KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) - Julio Teheran struck out nine over six innings in his final tuneup for opening day and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins 9-2 on Wednesday.
Teheran will start at Milwaukee on Monday. He finished the spring with a 1.80 ERA after allowing two runs on seven hits. His only walk was intentional and he threw 71 of his 100 pitches for strikes.
“I’m happy with what I did this spring training and I hope to continue it into the season,” he said. “I’m excited about pitching on opening day.”
Teheran, who was 14-8 last season as a rookie, worked 25 innings in six spring starts and had 26 strikeouts to four walks.
“I feel good. I’m ready for the season,” Teheran said. “I used more my breaking pitch and it worked pretty good. I was happy to go deep into the game. I feel strong.”
Miami starter Nathan Eovaldi gave up four runs in six-plus innings. He gave up six hits, walked one and struck out five while throwing 84 pitches.
Derrick Mitchell hit a bases-loaded triple and drove in four runs. The Atlanta right fielder also made a diving catch.
Tyler Pastornicky, coming back from ACL surgery, had two hits and drove in three runs for Atlanta.
Christian Yelich and Ed Lucas each had two hits for the Marlins.
STARTING TIME
Marlins: Eovaldi was hit on the foot by Phil Gosselin’s liner leading off the seventh inning, but no damage was done.
“He’s fine,” said manager Mike Redmond, noting that the ball hit mainly the bottom of the shoe. “Nothing to worry about.”
Until the seventh, Eovaldi had been sharp except for a hanging curve that Pastornicky hit for a two-run single in the third inning.
“I thought he pitched well except for that one mistake,” Redmond said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Greg Dobbs, who hadn’t been in a Grapefruit League game since March 11 because of a strained quad, returned to the lineup and was 1 for 3 while playing six innings at first base. Counted on to be the Marlins’ main left-handed pinch hitter, Dobbs is 4 for 16 this spring.
Marlins second baseman Rafael Furcal, out nearly two weeks with a strained hamstring, played defense Wednesday for the first time since his injury during a minor league game in Jupiter. He remains questionable for opening day.
“He says he’s feeling better, but at the end of the day he hasn’t played that much,” Redmond said.
Redmond said that “right now” he isn’t worried about shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (groin tightness) being ready to start the season.
ROTATION UPDATES
Braves: Veteran right-hander Aaron Harang, signed on Tuesday to bolster Atlanta’s injury-depleted rotation, will start Thursday against the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland. Harang, who had been in camp with the Cleveland Indians, is set to start the third game of the season in Milwaukee, following Teheran and left-hander Alex Wood. The fourth starter will be either David Hale or Gus Schlosser, both rookies.
Marlins: Redmond said the team plans to set its opening rotation after left-hander Brad Hand pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter on Thursday. Eovaldi is expected to follow opening day starter Jose Fernandez, with Henderson Alvarez, Jacob Turner and Tom Koehler following.
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