Cease strikes out 11 and allows one hit in six innings as Padres beat Braves 4-0

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dylan Cease allowed one hit and struck out 11 batters in six dominant innings to lead the San Diego Padres to a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

David Peralta had three hits and two runs batted in, All-Star Luis Arraez had three hits and a run batted in, and Manny Machado had his 13th hit among his three-hitters for the Padres.

The Padres snapped a five-game losing streak. They had scored just five runs in their previous four games.

Cease (8-8) threw 69 of 106 pitches for strikes, combining his four-seam fastball with his slider to keep Braves hitters off balance. He got out of a tough situation in the fourth inning by retiring Eddie Rosario with runners on second and third with two outs to end the Braves’ only scoring threat against him.

Cease received a standing ovation from an announced crowd of 43,097 in the Padres’ 31st sold-out game of the season. He waved his arms enthusiastically as he left the field for the Padres’ dugout after striking out three in the sixth inning.

Cease’s 149 strikeouts in the first half of the season set a Padres record, surpassing Andy Benes’ 138 in 1994.

Atlanta starting pitcher and National League All-Star Reynaldo López (7-3) went six innings, allowing three runs and a season-high 11 hits. He had never allowed more than seven runs in a start this season.

All-Star Marcell Ozuna, who homered twice against San Diego on Friday night to lead the National League with 77 RBIs, had two singles and a walk in four plate appearances.

San Diego took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after David Peralta doubled off Donovan Solano from second base.

The Padres built a 3-0 lead after Arraez doubled to score Tyler Wade from second in the fifth inning and Peralta singled to score Machado from third in the sixth inning.

Braves: Left-handed pitcher Chris Sale (12-3, 2.74 ERA) will close out the series finale Sunday afternoon and Padres right-handed pitcher Randy Vásquez (2-4, 4.66 ERA) will close out the series finale Sunday afternoon.