves’ southpaw has allowed just one run over 11 innings in his first two starts.
“I’m excited to get my first [win],” Banuelos said. “That was pretty fun.”
Pinch-hitting Peterson: Shane Peterson picked up his second run-scoring hit in as many nights off the bench with an RBI double in the seventh inning off Mike Foltynewicz. The hit scored Khris Davis, who returned from the disabled list Tuesday after tearing his right meniscus on May 30. Peterson was chosen to pinch-hit over hot-hitting Gerardo Parra, whom Davis started over in left field.
While appearing in a third consecutive game, Jason Grilli notched three strikeouts in a perfect ninth for the second time in three days. Atlanta’s closer has struck out nine of the 15 batters he has faced in July.
David Carpenter struck out Braun to strand runners at the corners in the seventh. Carpenter became the 49th different player and 23rd different reliever used by the Braves this season. The club’s franchise record is 50 players, set in 2007.
Banuelos earned his first career win with the assistance of his long-time friend Arodys Vizcaino. The two were roommates when they began their professional careers together with the 2008 Gulf Coast Yankees.
Vizcaino erased the two runners he inherited from Banuelos by inducing Aramis Ramirez’s double play to end the sixth. The hard-throwing reliever was making his first appearance since drawing a 80-game PED suspension at the end of Spring Training.
Seeking a sweep, Atlanta will send Julio Teheran to the mound for Wednesday’s 1:10 p.m. CT series finale against Milwaukee. Teheran has posted a National League-worst 7.40 road ERA, but he surrendered just two hits and one run in seven innings against the Brewers earlier this season in Atlanta.

Nathan Long provided another strong outing, pitching wonderfully and helping Nashville salvage a series split with a 4-2 win against Round Rock at Dell Diamond on Tuesday night.

Coming off a two-hit performance against Colorado Springs on July 1, Long was making just his third Triple-A start this season and continued building a strong impression. The right-hander retired the first 14 batters he faced before surrendering one of his two walks of the game to Ed Lucas. He pitched into the seventh frame yet again, but left after 6 1/3 innings, limiting the potent Express offense to a mere three hits. When the book was closed on the 29-year-old, he was charged with two runs and struck out eight.

The Sounds helped their hurler out with a pair of runs in the fourth. Craig Gentry kicked off the frame with a single and scored when Ryan Roberts mashed his first home run since May 24. It was only the infielder’s second long ball of the season but it gave the visiting team a 2-0 advantage.

Roberts also scored during the two-run eighth inning. After Joey Wendle extended his hitting streak to six games, Roberts singled and Wendle scored on the play courtesy of a throwing error by centerfielder Jared Hoying. Jason Pridie followed Roberts with a run-scoring single, his 49th RBI of the season, to give the Sounds the two-run cushion.

Round Rock had been mounting a late-inning comeback it seemed, with runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Thomas Field hit his tenth home run of the season, a solo shot in the seventh, but Nashville put the contest out of reach with the productive eighth.

The Sounds outhit the Express in the series finale, 12-5. Pridie collected a game-high three hits, while Roberts and Carson Blair both had two. Eight of the nine starters recorded a hit for Nashville.

Jim Fuller earned his second win this season with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Arnold Leon pitched the ninth inning for just the second time this year, earning his first save since 2012.

Nashville continues its nine-game road trip on Wednesday as they visit the Memphis Redbirds at AutoZone Park. Lefties Barry Zito (5-7, 3.67) and Jimmy Reed (0-1, 6.23) will start the five-game series on Wednesday night.

New Franklin County softball coaches Shawn DiGianfelice of Pelham(left) and Judith St. Clair of Manchester(right)

Coffee County Central High School softball alumnus and former assistant softball coach Judith St. Clair has accepted the head softball coaching position at Franklin County High School effective immediately. St. Clair was introduced to the Franklin County team and parents on Monday night in Winchester. St Clair, who was a member of the 1999 and 2000 Lady Raider teams that advanced to the state tournament, has been an assistant softball coach under Terry Floyd at CHS for the last 2 seasons. She has yet to finalize her coaching staff, but she will be joined by former Grundy County and Shelbyville Central coach Shawn DeGianfelice.
After graduating CHS in 2000, St.Clair enrolled at East Tennessee State University where she earned a scholarship to play softball for her freshman season. After her freshman year, St. Clair transferred to Tusculum College in Greenville, TN where she played 3 seasons and earned All Conference honors. St.Clair attended law school and was admitted to the bar in Florida. After returning to Tennessee, St.Clair was admitted to the Tennessee Bar Association by the Tennessee Supreme Court. St.Clair will will teach Criminal Justice at Franklin County High School.
When contacted by Thunder Radio, St.Clair wished to thank her 2 biggest coaching influences, Jeff Breeden and Terry Floyd. “I feel very appreciative for their support and encouragement through this process” said St.Clair. “I feel a responsibility to pass on the coaching lessons and life lessons that each of those men have taught me.” St.Clair went on to say that she wants to build teamwork with her new team and “teamwork starts today.” St.Clair has scheduled tryouts over the next two weeks as she tries to get a feel for her young team.

The CHS golf team will hold tryouts for the 2015-16 Golf team on Monday, July 13th beginning at 9 AM at Willowbrook Golf Course. Student athletes will to bring with them their own golf equipment plus the completed & signed physical/consent forms are REQUIRED. You can download the forms at: http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/TN/CoffeeCountySchools/CoffeeCountyCentralHighSchool/Uploads/Forms/tssaa_med_form.pdf
For more information, contact Head Coach Mike Ray at: 931-247-4156 OR 931-723-5159