Braves 4 - 2 Pirates
Final/11
  for this game

Braves top Pirates on Conrad's HR in 11

May 25, 2011 - 11:36 PM

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Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Brooks Conrad's pinch-hit, two-run homer in the 11th inning was the difference as Atlanta topped Pittsburgh, 4-2, in the finale of a two-game set from PNC Park.

"It feels great," Conrad said of his winning hit. "Any time you can come through like that is so much fun, to get the win for the team. It was awesome."

Eric Hinske added a solo shot and Chipper Jones also knocked in a run for the Braves, who swept the brief series and have won three of four overall.

George Sherrill (1-0) turned in a scoreless 10th and Craig Kimbrel followed suit in the 11th to record his 14th save.

Recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett prior to the contest, Mike Minor got the start and allowed one run on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings.

Steve Pearce collected three hits and homered while driving in both runs for the Pirates, who have dropped three in a row.

Jeff Karstens (3-3) took the loss after serving up the deciding home run in two relief innings.

Karstens retired Jones to start the deciding frame, but Brian McCann singled and Conrad reached down to send a pitch over the wall in right-center to give Atlanta a 4-2 edge.

"It's pretty bad to lose a game like this," Karstens admitted. "It's never a good thing. I'm not saying I'm immune. This is baseball, I blew it, I should have done better."

Kimbrel finished off the victory by retiring the side in order.

Jordan Schafer began the game with a double, Alex Gonzalez singled, and Jones' base hit plated Schafer, then in the home third Jose Tabata reached on an infield single, stole second and scored on a Pearce single.

Hinske's two-out shot to left in the sixth was countered by a two-out solo homer from Pearce in the bottom of the seventh.

Two walks and an error loaded the bases with one out for Pittsburgh in the bottom of the ninth, but Jonny Venters induced Pearce into a rare inning- ending 5-2-3 double play.

Game Notes

Pirates starter James McDonald worked six innings, giving up six hits and two runs while fanning six...Coming in, he had gone 5-1 with a 2.73 ERA in nine starts at PNC Park since being acquired from the Dodgers last July 31...Pittsburgh shortstop Ronny Cedeno extended his run to 33 games without an error, the longest streak since Jack Wilson went 42 games in 2008...Schafer and Gonzalez each posted two hits for Atlanta.






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