Corbin holds Braves to three hits in D-backs win
ATLANTA -- Patrick Corbin's first scoreless appearance of the season showed he's gaining momentum in his return from Tommy John surgery, and his fastball led the way.
Corbin allowed only three hits and no runs while pitching into the seventh inning and David Peralta homered and drove in three runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 8-4 on Saturday night.
In the first six innings, Corbin allowed just three baserunners and got 15 outs via strikeouts or ground balls.
"This was as good as I've seen him," said Arizona manager David Hale.
Corbin (3-3) had eight strikeouts and three walks in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. It was the eighth start of his comeback.
The left-hander was effective attacking with his fastball.
"Today I felt I had my best fastball since I've been back," Corbin said, adding that he used his slider as his top secondary pitch.
"It's great to go out there when everything felt in rhythm all game," he said.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Corbin "threw a few wrinkles here and there, but he pitched off his fastball."
Peralta had two hits, including a fourth-inning homer off Mike Foltynewicz (4-4).
The Diamondbacks led 6-0 before the Braves scored four runs in the eighth. Nick Swisher's two-run homer off Daniel Hudson hit high off the right field foul pole. Paul Goldschmidt added to the lead with a two-run single off Jake Brigham in the ninth.
Corbin's only trouble came in the seventh, when the Braves loaded the bases on Adonis Garcia's single and back-to-back two-out walks by Andrelton Simmons and Ryan Lavarnway. David Hernandez struck out pinch-hitter Joey Terdoslavich to end the inning.
The Braves appeared to have good looks at Corbin in the first inning. Jace Peterson led off with a drive that center fielder A.J. Pollock caught at the wall. Cameron Maybin then singled to center field, but that was Atlanta's last hit until Lavarnway's two-out double in the fifth.
Foltynewicz couldn't survive the Diamondbacks' three-run fifth. Consecutive singles by Ender Inciarte, Pollock and Goldschmidt loaded the bases. Peralta and Aaron Hill drove in runs with sacrifice flies before Jake Lamb's run-scoring double pushed the lead to 6-0.
Peralta gave Arizona a 1-0 lead in the first when his single drove in Pollock, who doubled.
Foltynewicz allowed six runs on nine hits, leaving his ERA at 5.61.
Arizona had 11 hits. With the eight runs, the Diamondbacks are averaging 7.7 runs while hitting .354 over their last six games.
Diamondbacks: RF-3B Yasmany Tomas (strained calf) ran before the game but did not start for the third straight game. Hale said his trainers were worried about Tomas running full speed. "We can't afford to lose him," Hale said. "That's a big ol' calf muscle." He said Tomas was available off the bench and will start on Sunday.
Braves: 1B Freddie Freeman (strained right oblique) took batting practice before flying to Columbus, Ohio to join Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday. He is expected to return to the Braves on Wednesday, when he is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list.
Diamondbacks: RHP Rubby De La Rosa will try to continue his recent strong run of quality starts when the series ends on Sunday. He is 4-0 with a 2.81 ERA in his last five starts.
Braves: RHP Shelby Miller will look for his first victory since May 17. Miller, winless in his last 15 starts, is only 5-9 despite his strong 2.48 ERA.
