The San Diego Padres clinched a series win with a 5-4 defeat of the Atlanta Braves for the second time in their last 13 tries. Ryan Ludwick led the way for the Padres with four hits and an RBI while closer Heath Bell was able to hang on in the ninth for the save.
San Diego jumped in front in the third when Chase Headley roped an RBI double off of Braves starter Mike Minor taking a 1-0 lead. Atlanta answered right back in the fourth. Freddie Freeman continued his hot streak with a double that drove in both Brian McCann and Eric Hinske and put the Braves in front 2-1.
The Padres once again tied the game in the fifth when Chris Denorfia scored on a Headley double play ground out. Dernorfia led off the inning with a double. San Diego did most of its damage in the seventh when they got three RBI singles from Dernorfia, Ludwick, and Jorge Cantu off of Cory Gearrin who had replaced Minor.
Chipper Jones pulled the Braves to within 5-3 with an RBI single in the bottom half of the seventh. Padres closer Heath Bell took the mound in the ninth for the fourth consecutive game. Bell recorded the first out of the inning on a Joe Mather pop up but then walked Jordan Schafer who later stole second. Martin Prado flied out to left before Chipper Jones singled scoring Schafer and making the score 5-4. Bell got McCann to pop up and escaped the inning with no further damage.
Mat Latos earned the win for San Diego allowing two runs over six innings of work. Latos allowed five hits, struck out seven, and walked four.
Mike Minor falls to 0-2 on the season after allowing three runs over six innings. Minor gave up eight hits and three runs while striking out four. Cory Gearrin had a rough outing allowing two runs and four hits in just two thirds of an inning.
Ryan Ludwick went 4 for 5 for the Padres while Chris Denorfia was 3 for 5. Freddie Freeman was 3 for 5 for the Braves with two RBI's while Chipper Jones went 2 for 3 with two walks and two RBI for the Braves.
The series wraps up on Wednesday Tommy Hanson scheduled to take the mound for Atlanta.