ATLANTA — Julio Teheran pitched seven strong innings and the Atlanta Braves took advantage of Milwaukee reliever Will Smith’s seventh-inning ejection for allegedly using pine tar in a 10-1 victory Thursday night.
Play was stopped briefly with Atlanta leading 2-1 and the bases loaded with one out in the seventh when Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez successfully argued to umpires that Smith had pine tar on his right forearm.
Crew chief Jim Joyce walked over to the mound, touched a shiny substance on Smith’s arm and ejected the pitcher from the game. Gonzalez claimed that Smith was breaking the rules after the left-hander threw a pitch that bounced in front of the plate and hit pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco, the only batter he faced, in the leg.
The Braves have won five of six. Milwaukee has dropped four of six.
Teheran (4-1) allowed two hits, one run, one walk and struck out eight in seven innings. He pitched past the sixth inning for the first time in 10 starts, the longest stretch of a career that spans 95 starts.