SAN DIEGO _ The Braves are undecided about their starting-rotation plans beyond this week, but it seems safe to assume Sean Newcomb isn't going back to the minors anytime soon. Or maybe ever, if the big left-hander keeps pitching like he did again Tuesday night.
His fourth major league start was arguably the best yet for Newcomb, who picked up his first win and allowed six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in six innings of the Braves' 3-0 series-opening shutout of the Padres at Petco Park.
The Braves have won eight of their past 10 games and 13 of 20 to move back within two games of .500 (37-39). Their 15 wins in June are their most for the month since 15 in June 2014, and the Braves still have three games to play this month.
Fellow rookie Johan Camargo provided all the run support Newcomb would require with a two-run double in the fourth inning, after Matt Adams led off with a double and Tyler Flowers singled.
Newcomb lowered his ERA to 1.48 and finally got good enough run support and a quality bullpen performance to close out his first win in his first road start and third major league decision. The 23-year-old prospect has a 1.86 ERA in his past 12 starts including his final eight at Triple-A Gwinnett.
After averaging more than five walks per nine innings pitched in Triple-A, including three or more walks in seven of 11 starts, Newcomb has issued just eight walks in 241/3 innings, with three of those coming in the sixth and final inning of his second start June 16.
He threw 68 strikes in 103 pitches Tuesday and was replaced after Carlos Asuaje's leadoff single in the seventh, a grounder that bounced off the glove of second baseman Brandon Phillips on what would've been a difficult play even if he'd fielded it cleanly. Another of the six hits off Newcomb was a bunt single by Cory Spangenberg to start the second inning.
Asuaje and Spangenberg are left-handed batters who accounted for half of the hits Tuesday against Newcomb, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound lefty who has held right-handed batters to a .150 average (9 for 60).
He used his mid-90 mph fastball and impressive curveball with excellent command against the Padres, getting several big strikeouts when he needed them most including a strikeout of Hunter Renfroe after Wil Myers' two-out double in the first inning and a strikeout of Erick Aybar with two on to end the sixth inning.
Hitters are just 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position, albeit with seven walks. The Padres went 0 for 6 with one walk against him in those situations and failed to score after a leadoff double in the sixth on a bloop to shallow right by Jose Pirela, who hustled and slid in to beat the tag.
Newcomb then induced a groundout from Myers, struck out Renfroe and walked Spangenberg before striking out Aybar looking to protect a 2-0 lead.
The Braves added a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Nick Markakis, after a leadoff single from Ender Inciarte. It was the majors-leading 200th hit for Inciarte since the 2016 All-Star break and his 100th hit this season, making him the 35th Atlanta-era Braves player to get 100 hits before the All-Star break and first to do it since Freddie Freeman had 108 in 2014.
