The Braves came back from a six-run deficit Sunday afternoon, only to lose in extra innings.
Mike Minor made the start for Atlanta and had his worst outing since becoming a major league pitcher. Minor lasted four innings and gave up six earned runs, raising his ERA to 5.33 through five starts.
The Braves first showed signs of life in the fifth inning when Alex Gonzalez scored on a Nate McClouth single, bringing the score to 6-1. In the next inning the Braves loaded the bases with nobody out for Brian McCann. McCann drew a walk from Alex Sanabia, to drive in a run; Troy Glaus singled in a run; and Melky Cebrera walked in a third run, bringing the score to 6-4 with one out and the bases still loaded. McClouth drove a ball to the deepest part of the ballpark where Marlins’ center fielder Cameron Maybin leaped up and stole McClouth’s grand slam. Despite the lack of grand slammyness, two runners were able to tag up and score on McClouth’s fly-out for the Braves to tie up the game at 6-all.
The score remained tied at 6, until the 10th inning when Melky Cabrera misplayed a ball, resulting in Emilio Bonifacio ending up on third base with no outs. Scott Cousins came in to pinch hit for Logan Morrison, who was laid out by a Bonifacio foul ball to the face while in the on-deck circle. Scott Cousins then knocked his first major league hit in fashion, by driving in the game winning run.
Also of note, Freddie Freeman picked up his first career base hit with a single in the ninth inning. Sadly, he was the runner up in the first career base hit category of the game.
With this loss, the Marlins take the three-game series from the Braves. In the good news department, the Phillies followed the Braves losing ways and lost to the Brewers this afternoon. As a result the Braves remain a whole game ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East lead.
Head on over to Talking Chop for more on today’s game.