ATLANTA BRAVES NOTEBOOK: Attendance down this season

A month into the season, the Atlanta Braves rank 25th among Major League Baseball’s 30 teams in attendance per home game, according to figures compiled by baseball-reference.com.

Through 16 games at Turner Field, Braves attendance is down an average of 6,137 per game compared to last season, the largest drop in major league baseball. About half of that year-to-year decline can be attributed to having played two weekend series at home so far this season, compared to three at last season.

The Braves are 8-8 at home and 14-14 overall, following Wednesday’s 7-5 win over the Phillies at Turner Field.

Braves attendance has been falling. Attendance at Turner Field recorded its biggest drop in a decade as the Braves averaged 29,065 fans per game in the 2014 season.

PEREZ RECALLED: Williams Perez was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, giving the Braves yet another new face in the bullpen. He had been a starter in the minors, going 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in five starts for Gwinnett this season.

Perez, 23, had not pitched above Double-A before this year. He had 21 strikeouts to nine walks over 26 innings with Gwinnett.

FREEMAN ON HOT STREAK: First baseman Freddie Freeman had his second straight three-hit game Wednesday in a 6-1 victory against the Phillies and is batting .465 (20-for-43) with nine extra-base hits and nine RBIs in his past 11 games.

Freeman had two doubles and three RBIs on Wednesday after hitting a homer and driving in two runs the previous night. It was the fifth time in his career that he has had consecutive three-hit games.

KOHN SENT DOWN: Right-handed pitcher Michael Kohn was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday despite not allowing a hit over 4 2/3 innings in six relief appearances.

Kohn’s problem was wildness. He had six walks to four strikeouts. Kohn, 28, has appeared in 132 major leagues games, including 64 for the Los Angeles Angels in 2013. He made five relief appearances with Gwinnett before being promoted.

FOLTY WINS SECOND START: Pitcher Mike Foltynewicz is the first Braves pitcher to win his first two major league starts since Chuck James start 4-0 in 2006. Foltynewicz, who was charged with four runs in 5 1/3 innings on Tuesday against Philadelphia, has been helping himself at the plate.

He had a two-run double in his debut and a sacrifice fly against the Phillies. He is tied with Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann for the most RBIs by a major league pitcher with three.

MAYBIN STARTS AGAIN: Center fielder Cameron Maybin started his 14th game of the season Wednesday and a fifth straight against a right-handed starting pitcher as manager Fredi Gonzalez moves further away from a semi-platoon at the position with Eric Young Jr.

Maybin hit .421 (8-for-19) in the homestand and smashed his fourth homer. He had a single and his third stolen base in the series finale against the Phillies.

STULTS TRIES AGAIN: Left-handed pitcher Eric Stults will try for a second win against the Nationals this season when he faces them tonight in Washington. He got his only win for the Braves on April 27, giving up four hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings.

Stults had been 0-2 against the Nationals while with San Diego, allowing nine runs in 15 2/3 innings. He pitched seven in his last start against Cincinnati, but gave up 11 hits and six runs.