Braves beat Twins 2-0 in majors-worst matchup

Atlanta Braves pitcher Jim Johnson, left, and catcher A.J.Pierzynski celebrate the final out as the Braves defeated the Minnesota Twins 2-0 in a baseball game Tuesday, July 26, 2016, in Minneapolis. Johnson picked up the save. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) Atlanta Braves pitcher Jim Johnson, left, and catcher A.J.Pierzynski celebrate the final out as the Braves defeated the Minnesota Twins 2-0 in a baseball game Tuesday, July 26, 2016, in Minneapolis. Johnson picked up the save. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

By Associated Press July 29, 2016 4 min read

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A.J. Pierzynski has long been the target of boos in Minnesota, where he made his major league debut nearly 18 years ago.

Hardly noticed this time during a matchup of the majors’ worst teams, Atlanta’s ageless catcher turned in another solid performance.

Lucas Harrell pitched six innings, Adonis Garcia homered and the Braves beat the Twins 2-0 on Tuesday night, an untimely meeting nearly 25 years after the Twins beat the Braves in a World Series often mentioned among the most dramatic in history.

Pierzynski doubled and scored against the team that drafted him in the third round in 1994. Behind the plate, he helped guide Harrell (2-2) to his first scoreless start in the majors since June 9, 2013, with Houston.

The 39-year-old Pierzynski also threw out the fleet-footed Byron Buxton trying to steal third base in the third inning, the first time Buxton was caught in eight attempts this season.