Braves ride big inning to win over Blue Jays

Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman (5) scores on a Nick Markakis two-run base hit as the ball gets away from Toronto Blue Jays catcher Luke Maile (22) in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 17, 2017, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA -- Kurt Suzuki hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run first inning, and the Atlanta Braves held on after Freddie Freeman left with an injury in an 8-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

Freeman was struck on the left wrist by a pitch in the fifth inning. The umpires initially ruled that Aaron Loup's pitch did not hit Freeman. But with the Atlanta star in obvious pain, the Braves challenged and the call was reversed after a video review.

Freeman headed to the clubhouse instead of first base, with no immediate word on the seriousness of the injury.

Atlanta has won three consecutive games against the Jays. After the Braves took two straight in Toronto, the teams shifted to SunTrust Park to complete the four-game, home-and-home series.

The result was the same.

The Braves, who scored 19 runs in their two wins at Toronto, jumped all over Joe Biagini (1-2) their first time up. Ender Inciarte led off with a single, and Brandon Phillips reached on Biagini's errant throw to second trying to get the lead runner.

Biagini created more trouble for himself by walking Freeman and Matt Kemp, the latter forcing in Atlanta's first run. Nick Markakis' single to left brought home two more runs.

Suzuki followed with a drive into the left-field seats for his second homer of the season, putting the Braves ahead 6-0 before Biagini finally recorded an out.

Mike Foltynewicz (2-4) went six innings for the win, allowing three runs.

Things got heated in the late innings. Kevin Pillar struck out swinging to end the seventh and apparently thought Atlanta's Jason Motte quick-pitched him, yelling toward the mound before Suzuki stepped in to calm things.

Then, in the eighth, the benches cleared after Toronto's Jose Bautista homered to left, standing briefly at home plate to admire the drive before flipping the bat away. Jace Peterson appeared to say something to Bautista as he rounded first, and Suzuki was waiting for Bautista when he touched home.

No punches were thrown.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Blue Jays: SS Troy Tulowitzki (right hamstring) will not come off the DL on Thursday, as Toronto had hoped. "He may need a couple of more days," manager John Gibbons said. ... Also, 3B Josh Donaldson will need a bit longer to recover from a calf injury that's kept him out more than a month. "I might have jumped the gun saying he'd be back for the weekend," Gibbons conceded.

Braves: 3B Adonis Garcia was placed on the 10-day disabled list with tendinitis in his left Achilles tendon. IF Johan Camargo was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to take his place on the roster, while Peterson took over Garcia's starting spot. Camargo wound up in the game, replacing the injured Freeman and remaining in the game at third base, while Peterson shifted over to first.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RH Marcus Stroman (3-2, 3.38 ERA) will go for his third straight win. He has lasted at least six innings in six of his eight starts, including two complete games.

Braves: RH Julio Teheran (3-3, 4.08) makes his ninth start of the season. He's coming off a strong performance against the Miami Marlins, allowing just three hits over six scoreless innings.