Beachy has turned in solid results in each of his four starts since returning from the disabled list on June 22. He has struck out at least six batters and has allowed three or fewer runs in each of those starts. His stayed at 3-1 and his ERA fell a couple of ticks to 3.21.
He landed on the DL after straining his left oblique against the Phillies in May.
Beachy's night was cut short after just 83 pitches, but it wasn't by his own doing. After Nate McLouth ripped a two-out, bases-empty triple past a diving Domonic Brown, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to call on Eric Hinske to pinch-hit for his pitcher. The nine-year veteran flew out to left field.
In the bottom of the second inning, with Raul Ibanez creeping off the first base bag, Beachy stepped on the pitching rubber and promptly stepped off. The impromptu gesture caught the eye of first base umpire Mike Everitt as he loudly called a balk, giving Ibanez second base.
"I was having some trouble seeing [catcher Brian McCann's] pinkie. When he was going fastball with the righty, there was a shadow there," Beachy said. "I kind of just lost my train of thought and paused before I came set to step off."
Seeming a bit rattled, Beachy's next pitch was flared into center by Carlos Ruiz. He then buckled down to strike out Domonic Brown before Ibanez scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by Wilson Valdez. Beachy escaped the jam by getting Halladay to look at a 92-m.p.h. fastball.
