Kemp's Three-Run Shot Pushes Braves Over Giants

Matt Kemp spoiled Albert Suarez's first outing with the San Francisco Giants in nearly a month, launching a three-run home run, the 23rd of his career against the Giants, to propel the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 win in the enemy territory.

Brandon Crawford hit a solo shot in the bottom of the second, but the home run was San Francisco's only offense of the night as Mike Foltynewicz got the best of the Giants for the second time this year, pitching 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball while striking out six.

Despite the loss, Kemp's former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, lost 2-0 to the Chicago Cubs, meaning the Giants didn't lose any traction in the standings.

The rookie's first appearance with the Giants since July 28th didn't get off to the smoothest start, walking leadoff batter Ender Inciarte on four pitches, but Suarez righted the ship immediately, and Inciarte would be the Braves' only baserunner in his first three innings.

Crawford gave his starter all the run support he could muster himself in the second inning, flipping an opposite-field home run, his 12th of the season, just over the left-field fence to give San Francisco an early 1-0 lead. Suarez helped his cause with a one-out double in the bottom of the third, but the following two batters left him stranded on the basepaths.

Suarez ran into trouble to start the fourth inning, allowing a single and a double to Adonis Garcia and Freddie Freeman, which put runners on second and third with no outs in the innings.

Kemp didn't waste too much time cashing in his opportunity, driving a 1-0 mistake fastball right across the heart of the plate over the center field wall with room to spare, giving the Braves their eventual winning score of 3-1.

Atlanta almost tacked on more runs in the same inning, but Foltynewicz hit a line drive right at Gorkys Hernandez with runners on first and second to end the threat.

Bruce Bochy pulled Suarez with one out in the top of the fifth inning, and the combined efforts of the bullpen did an excellent job in keeping the deficit only at two.

Javier Lopez took over for Suarez immediately following his departure and induced a ground ball double play off the bat of Freddie Freeman to end the fifth inning.

George Kontos, Derek Law, Will Smith, and Sergio Romo all contributed a scoreless frame each as well after Bochy pulled Lopez after the fifth inning ended.

The Giants finally seemed to get to Foltynewicz in the bottom of the eighth when, with two outs, Denard Span doubled and Ángel Pagán drew a walk.

Braves' manager Brian Snitker summoned Mauricio Cabrera, who got his one and only batter in Joe Panik to ground out weakly, ending the threat.

Closer Jim Johnson replaced Snitker in the bottom of the ninth and shut the door on the Giants without much fanfare, getting all three of the batters he faced to ground out to finish off the game and record his 13th save of the season.

The Giants and the Braves face off one more time tomorrow in an afternoon matinee at AT&T Park starting at 1:05. Madison Bumgarner and Aaron Blair are the expected pitchers for San Francisco and Atlanta, respectively.

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