Brewers silence Atlanta Braves' bats

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

photo Milwaukee Brewers' Logan Schaffer, left, Ryan Braun and Carlos Gomez react after beating the Atlanta Braves in the Opening day baseball game Monday, March 31, 2014, in Milwaukee. The Brewers won 2-0.

MILWAUKEE - In losing their season opener, the Atlanta Braves got a different kind of win to earn a place in the replay record book.

Julio Teheran pitched six effective innings and allowed two runs in his first opening-day start, but he was tagged with a loss after Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo shut down the Braves for six innings in a 2-0 victory Monday.

Still, Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez can add a new bullet point to his resume after getting the first overturned call under Major League Baseball's expanded replay system. Gonzalez challenged Ryan Braun's infield single, and it was reversed after a review.

"They got the play right. That's the bottom line," Gonzalez said.

The review of the play leading off the sixth took 58 seconds, though Gonzalez said it felt like it was 10 or 15 minutes. The skipper said he was going to watch a replay of the replay play to time the decision.

It was a memorable day for other reasons for Braun, who drew a standing ovation in his return from a drug suspension. Braun went 1-for-4 and stole a base in the fourth inning that helped set up a two-run double by Aramis Ramirez.

A smattering of boos during Braun's first at-bat was easily drowned out by the overwhelming applause. The former MVP was suspended for the final 65 games last year in the Biogenesis doping scandal.

Two years ago, Braun became the first MLB player to get a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs overturned. Originally banned for 50 games, he filed a grievance and won.

"It was special. It was an emotional moment for me," Braun said of the ovation.

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

He played his first game in right field, too. To top off this day, Braun will go down as the hitter involved in the first call overturned by replay.

"I had a pretty good idea that I was out," Braun said, drawing laughs. "For all of us, we just hope they get it right, and they did get it right."

Teheran (0-1) had two strikeouts in drawing the starting assignment in the opener following injuries to pitchers including Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy.

"For his first start, for his first opening day, I thought he did a terrific job," Gonzalez said.

Atlanta hoped its potentially potent lineup could overcome the adversity.

Not on Monday against Gallardo. The righty did run into a little trouble with his control in the fifth after Andrelton Simmons singled and Jason Heyward walked with two outs to put runners at second and first for B.J. Upton. But Upton, who struggled last season with a .184 average in 126 games, struck out.

Simmons finished with two hits.

"You go up there your third at-bat, and [Gallardo] will throw you something completely different," said cleanup hitter Chris Johnson, who went 1-for-4 with a double. "Where did that come from? ... He's one of the tougher guys in the league."

But all eyes in Miller Park were on Braun to start after the 2011 National League MVP played his first game since July 21. He was banned the next day.

It seemed like all was forgiven for most of the 45,000-plus fans in attendance.

Francisco Rodriguez struck out two in the ninth for his 305th career save.

Atlanta left-hander Alex Wood and Milwaukee righty Kyle Lohse are the probable starters for tonight's game.