Rangers Vs. Braves: Atlanta Avoids Sweep, Defeats Texas 4-2 Behind Jason Heyward And Freddie Freeman

After two days of lackluster play from the Atlanta Braves, they battled back on Sunday afternoon to defeat the Texas Rangers by the score of 4-2. 

Jair Jurrjens battled control problems early, but battled back to work 5.1 innings in route of his ninth win of the season. He allowed seven hits and two walks on 116 pitches and struck out four Rangers. The bullpen pitched well (for the most part, anyway) and Scott Linebrink, George Sherrill, Scott Proctor, Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel all worked to keep the lead. With the save, Kimbrel now has 19 this season.

Alexi Ogando came into the week with a perfect record of 7-0, but for the second time this week he took a loss. He made it through five innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. For a guy with big strikeout numbers, he struck out just three Braves this afternoon.

Atlanta scored first on a 2-RBI single from Jason Heyward. Another run came in to score when first baseman Michael Young and catcher Yorvit Torrealba collided on an infield popup off the bat of Alex Gonzalez, which brought in Heyward from third.

Texas cut into the lead in the following inning. Nelson Cruz doubled, moved to third and then was driven in by Yorvitt Torrealba's single to left field. After a few innings of no offense, Josh Hamilton drove in Ian Kinsler to cut the lead to 3-2.

With runners on first and second and two outs, Freddie Freeman came up with a huge ground-rule double in the bottom of the seventh to give the Braves a 4-2 lead. Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel worked a quick final two innings, which sealed the Braves' 40th win of the season.

It's never good to lose a series at home, but the Rangers are a good club. The Toronto Blue Jays come to Atlanta Monday evening for a 3-game series. It'll be Tim Hudson against Ricky Romero in the opener.

It's hot and steamy in Atlanta this afternoon, but that hasn't stopped the Braves from scoring a few early runs against Cy Young contender Alexi Ogando. 

The bats were quiet until the third inning. With runners on second and third with one out, Jason Heyward inside-outed a ball that was just out of the reach of shortstop Elvis Andrus. Both Jordan Schafer and Dan Uggla scored easily. Brian McCann lined out and Freddie Freeman singled to bring up Alex Gonzalez with two on and two out. He weakly popped a ball up on the infield that should have been caught, but first baseman Michael Young and catcher Yorvit Torrealba collided and the ball fell to the grass.

Jair Jurrjens is on the mound for Atlanta and despite early struggles, it appears JJ has settled in nicely. He's thrown 64 pitches through three innings.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Atlanta for complete in-game coverage for the Braves.

Since winning six in a row last week, the Braves have now lost five of their last six games. Consistency is overrated, I guess.

Atlanta committed three errors and struck out 15 times on Saturday afternoon and had to battle a rain delay of over two hours. Derek Lowe made the start and despite shaky defense in the early innings, he gutted out five innings against a potent Rangers lineup. He allowed four runs (three earned) to score on seven hits and no walks. He struck out two. Matt Harrison, who came to Texas in the Teixeira trade of '07, worked 6.1 innings and allowed just three hits and a walk.

Elvis Andrus, who also went to Texas in the Teixeira deal, drove in the first run of the game with an RBI-single in the first inning. Jason Heyward made an error on the play, allowing Andrus to move to third. Josh Hamilton followed up by driving in another run courtesy of an error by Freddie Freeman to give Texas a 2-0 lead. The Rangers added on two more runs in the fourth.

Jordan Schafer got Atlanta on the board in the third inning, this time on an error by left fielder Nelson Cruz. Derek Lowe, who had previously doubled, came around to score. Dan Uggla then doubled down the left field wall to make the score 4-2. Brian McCann added on a solo-home run in the sixth to cut the lead to one.

Things got wild in the eighth. Jordan Schafer reached base on a throwing error by Darren Oliver and moved into scoring position when the ball trickled to the dugout wall. Dan Uggla smashed a ball to deep center field that just barely missed going for a home run to drive in Schafer to tie the game. Jason Heyward ripped a ball down the first base line, but it was right to Michael Young. Brian McCann walked, but Wilkin Ramirez struck out to end the threat.

After a scoreless ninth, the Rangers took advantage of Scott Proctor. Ian Kinsler doubled to lead off the inning, and after an Elvis Andrus groundout and an intentional walk to Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre broke the tie with an RBI-single to center field. The Braves came up in the bottom half trailing 5-4, but closer Neftali Feliz, who also went to Texas in the Teixeira trade, worked a 1-2-3 inning to end the game.

The Braves will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow afternoon. It'll be Jair Jurrjens against Alexi Ogando in a stellar pitching matchup.

Josh Hamilton banged out four hits including a homer and three RBI's to help lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. Colby Lewis pitched into the seventh inning while allowing only two runs to capture his sixth win of the season. Randall Delgado takes the loss in his major league debut for Atlanta. 

The Rangers struck first taking a 1-0 lead in the second off of back to back doubles by Michael Young and Nelson Cruz. The Braves would tie things up in the fourth when Brian McCann led off the inning with his tenth home run of the season. 

Texas would answer right back in the fifth. Elvis Andrus reached on an error by Brooks Conrad to lead off the inning. Josh Hamilton then followed with a long two run home run into the right center field stands to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead. Adrian Beltre then singled off of Delgado prompting Fredi Gonzalez to go to the bullpen. Cristhian Martinez replaced Delgado and immediately got into even more trouble. Michael Young singled to put runners at first and second for Nelson Cruz who lined a double to deep center that made the score 5-1. 

Atlanta would close to 5-2 in the sixth when Freddie Freeman launched a solo homer to right. However, the Rangers answered back with an insurance run in the ninth as Ian Kinsler scored on a Josh Hamilton RBI single to extend the lead to 6-2. Former Braves prospect Neftali Feliz closed things out in the ninth. 

The Braves offense could only muster five hits with both runs coming off of solo homers. Atlanta also committed three errors in the game. The Rangers banged out 14 hits against Atlanta pitching including four by Josh Hamilton. Michael Young and Nelson Cruz each had two hits for Texas. 

Game 2 of the series is tomorrow with Derek Lowe taking his turn on the mound for the Braves.