By Guy Curtright, The Sports Xchange
ATLANTA — It took until September, but the Atlanta Braves finally have a series sweep at home this season.
Mike Foltynewicz won his fourth straight decision and Freddie Freeman homered in a three-RBI game as the Braves defeated the San Diego Padres 9-6 on Thursday.
The Braves outscored San Diego 24-10 in the three-game series while sweeping the Padres for the first time since 2008.
Foltynewicz (8-5) allowed four hits over six innings, the only damage coming on a two-run homer by Wil Myers and a bases-empty drive by Hector Sanchez. The right-hander struck out three and walked none.
Jarred Cosart, who had posted a 2.88 in his previous five starts for the Padres, was chased in a five-run fifth. The right-hander was charged with seven runs while giving up five hits, walking three and hitting a batter in 4 1/3 innings.
San Diego’s three starters made it through just 10 innings total in the series, allowing 14 runs.
Adonis Garcia reached base four times for the Braves on two hits, a walk and a hit batter. Ender Inciarte, on a 12-game hitting streak, and Matt Kemp also had two hits.
Cosart (0-2) hit Garcia with two outs in the third inning before Freeman pulled a 2-0 changeup over the right field fence for his 28th home run. Freeman’s previous high in homers was 23, done in 2012 and 2013.
The Braves knocked Cosart out of the game in the fifth, Foltynewicz starting the five-run uprising with an infield single. Freeman drew a bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch before Kemp’s two-run single finished Cosart’s day. Anthony Recker’s single off Brad Hand delivered the final two runs of the inning.
Foltynewicz retired the first nine batters, needing just 29 pitches, before allowing a single to Travis Jankowski. He then retired the next five before Sanchez connected with a 3-2 fastball on a 10-pitch at-bat in the fifth inning and hit a drive that struck the fence in right-center field before bouncing over for a homer.
Folytnewicz showed the effects of the long Braves’ fifth inning and his time on the bases. Adam Rosales tripled to start the sixth and Myers homered an out later, lofting a 1-2 slider down the left field line for his 24th homer.
The Braves tacked on runs in the sixth and eighth innings. Garcia had an RBI single in the sixth and Inciarte scored Brandon Snyder, who had doubled as a pinch hitter, with a single in the eighth.
The Padres scored three runs in the ninth off Chaz Roe before Jim Johnson had to come in to get the last out, recording his 14th save in 17 opportunities.
NOTES: The Braves activated C A.J. Pierzynski (hamstring) and RHP Chris Withrow (elbow) from the disabled list and promoted LHP Jed Bradley from Triple-A Gwinnett. To create a 40-man roster spot for Bradley, LHP Eric O’Flaherty (elbow) was moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. … The Padres’ only move on the first day active rosters could expand was to recall LHP Ryan Buchter from Triple-A El Paso. INF/OF Alexi Amarista (hamstring) is scheduled to be activated off the DL on Friday. … The Padres conclude their nine-game road trip with a weekend series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, with Clayton Richard (1-3, 3.51 ERA) getting the Friday start. … The Braves open a six-game trip on Friday at Philadelphia. RHP Joel De La Cruz (0-7, 4.66 ERA) will start. … Rookie RHP Aaron Blair (0-6, 8.23 ERA) has been dropped from the Braves’ rotation and will spend time working on his pitching mechanics.