News » C Roberto Perez was removed from the game in the fifth

ATLANTA — Julio Teheran has made five consecutive starts on Opening Day for the Atlanta Braves and has two All-Star Games on his resume Carlos Baerga Jersey , but where the right-hander might fall in a postseason rotation remains in doubt.At least Teheran is a solid starting candidate now after appearing to be on the outside looking in during the first four months of what was shaping up as a very disappointing season.The victim of too many walks and home runs much of the season, the 27-year-old from Colombia is on the upswing as he faces the Washington Nationals on Saturday in the middle game of a weekend series at SunTrust Park.Article continues below ...Teheran (9-7, 3.95 ERA) has quality starts in five of his past six outings and has posted a 2.33 ERA with a 34-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio and just two homers allowed in that span.The Braves (83-64) kept their lead over the Philadelphia Phillies at 7 1/2 games while reducing their magic number to nine with a 10-5 victory over the Nationals on Friday night.The victory was the sixth straight for the Braves and left the Nationals (74-74) facing near elimination at 9 1/2 games back. Atlanta’s magic number against Washington is down to six.Two-time defending National League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer couldn’t hold down the Braves in the series opener and now the Nationals turn to right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (5-3, 3.57 ERA), who just came off the disabled list. Teheran hasn’t shown the velocity he once had, but his command and off-speed pitches have been much better of late. “My last four starts I’ve been feeling really good,” Teheran said. “I’ve been feeling that I have all of my pitches, and I think that’s been the difference.”Teheran was at his worst in a home start against the Nationals in early April, giving up three homers and five runs in 2 1/3 shaky innings that included six hits and three walks.Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper took him deep in that game, as did former Nationals pitcher A.J. Cole, although Teheran escaped with a no-decision. Homers made for a rough debut season at SunTrust Park for Teheran last season. This season Yonder Alonso Jersey , walks at home and away have been the bigger issue.Opponents are batting just .198 against Teheran, but he has surrendered 73 walks in 159 1/3 innings.“I know every time that I walk (a batter), they score a run,” he said. “I try to put that to the side and try to make pitches.”Despite his rough outing against the Nationals, Teheran is 4-2 with a 3.81 ERA and 11 homers allowed in 15 home starts compared to 5-5 with a 4.13 ERA and 13 homers in 13 road starts.Teheran took a loss at Washington in mid-April but worked six solid innings. He is 6-5 with a 4.12 ERA in 20 career starts against the Nationals.Harper has feasted on Teheran, batting .450 (18-for-40) with eight home runs.Hellickson, sidelined by a right wrist sprain, made his last appearance for Washington on Aug. 15 and has been limited to 18 starts this season because of two stints on the disabled list.Neither injury was caused making a pitch. He had to leave a start against the Braves on June 3 after two batters when he strained his right hamstring covering first base, then suffered the sprained wrist when he tumbled covering home plate.Hellickson is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in six career starts against the Braves. CLEVELAND (AP) — The Boston Red Sox are trying to make history. The Cleveland Indians keep getting in the way.And after a highly competitive three-game series, the teams could see each other again next month with even more at stake.Greg Allen singled with one out and the bases loaded in the 11th inning and Cleveland defeated the Red Sox 4-3 on Sunday night to deny Boston’s bid for a club-record 106th victory for the second straight game.Allen singled through the left side on a 3-2 pitch from Robby Scott to give Cleveland an 11th inning win for the second night in a row.“If that game was in a couple of weeks, that’d be one for the ages http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-jose-ramirez-jersey ,” manager Terry Francona said. “It’s going to be a late night, but it was a fun game.”William Cuevas (0-2) walked leadoff man Jose Ramirez, who moved to second on Rajai Davis‘ sacrifice. Shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin, who replaced the injured Xander Bogaerts in the seventh, booted Erik Gonzalez’s ground ball, sending Ramirez to third.Yandy Diaz, batting for Yonder Alonso, was intentionally walked to load the bases and set the stage for Allen’s winning hit. Michael Brantley’s bases-loaded single gave the AL Central winners a 5-4 victory in the 11th on Saturday night.Allen raced toward the outfield after he rounded first to avoid getting pounded by his teammates, a strategy that was unsuccessful.“I don’t think there’s any getting away from that,” he said. “In a time like that, when it’s celebratory Bradley Zimmer Jersey , I really don’t want to get away from it. It was definitely fun.”Josh Tomlin (2-5) pitched two scoreless innings for the Indians, who won the after a 7-5 loss Friday.Mookie Betts homered and had four hits in his return to the lineup, but the Red Sox will also have to wait at least one more day before wrapping the home-field advantage throughout the postseason.Betts, who didn’t play Friday and Saturday, hit his 31st homer in the fifth to tie the game after Cleveland scored three times in the fourth. He had four hits, a three-run homer and five RBIs on Thursday against the New York Yankees when Boston clinched the AL East.Betts, who leads the majors with a .343 batting average, started the game with a double off the wall in left. He singled in the third and doubled again in the seventh.Betts played right field for the first time in a week. He’s been dealing with soreness in his left side and was the DH twice last week.“Hitting was never really the issue, it was just throwing,” Betts said. “Fortunately, I didn’t have to many any long throws http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-brandon-guyer-jersey , so today was a really good day.”Edwin Encarnacion got his 100th RBI of the season with a fourth-inning single, reaching the century mark for the fourth straight year.Melky Cabrera’s two-run double off Steven Wright put Cleveland ahead 3-2.Bogaerts was removed during his at-bat in the seventh inning because of a sore left shoulder. He fouled off a pitch and was visited by manager Alex Cora and a team trainer. Bogaerts walked to the dugout after a lengthy conversation and is listed as day to day.“I felt a pinch after I took an awkward swing, the last two swings actually,” he said. “It’s nothing now. I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.”Right-hander Hector Velazquez started for Boston and gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innings.Cleveland starter Adam Plutko allowed three runs in six innings.SLUMPINGRamirez went 0 for 3 and is batting .174 (12 for 69) with one home run this month.NEARING THE ENDBoston also fell one win short of a club record for road victories with 51. The Red Sox finish with six games at Fenway Park beginning Monday against Baltimore. Boston hosts the Yankees for the final three games and will be at home to begin the Division Series.“We need to get home,” Cora said. “We’re going to be home for two weeks now, so it’s going to be fun.”Cleveland plays its final seven games on the road. The Indians begin a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday and play the last four in Kansas City.MOUND RETURNFrancona said Cody Allen will pitch Monday in Chicago. Allen hasn’t been in a game since Cleveland clinched the division Sept. 15 to rest in preparation for the postseason. He threw a bullpen session Saturday.TRAINER’S ROOMIndians: C Roberto Perez was removed from the game in the fifth with a bruised right shoulder.UP NEXTRed Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-7, 3.98 ERA) takes on Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy (8-15, 5.37 ERA) in the three-game series opener in Boston.Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (19-7, 2.93 ERA) goes for his career-high 20th win of the season. RHP Dylan Covey (5-13, 5.33 ERA) starts for the White Sox.