Yasiel Puig is making his presence felt immediately for the Los Angeles Dodgers and looks to stay hot Saturday in the continuation of a four-game series versus the Atlanta Braves.
Promoted from Double-A Chattanooga just a few days ago, Puig is batting .421 with four homers and 10 RBI in only five games. He has homered in back-to-back contests, including Friday's 2-1 win in 10 innings over the Braves. His solo homer in the sixth inning tied the game and Skip Schumaker scored on Anthony Varvaro's wild pitch in the 10th to win it.
Dodgers rookie starter Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched well in the no-decision and gave up the lone run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked only one batter, while Brandon League pitched a scoreless inning of relief to collect the victory.
"Ryu pitched a great game. he and (Paul) Maholm matched each other all night. It was a great game for the pitchers," Dodgers catcher Ramon Hernandez said.
Los Angeles has won two in a row and four of five games and is 4-1 on a 10- game homestand. Arizona is scheduled to visit Dodger Stadium next.
Taking the mound for L.A. Saturday will be Stephen Fife, who is making his third start of the season. At 1-0 with a 4.50 earned run average in two starts, Fife got the win his last time out in a 2-1 decision over San Diego on Monday. He delivered 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in that one.
Fife, a right-hander, has never faced Atlanta.
The Braves have lost two in a row since winning five straight and their lead atop the NL East standings is still 6 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia after the Phillies lost in Milwaukee Friday night.
Varvaro suffered the loss for his wild pitch in the 10th and Maholm was solid through 7 1/3 innings, allowing a run and four hits. One of those hits was Puig's solo home run.
"On the home run, to be honest I missed by about three feet," Maholm said. "I wasn't even trying to throw it anywhere close to the zone. I wasn't mad that he hit a home run. I was mad it was supposed to be bounced two feet in front of the plate to set up another pitch. But he's hot and I hung one. He's come up, and he's hot."
Atlanta is 0-2 so far on a seven-game western road trip and will visit San Diego for three games on the trek.
Kris Medlen draws the start for the Braves Saturday and he finally halted a winless streak the last time out, a 7-2 win over Pittsburgh on Monday. Medlen gave up just one unearned run in seven innings and entered the game 0-5 in his previous nine starts. He is now 2-6 in 12 outings with a 3.14 ERA.
Medlen faced the Dodgers in a 3-1 win on May 18 at Turner Field and did not receive a decision. He was solid through seven innings and was reached for just one unearned run and two hits. In seven career matchups (2 starts) with the Dodgers, the right-handed Medlen is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA.
The Braves swept that three-game set versus the Dodgers in mid-May.
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