Julio Teheran pitches Atlanta Braves past Miami Marlins 4-3

photo Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran throws in the first inning during a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Miami.

MIAMI - Julio Teheran, working on 10 days' rest, overcame a rough first inning and pitched into the seventh to help the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Teheran (12-7) gave up three runs in the first, then none after that, and he left with a 4-3 lead. Luis Ayala came on to strike out Giancarlo Stanton with the bases loaded to end the seventh, and Craig Kimbrel pitched around a one-out double by Placido Polanco in the ninth for his major-league-leading 46th save in 49 chances.

Pinch-runner Jake Marisnick made the final out trying to advance to third when a pitch by Kimbrel got past catcher Brian McCann.

Atlanta went 3 for 16 with runners in scoring position, but Evan Gattis had his third straight two-RBI game.

Chris Johnson, who came into the game leading the NL in batting, drove in a run and had two singles for his 46th multi-hit game. His average rose to .330.

Braves right fielder Justin Upton left the game in the fourth inning with a bruised right knee after fouling a ball off it. His status is day to day.

With Atlanta enjoying a big lead in the NL East, manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to let Teheran skip a turn in the rotation. The rookie looked rusty at the outset but quickly settled down, allowing five hits in 6 2-3 innings.

One run scored against him when shortstop Andrelton Simmons made a poor throw to first trying to complete a double play that would have ended the first inning.

Teheran beat Miami for the second straight start, and Kimbrel pitched the ninth to convert his 36th consecutive save opportunity.

Stanton returned to the Marlins lineup after missing two games with a sore ankle, and he doubled home a run in the first. But Miami had only three hits after the opening inning.

Tom Koehler (3-10) allowed four runs in five innings. He's 0-4 in his past seven starts.

The Marlins must go 10-9 the rest of the way to avoid a 100-loss season.

"It's embarrassing when you lose 100," veteran Chris Coghlan said.

Miami fell to 19-30 in one-run games.

Gattis and Brian McCann hit consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the first for a 2-0 lead that didn't last long. Gattis and Johnson had RBI singles in the third to put the Braves ahead to stay.

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