News
Braves win Wild one in 10th over Nats
Card hopes remain high for club which has won six in a row
By Matt Palmer / Special to MLB.com
09/27/09 6:30 PM ET
WASHINGTON -- The table was set for the Braves and they almost forgot to bring the main course.Atlanta had to overcome two deficits to pull off a three-game sweep of Washington in a 6-3 victory in 10 innings on Sunday before 27,840 fans at Nationals Park.
Catcher Brian McCann grounded out meekly to Nationals pitcher Mike MacDougal, but it was enough to score the go-ahead runner, Nate McLouth, in the 10th. Omar Infante followed with a two-run single that scored Martin Jones and Chipper Jones to pad the lead.
"It was just kind of a crazy day out there," said manager Bobby Cox.
The Braves nearly lost a chance to keep pace with the Rockies, but after Colorado won, they remained 2 1/2 games back for the National League Wild Card spot.
Atlanta (85-70) has won six games in a row, all on the road, and now return for seven games at home and will host Florida in a three-game series starting on Monday. The Marlins lost on Sunday to fall 2 1/2 games behind the Braves in the Wild Card chase. The Braves will wrap up the season with a four-game series at home against the Nationals.
"It's big to be at home," said Jones, the Braves third baseman. "We feel good about our chances. The Marlins come in a little down, obviously, and the Nationals are not playing their best baseball. It's right in front of us. We know that our margin of error is very small. We lose a game or two and we're more than likely done. We do what we have to on a daily basis to get a win."
Starting pitcher Derek Lowe gave up back-to-back home runs to Ryan Zimmerman and Josh Willingham in the first inning to fall behind 2-0.
Braves second basemen Martin Prado hit a ground-rule double to start the fourth inning and moved to third on an infield single by Jones.
Prado scored on a groundout by Garret Anderson to cut the Nationals' lead to 2-1. Jones then scored on a Yunel Escobar triple.
"We made some mistakes early in the ballgame that allowed them to get a couple of runs," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "It was very tough loss -- a real tough loss."
Lowe pitched decently, going six innings, giving up seven hits and three runs, while striking out three batters.
He gave up his third solo home run in the fourth to Mike Morse. The three shots were the most that Lowe has given up in a game this season.
"Every game has been something new," Lowe said of his struggles. "Today was homers."
Lowe said he was disturbed by the homers, but relieved it did not ultimately cost his team.
The Braves rebounded in the seventh when Adam LaRoche doubled to center to score Escobar.
Cox called Lowe's performance "gutty."
"He gave up the three homers and made some bad pitches," Cox said. "He came back and looked very good. Our bullpen was just stellar once again."
Braves reliever Peter Moylan replaced Lowe and went two innings, striking out four Nationals while allowing one hit. Moylan has been outstanding since the All-Star break, but got himself into a jam in the seventh.
Nationals center fielder Willie Harris started the inning with a triple. Moylan intentionally walked Ryan Zimmerman, but Washington was unable to capitalize, however, as the reliever struck out Willingham and Elijah Dukes to end the inning.
For his part, Moylan appeared to relish the intensity of that inning.
"I actually said to myself, 'This is our season. This is what it's going to come down to. We've been good for these last couple of months, let's not get overanxious and just make pitches,'" Moylan said. "It worked out perfectly."
Mike Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning for the Braves and only allowed a leadoff hit to Cristian Guzman to earn the win.
The Braves had mixed results against Nationals starter Livan Hernandez. The veteran held Atlanta to six hits and three runs through 6 1/3 innings.
Atlanta pounced when MacDougal came in for the 10th inning. McLouth walked and Prado was hit by a pitch. Jones reached on a surprising infield hit to load the bases, allowing for McCann's groundout.
The Nationals, like everyone, were surprised by the meager hits off the powerful bats of Jones and McCann.
"It just a little soft spot in the defense. Just trying to exploit it," Jones joked.
Lowe has been part of postseason efforts with the Red Sox and Dodgers and said the Braves have a similar determination. Atlanta has now won 14 of its past 16 contests.
"I don't think anyone can say that's relatively easy to do," Lowe said. "I don't care who you're playing. Winning is all about confidence. I don't care what people say. We believe we're going to win. We believe we're going to find ways to win. That's ultimately a huge reason why we're at where we are."
Jones said the team will not relent from its goal.
"Guys are really focused right now, really intense," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "They're into every pitch, every play, every at-bat. They're hustling. They're doing the little things it takes to win ballgames. Now, we're just riding that wave of momentum that we've created for ourselves over the last two weeks."
Matt Palmer is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
