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Braves edge Rangers, avoid sweep

Jun 19, 2011 - 11:21 PM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Jason Heyward drove in a pair of runs while Freddie Freeman finished 3-for-4 to help the Atlanta Braves avoid a three-game sweep with a 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers.

Freeman also knocked in a run while speedy leadoff man Jordan Schafer scored twice for the Braves, who collected just their second win in seven games and have not been swept in a series of at least three games this season.

Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens (9-3) collected his ninth win after throwing 5 1/3 innings. He allowed just one run on seven hits and two walks while striking out four.

Josh Hamilton and Yorvit Torrealba each had an RBI for the Rangers, who ended a 10-game road trip 3-7.

Alexi Ogando (7-2) suffered his second straight loss for Texas. He allowed three runs -- one earned -- on five hits and struck out three in five innings.

Craig Kimbrel came in to save the game in the ninth with the 4-2 lead, but did have to face Hamilton, who represented the tying run. With two down, Elvis Andrus reached first on throwing error by third baseman Diory Hernandez, which put the dangerous Hamilton in the batter's box.

However, Kimbrel struck out the slugger on three straight pitches to end the game and collect his 19th save of the season.

"Anytime you lose multiple games in a row you want to get out there and win," Kimbrel said. "(Jurrjens) was our stopper today and it was a big win."

With one down in the third inning, Schafer reached first on a catcher's interference call. Dan Uggla then ripped a single through the left side and the two runners advanced on a wild pitch during Heyward's at-bat. Heyward followed that with a looper over short to bring home both Schafer and Uggla for a 2-0 lead.

The inning kept going when Freeman hit a two-out single to put runners on the corners for Alex Gonzalez, who popped up near the plate. The ball landed between three confused Rangers as Heyward scored, and Torrealba was charged with an error.

Torrealba made up for his interference call and fielding error with an RBI single in the fourth to put the Rangers on the board. Later in the game, though, the catcher was replaced by Taylor Teagarden because of heat-related problems.

"It was a long game, but we're no strangers to hot games," Texas first baseman Michael Young said. "We play them all the time, but it was definitely a warm one. It was a well-played game, both teams battled and we just came up on the short end."

Texas cut the deficit to one in the seventh thanks to the speed of Ian Kinsler. He led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on Andrus' flyout to right and scored on Hamilton's groundout to first.

The Braves added an insurance run in the seventh. Schafer drew a leadoff walk and stole second before Heyward walked and Brian McCann popped out. Freeman drilled a one-bounce ground-rule double into left-center to score Schafer and put Atlanta up 4-2.

Game Notes

The Braves activated outfielder Nate McLouth, who went 1-for-3, off the 15- day disabled list before the game .He had been on the DL since May 23 with a strained left oblique. To open a roster spot, the team designated outfielder Joe Mather for assignment...Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones (right adductor strain) did not play in his third straight game...Game time was 3:34.