With closer Arodys Vizcaino on the disabled list Mike Smith Jersey , the Braves found strong relief elsewhere.

Four relievers combined to allow one hit in four scoreless innings, giving Atlanta’s bullpen an important lift as the Braves beat Baltimore 7-3 on Sunday for their first win over the Orioles in six years.

Freddie Freeman’s two-run single in the first inning gave Atlanta the lead and Dansby Swanson added a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth .

Left-hander A.J. Minter pitched a perfect ninth following scoreless innings from Shane Carle, Jesse Biddle and Dan Winkler in relief of Brandon McCarthy. Vizcaino was placed on the DL before the game with right shoulder inflammation.

”My job was to kind of help out Vizzy today, give him some rest,” Minter said.

The bullpen’s strong showing was especially important after Braves relievers allowed nine runs and 10 hits on Friday night with Vizcaino unavailable.

”Those guys in the bullpen stepped up big,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. ”… They couldn’t have done any better.”

Baltimore won the first two games of the series and swept the last set between the teams in 2015. Atlanta ended a stretch of seven straight losses to the Orioles since 2012.

McCarthy (6-3) overcame home runs by pinch-hitter Mark Trumbo and Trey Mancini to allow three runs in five innings.

Mancini, back in the lineup after missing three starts with a stiff neck Womens Melvin Gordon Jersey , led off the third with his 10th homer . Despite Sunday’s loss, Mancini said winning the series from the Braves was the last-place Orioles’ best showing since winning three of four at the Yankees in early April.

”This series down here felt like us again, I’d say for the first time really since the New York series early in the year in the Bronx,” Mancini said.

Trumbo hit a two-run homer beyond the reach of center fielder Ender Inciarte in the fifth. Trumbo has five homers in his last seven games.

Charlie Culberson doubled in two runs and Nick Markakis also had a run-scoring double in the third as Atlanta took a 5-1 lead. Swanson’s homer off Brad Brach landed inside the left-field foul pole.

The Braves took a 2-0 lead before David Hess (2-4) recorded an out. Hess walked Enter Inciarte, who moved to third on Ozzie Albies‘ double. Both scored on Freeman’s single to left field.

Hess gave up five runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings – his third straight start allowing five runs.

Albies had three hits, giving him nine for the series.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: Trumbo did not start due to a sore right knee, a recurrence of a problem that surfaced in May. Trumbo is expected to be back in the lineup on Monday.

Braves: Vizcaino hadn’t appeared in a game since June 17 against the Mets. … Tyler Flowers remained in the game after being hit on his helmet with a pitch from Mike Wright Jr. in the fifth.

SUNNY

McCarthy was well-rested for a day game. Those were prime conditions for success for the 34-year-old right-hander.

McCarthy began the day 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA in four day games this season, compared to a 5.79 ERA in 10 night starts. He was making his first start since June 15 Youth Matthew Tkachuk Jersey , and he was 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA in his previous three starts with at least six days rest.

ACUNA UPDATE

OF Ronald Acuna Jr. (left knee sprain) likely will spend at least one more day on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Snitker said the Braves are ”still kind of evaluating” Acuna to ”make sure he’s healed. He feels he is.” Acuna has been on the DL four weeks, since May 28.

ROSTER MOVES

The Braves selected the contract of right-hander Evan Phillips from Triple-A Gwinnett, where he was 4-4 with a 2.31 ERA in 26 games, all in relief. INF Phil Gosselin was designated for assignment to create a spot for Phillips on the 40-man roster.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-7, 4.72) will try to end a streak of three straight losing decisions when Baltimore returns home to face Seattle on Monday night.

Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz (right triceps tightness) is expected to come off the DL to start Monday night’s opening game of a three-game series against the Reds.

—

Richard Sherman has been around the NFL long enough that playing in exhibition games might not seem to be of critical importance.

But after going more than nine months without game action following a season-ending Achilles tendon injury and joining a new team with the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman is eager to get back on the field.

He said Wednesday he plans to play in San Francisco's exhibition game at Indianapolis on Saturday in his first action for the 49ers at cornerback after spending his first seven seasons playing for NFC West rival Seattle.

"It's important just for a defensive continuity standpoint, just knowing where people are going to be on game day," he said. "You don't want the first time you deal with communicating with somebody else be with live bullets out there. You want to be out there and get the communication down if someone isn't listening or looking and get those tweaks out of the way."

Sherman had hoped to play earlier this preseason as he worked his way back from the Achilles tendon injury Vladimir Sobotka Jersey , but he strained his hamstring early in training camp.

Sherman felt ready to play last week, but coach Kyle Shanahan held him out to be cautious. Sherman took time after joint practices last week in Houston to get extra work against Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins and has no worries about his health now.

"I'm not really concerned with how that will respond," he said. "I'm more concerned about my game shape and making sure I can still go every single play because I haven't played (since November)."

Sherman has faced questions about what kind of player he can be at age 30 coming off a significant injury that led to his release by the Seahawks. Those only grew louder during the opening week of training camp when video came out of Sherman getting badly beaten deep by sprinter Marquise Goodwin. Coach Kyle Shanahan used that video as a teaching tool, praising Sherman to the rest of the team for his aggressiveness and willingness to test out his injured leg against one of the faster receivers in the league during practice.

Sherman said wasn't bothered by outside criticism and appreciated Shanahan's support, comparing practice to writing a "rough draft" and saying his product will be polished by the time games start next month.

"You're allowed to make mistakes in practice," he said. "You're allowed to get beat and stumble, because then you figure out what works and what doesn't work. If you find something that works you keep using it and put it into your bag for game day."

Sherman also criticized the NFL's new rule that prohibits players from lowering the helmet to make contact anywhere on an opponent. The 49ers have been called for three personal fouls through two preseason games for violating the rule.

"It's an idiotic rule so there's no need to go down that road," Sherman said when asked if he understood the rule. "There's no way you can tackle and play football. I could tackle like that if I was standing still Authentic Adrian Peterson Jersey , got on my knees, no one was moving and I was tackling bags or something. But to ask you to do that at full speed?"

NOTES: The 49ers signed DT Chris Jones to a one-year deal. Jones started the final six games of 2016 for San Francisco before spending last year on IR. ... Jones takes the place on the roster of DL Cedric Thornton, who announced his retirement at age 30.

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