Charlie Morton, Braves shut down Athletics 3-1 to take series on Murphy's bloop double
ATLANTA (AP) — Sean Murphy drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop double in the seventh inning and the Atlanta Braves limited the Oakland Athletics to two hits in a 3-1 win Sunday.
Charlie Morton allowed one hit in six scoreless innings, but he ended up with a no-decision when the A's tied the game in the top of the seventh inning on a home-run by Zack Gelof.
Murphy's double down the right-field line knocked in Adam Duval for what proved to be the winning run and allowed the Braves to take the series 2-1.
Morton had his best start of the season, walking five and hitting a batter. No A’s batter reached third base during his outing.
Luis Medina was stellar for the A's in his first start of the season, lasting 5 2/3 innings and surrendering two hits and one unearned run. He had six strikeouts and two walks. Medina started the season on the injured list with a sprained right knee. He made three minor league appearances before starting Sunday.
Marcell Ozuna went 1-for-3 with a double and reached base for the 26th consecutive game.
Dylan Lee allowed a long home run to Gelof in the seventh, but Joe Jimenez and Raisel Iglesias each pitched a scoreless inning. Lee (2-1) picked up the win and Iglesias earned his 15th save of the season.
Murphy's shallow fly ball in the seventh landed just fair between right fielder Seth Brown, first baseman J.D. Davis and second baseman Gelof. Adam Duvall scored from third on the play. Murphy had been 2-for-18 entering that at-bat since returning from the injured list.
The Braves added an insurance run in the eighth when Ozzie Albies knocked in pinch runner J.P. Martinez with an RBI single.
Gelof crushed his fourth home run of the season off Lee to lead off the seventh inning. It was the first batter Lee faced after replacing Morton.
The Braves scored in the first inning courtesy of a two-out walk to Ozuna, a passed ball by catcher Kyle McCann and an RBI single Matt Olson.
The game was delayed prior to the bottom of the sixth inning as the ground crew tended to the pitching mound after a rain shower in the top of the inning. After four minutes, Medina was able to resume his warmups.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Mitch Spence (4-2, 3.52) will open a three-game series at home against RHP George Kirby (4-5, 4.08) and the AL West-leading Mariners on Tuesday,
Braves: LHP Max Fried (5-2, 2.97) faces Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (2-4, 3.29) in the opener of a two-game set at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
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