Braves 3, Brewers 2 (11)
ATLANTA -- The first two games of the Atlanta-Milwaukee series were routs, but that certainly wasn’t the case Saturday.
Second baseman Jace Peterson delivered the first winning hit of his career with two outs in the 11th inning and the Braves beat the Brewers 3-2.
In the 11th, Milwaukee reliever Brandon Kintzler walked third baseman Alberto Callaspo with one out, and shortstop Andrelton Simmons followed with a smash past third base that hit the leg of umpire Chad Fairchild, resulting in a single.
The runners moved up on pinch hitter Eric Young Jr.’s grounder, and Peterson smashed the first pitch he saw from Kintzler into center field for the winning hit.
Left-handed reliever Luis Avilan, who induced a double play to end the 10th, allowed just one hit over 1 2/3 innings to get the victory.
Shelby Miller was gone well before the end, but Milwaukee is now 0-9 in games that the right-hander has started against them for St. Louis and Atlanta.
Miller, who had given up just eight hits and a run over 25 innings in his previous three starts, allowed two runs and a season-high seven hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked two.
The game, which took three hours and 48 minutes, was the complete opposite of the first two in the series, with the Braves winning 10-1 in the opener and the Brewers rolling 11-0 on Friday.
Miller had fallen one batter short of a no-hitter at Miami on Sunday and had been allowing opponents to hit just .156. He wasn’t close to that dominant this time, although his ERA remains best among major-league starters at 1.50.
Any anticipation of Miller flirting with a no-no again ended quickly as Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez lined the right-hander’s second pitch down the right-field line for an opposite-field double.
Left fielder Gerardo Parra got Gomez to third base in an 11-pitch at-bat with a ground ball, and right fielder Ryan Braun followed by lining an RBI single to center field.
The quick run ended Miller’s scoreless streak at 14 1/3 innings, which had been the second-longest active stretch by a National League starter.
Milwaukee took advantage of a two-out walk by Miller to make it 2-0 in the fourth inning. Second baseman Elian Herrera followed the free pass to third baseman Aramis Ramirez with a single and catcher Martin Maldonado then delivered the RBI hit.
The Braves, who had left the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, tied it an inning later, with Miller helping himself by pulling a double down the left-field line. He had started the season 0-for-16.
Center fielder Cameron Maybin extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-out RBI double, and first baseman Freddie Freeman drove in Maybin with a double.
The Brewers loaded the bases in the sixth on a hit batter, single and walk, but Miller got pinch hitter Kris Davis, batting for starting pitcher Mike Fiers, to bounce back to him on a checked swing for an inning-ending double play.
Fiers, who hadn’t faced the Braves despite being in his fifth season with the Brewers, allowed seven hits over five innings. He struck out five, and his only walk was intentional.
NOTES: Brewers RHP Wily Peralta, who came out of Friday's game after four innings, said his left side felt "a little better" Saturday. He will play catch Sunday and hopes to make his next start Wednesday against San Francisco. "I'm optimistic," manager Craig Counsell said. ... Braves 3B Chris Johnson, on the disabled list since May 1 with a broken left hand, played in an extended spring training game Saturday and is scheduled to take batting practice Sunday in Atlanta before beginning a short rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. His return is targeted for Thursday in San Francisco. ... Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (2-4, 3.73 ERA) will start Sunday against Braves rookie RHP Mike Foltynewicz (2-1, 5.32). ... The teams play three games in Milwaukee, July 6-8.