Dan Haren rebound continues with win over Braves

Dan Haren continued his road to redemption, turning in his second straight quality start in the Dodgers' 4-2 win over the Braves on Tuesday night at Turner Field. The Dodgers improved to 5-0 against the Braves this season, their longest in-season winning streak against Atlanta since winning six straight in 1988, per STATS LLC.

Haren was one off his season high with seven strikeouts, and allowed just two runs in six innings, with seven runners reaching base. Since dropping five straight games with a 10.03 ERA during that span, Haren has allowed just three runs in 13⅓ innings, with 11 strikeouts and one walk.

The Dodgers got on the board first, with Justin Turner starting the rally in one of the most painful ways possible, with one out getting hit by a pitch up near his shoulder, which ricocheted and knocked off his batting helmet. Juan Uribe followed with a single, and one out later Darwin Barney, making his first star with his new club, singled to right field to knock in Turner for a 1-0 lead.

Haren got touched by the Upton brothers in his middle innings, allowing an RBI double by Justin Upton in the third inning and a solo home run to left field by B.J. Upton in the fourth, his ninth home run of the season.

It was the 23rd home run of the season allowed by Haren in his 24th start, tied for second-most allowed in baseball. But on Tuesday it was merely a blip on his radar.

For the most part Haren took advantage of the spacious Turner Field, not getting a single ground ball out on the night.

Haren even got involved at the plate, starting what ultimately became the winning rally with a one-out single in the fifth inning. Carl Crawford, batting leadoff for the first time since April 22, followed with a double, one of three hits (plus a walk), giving him three straight multi-hit games.

Both were cashed in, the tying run on a high-chop ground out by Yasiel Puig, then the go-ahead run by a bloop single to short right field by Matt Kemp just off the glove of second baseman Tommy La Stella.

The Dodgers added an insurance run thanks to Atlanta southern hospitality. Barney grounded a ball under the glove of shortstop Emilio Bonifacio for an error, then just kept running to second. Barney advanced to third base on a ground ball and scored on a wild pitch.

Barney also made his mark on defense, with highlight-worthy defensive plays in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, very much so living up to his stellar defensive reputation.

Brian Wilson, J.P. Howell, Brandon League and Kenley Jansen combined to allow one walk and no hits in the last three innings with five strikeouts to close out the win.

Notes

Haren was 1-for-2 at the plate on Tuesday. In the last five games, Dodgers pitchers are 5-for-9 with two walks and a hit by pitch.

Crawford has eight hits in his last 11 at-bats, with a walk and hit by pitch during that span.

Justin Turner, who started at shortstop for the sixth time this season, was 1-for-3 with a run scored, his 19th consecutive start reaching base by hit or walk, dating back to June 6. During that span, also counting his plate appearances as a reserve, Turner is 33-for-86, hitting .384/.470/.465 with 19 runs scored.

Up next

In the third game of the four-game series in Atlanta, Hyun-Jin Ryu gets the call for the Dodgers, trying to become the first pitcher in baseball with 10 road wins in 2014. Ervin Santana gets the call for the Braves, losers of 11 of their last 13 games.

Tuesday particulars

Home run: B.J. Upton (9)

WP - Dan Haren (10-9): 6 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts

LP - Mike Minor (4-8): 6⅔ IP, 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts

Sv - Kenley Jansen (33): 1 IP, 2 strikeouts