Braves' 10th consecutive home win series up against Nationals

Tuesday night's 7-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays gave the Braves their winning streak at home when they won a modern-era franchise record 12 in a row at Turner Field.

The Braves' lead in the National League East remained 6-1 / 2 games over second-place Washington because, shortly after Atlanta's latest win, the Nationals scored seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the New York Mets 11-10 .

While the upcoming series against the Nationals has long loomed, the Braves first took care of the business of running a two-game series against the Blue Jays.

"It's easy to look ahead, but I think the guys did a great job of staying in the moment and going out and winning today's game," manager Brian Snitker said.

The Braves last lost at SunTrust Park on Aug. 16 in the opener of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since then, they have won every game they have played at home: two over the Dodgers, three over the Miami Marlins, three over the Chicago White Sox and two over the Blue Jays.

"There's a lot of energy. It's fun playing here, "Snitker said. "The Braves Nation comes out in droves. They're loud and everything, and you can tell they're watching the game. It's pretty special right now. "

<! –

->

Next come the Nationals, who arrives for a four-game series beginning Thursday night.

The Braves have played well almost everywhere, as you might have noticed. Despite the 10-game home winning streak, their record at SunTrust Park (44-27) is almost the same as their record on the road (42-27). They have won six in a row overall: the final of their most recent homestand. They have won 17 of their past 21 games overall, including 14 of their past 16, to their best at 32 games over .500 at 86-54.

The Braves led 2-0 Tuesday night when Snitker removed starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz from the game for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth. Foltynewicz had just gotten started with two hits and throwing 76 pitches through five innings of work.

"I was going down after, and looked at him, he was going to explode," Snitker said. "He was red and said he had passed a couple of times. He was throwing good. I do not know. So I just did not want to take any chances. He did not look good, I know that.

"He looks fine now," Snitker added. "I brought him in here (to the game) to see how he was doing."

Foltynewicz, who seemed fine when he met with the media afterward, said it was an uncomfortable game for him from the start.

"Even when I started (warming up) in the pen, coming in, like the first three innings, it was a very uncomfortable feeling for me out there," Foltynewicz said. "My face and my body felt really warm. … A few times, I noticed the eyes were heavy, a little dizzy. … I wish I could have gone a long way, but it was not up to it, I think.

"It happens sometimes with the heat down here," he said. "But I beat it, get it through and make it better."

The Braves staked Foltynewicz (5-5) to a quick 2-0 lead when their first four batters of the game collected hits. The recently slumping Ronald Acuna tripled and scored by Ozzie Albies, who moved to third on a double by Freddie Freeman and scored on a single by Josh Donaldson.

After Foltynewicz was lifted for a start at the bottom of the fifth, the Braves doubled their lead to 4-0 on Donaldson's two-run double that followed a pair of walks.

Division standings

Bryse Wilson, triple-A Gwinnett earlier in the day, worked on scoreless sixth inning.

Toronto's fourth and fifth (of six) pitchers walked the first three brave batters in the eighth, all of which scored on Tyler Flowers' double to provide the final 7-2 margin.

"I feel confident up there (at the plate). That's usually the majority of the battle, "Flowers said. "Getting a few more at-bats, I think, has allowed me to get a little better timing. It's all kind of rolls together, typically. "

The Braves are off Wednesday before the Nationals come to town.

Support real journalism. Local support journalism. Subscribe to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today.
See offers.

Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.