Bolsinger, Callapso Give The Dodgers Just What They Needed

Mike Bolsinger finally gave Los Angeles the start they needed, and Albert Callaspo beat his former team with the bat and the glove as the Dodgers salvaged the final game of the series, defeating the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Wednesday.

Bolsinger lasted seven strong innings for the first time this season, baffling the Braves hitters allowing just one run on three hits for his first win since June 8th.

"Bolsinger was good all day," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "He seemed like he could kind of do what he wanted with the breaking ball. We needed it today."

Bolsinger (5-3) had gone into the seventh inning or deeper just one other time this season as the Texas right-hander had been troubled with food poisoning, faulty circuit breakers and a bad fastball at various times on the year.

"I guess I was throwing too many curveballs," Bolsinger said of his fastball. "If you show me you're not hitting a pitch, why would I go to something else? That's baseball. If you show me you're not doing something, I'm going to keep attacking weaknesses."

The Dodgers needed Bolsinger to give them a quality start after starting pitches Brandon Beachy and Brett Anderson lasted 6.2 innings over the past two days. That meant the bullpen was taxed after pitching 9.1 innings of consecutive days.

Meanwhile, the Boys in Blue were sick and tired of their former third baseman Juan Uribe beating them with clutch RBIs over the past two days. On Wednesday, it was the other third baseman involved in the trade that helped the Dodgers avoid the sweep.

Callaspo, who was acquired from the Braves for Uribe on May 27th, knocked in the go-ahead run, and made a tremendous defensive play in the bottom of the ninth to help the Dodgers avoid their first three-game losing streak since June 15-17.

Jimmy Rollins and Joc Pederson also drove in runs for LA off Braves starter Julio Teheran. Teheran (6-5) pitched well through the first four innings before struggling in the fifth. Teheran allowed three runs on six hits with three walks in seven innings.

Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his 17th save of the season. Fittingly, Jansen struck out friend and former teammate Uribe on the final pitch of the game.

Game Notes:
Teheran is now 0-4 with a 6.07 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers.

Brett Anderson's MRI came back negative on Wednesday, showing no damage to the Achilles tendon. Anderson will need rest and the irritation to die down before his next start.

Legendary Dodgers pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela, became a US Citizen in a ceremony in downtown Los Angeles earlier in the day.