The Sports Xchange
Jun 19, 2017
ATLANTA -- R.A. Dickey couldn't command his knuckleball in the wind at San Francisco last month, but the Atlanta pitcher had no such problem this time against the Giants and his teammates gave him plenty of offensive support.
Dickey allowed just three hits over seven innings, and Matt Adams continued his hot hitting with another homer as the Braves rolled to a 9-0 victory Monday night, handing the Giants their seventh straight loss.
Adams' fourth-inning homer was his 10th since joining the Braves in a trade with St. Louis on May 21 and his RBI single in the seven-run eighth against the Giants bullpen gave the first baseman 27 RBIs in 28 games with Atlanta.
Dickey (5-5) retired 16 of the final 17 batters he faced in recouping from a 7-1 loss to the Giants on May 28. He struck out six, walked one and hit a batter.
Johnny Cueto won the matchup with Dickey in San Francisco and pitched almost as well this time before the Giants bullpen imploded in the eighth.
Cueto (5-7) allowed five hits and the two runs in seven innings. He struck out four, walked none and hit a batter.
Danny Santana had a three-run homer as a pinch hitter in the eighth and the Braves sent 12 players to the plate against three Giants relievers. Dansby Swanson and Johan Camargo had two-run singles.
Eight straight Braves batters reached base in the big inning after two outs.
The Braves broke through against Cueto in the third inning when Camargo, who had singled, came around to score on Ender Inciarte's double as catcher Buster Posey couldn't handle the one-hop relay.
Adams made it 2-0 in the fourth when he went down and got an off-speed pitch, lofting a homer into the Chop House seats in right field.
The Giants had runners on the corners with no outs in the first inning on a double by Denard Span and an infield single by Eduardo Nunez, but Dickey retired the next three batters harmlessly.
Brandon Belt appeared to double in the second inning but was called out for coming off the bag on a questionable ruling that stood after the Giants made a video review challenge.
NOTES: RHP Hunter Strickland began serving his six-game suspension after his appeal to have the penalty reduced was denied. The reliever drew the ban for inciting a May 29 brawl in San Francisco by hitting the Nationals' Bryce Harper with a pitch. ... The Giants have to play with a 24-man roster while Strickland is suspended. ... The series opener was delayed 44 minutes because of rain. ... RHP Julio Teheran (6-4, 4.86 ERA) will start for the Braves on Tuesday against Giants LHP Matt Moore (2-7, 6.00 ERA). ... The Giants took two out of three against the Braves in San Francisco during late May.