ATLANTA (AP) — Brandon Pfaadt allowed only two hits in seven innings in another strong start, Tim Tawa homered in the ninth and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Friday night.
Pfaadt (7-1) outdueled Braves ace Chris Sale, striking out seven without a walk. He threw 87 pitches. Since returning to the rotation from Triple-A Reno on June 30, Pfaadt is 7-0 with a 1.16 ERA. He has gone 32 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
Sale (12-8) gave up one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out nine and threw 108 pitches, which tied a season high.
Tawa’s solo shot in the inning was his seventh homer of the year. Geraldo Perdomo was 3 for 4 with a run and Corbin Carroll was 2 for 4 for the Diamondbacks.
Rookie left-hander Brandyn Garcia picked up his fourth save with a perfect ninth inning.
Arizona scored its only run off Sale thanks to a misplayed ball in the first inning. After a leadoff walk to Perdomo, Carroll hit a line drive to left where Mauricio Dubón started to come in, then reached up and couldn’t come up with the ball. It was ruled a double, and Perdomo came home on a groundout by Gabriel Moreno.
The Braves had not been shut out since June 27 and were 10-0 in Friday night home games this season.
Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte left in the second inning with left knee soreness.
Up next
Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (11-4, 2.70) was set to face Braves RHP Grant Holmes (7-4, 3.47 ERA) on Saturday night.
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Bill Trocchi, The Associated Press
