Both starting pitchers were phenomenal.
Matt Wisler and Jake Peavy matched each other pitch-for-pitch much of the night, but a rough eighth inning was the Atlanta Braves' undoing in a 4-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night at Turner Field, as the Giants' pitchers hurled a combined one-hit shutout
Peavy (2-5) turned 35 years old on Tuesday, and made his own birthday gift, spinning a gem. He did not allow a baserunner until Tyler Flowers' base hit in the fifth inning. Flowers was doubled up to end the inning. That was the only Brave to reach base in his seven innings of work.
Wisler (2-5) did his best to hang with his opposite number and did so for the most part. Denard Span singled on the first pitch of the game, but a double play ended the first. Brandon Belt walked in the fifth, but Wisler induced another double play grounder.
He was on his way to another clean inning in the sixth until Peavy fought off an inside pitch, broke his bat and got a hit up the middle. Span followed with a run-scoring triple to score the game's first run.
The first two men reached in the eighth to put an end to Wisler's night, and the inning quickly unraveled. Hunter Cervenka walked the only man he faced. Chris Withrow inherited the bases loaded with none out and allowed a sacrifice fly. Eric O'Flaherty allowed two additional inherited runners to score but recorded the final two outs of the inning.
Flowers walked to lead off the eighth inning, and was the only Brave to reach base in the game.
Wisler's final line read seven innings, four hits, three runs, two walks and two strikeouts, which doesn't do justice to how well he pitched and how efficient he was throughout the evening.
Peavy gave up the lone hit in his seven innings on just 78 pitches, but manager Bruce Bochy's hand was forced, as Peavy's turn in the order came up with the bases loaded, nobody out and just a 1-0 lead.
The Braves and Giants will play Game 3 of the series Wednesday night at 7:10 p.m., as Williams Perez faces off against Albert Suarez.