Brian McCann may not have started the game, but he certainly ended it.
McCann hit the tying home run in the ninth and walk-off home run in the 11th as the Braves won the game, 3-1, and the series against the Astros.
The Astros went up 1-0 in the seventh when Brett Wallace hit a solo homer off Derek Lowe. They remained on top by the same score until two outs in the ninth when Brian McCann hit a pinch-hit home run off Mark Melancon to tie the game at one. McCann struck again in the 11th with the walk-off home run off Jeff Fulchino.
Wandy Rodriguez pitched eight shutout innings on five hits for Houston, walking two and striking out six. He induced 10 groundouts to six flyouts while throwing 68 strikes over 113 pitches.
The Braves scattered singles in various innings but couldn't string anything together. They reached second base in the first inning when Jason Heyward singled and stole second, but he was stranded. Singles by Martin Prado and Chipper Jones put a runner on second in the sixth, but both were stranded.
Chipper went 1-5 with three strikeouts in his return to the lineup. Heyward went 1-3 with two walks.
Lowe allowed one run on five hits in seven innings, not walking any and striking out four. He threw a ton of strikes and induced 12 groundouts to two flyouts, one of his best outings this season. The lone mistake was a 3-1 sinker left over the plate to Wallace. He also gave up a double to Clint Barmes in the second but that was it.
George Sherrill gave up two hits without recording an out in the eighth. Scott Proctor came on in relief, receiving the first out on a sac bunt. After walking Hunter Pence intentionally to load the bases with one out, Carlos Lee popped out and Wallace struck out to end the threat.
Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty each pitched a scoreless inning. Cory Gearrin loaded the bases in the 11th, but he induced a double play to get out of it and preserve the tie, earning his first career win.
David Ross started behind the plate for the Braves and went 0-2 with a walk. McCann replaced him as a pinch hitter in the ninth, going 2-2 with two home runs and three RBIs, finishing with a .858 WPA. Eric Hinske went 1-4 with a walk and almost tied the game as the hitter before McCann in the ninth, hitting a fly ball to the wall that Pence caught. Prado went 2-5 with two singles.
Pence and Barmes each had two hits. Wallace had the lone RBI on the home run and added a walk.
For more on the series, Braves fans check out Talking Chop and Astros fans check out Crawfish Boxes.