Braves 4 - 5 Diamondbacks
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Johnson, Diamondbacks rally to best Braves in extras

May 19, 2011 - 6:56 AM

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Kelly Johnson smacked an RBI single and Ryan Roberts raced home on an infield hit by Justin Upton, as the Diamondbacks scored twice in the 11th inning for a 5-4 victory over the Braves to start a two-game series.

The Braves had taken the lead on Diory Hernandez's run-scoring single in the top of the 11th, but Craig Kimbrel couldn't close it out.

Kimbrel (1-2) gave up a one-out single to Russell Branyan, and pinch-runner Josh Wilson went to second on Ryan Roberts' infield base hit.

Johnson, a former Brave, singled up the middle on a ball that could have been a double play if it didn't hit the front of the mound and pop over second base, scoring Wilson.

Upton hit a chopper on the next pitch to second baseman Dan Uggla, who charged but couldn't field the ball cleanly, allowing Roberts to score the winning run.

"He threw me a good slider and I was trying to shorten [my swing] up and try to get something to the outfield for a sac fly," said Upton. "It didn't work out as planned, but it got the job done."

Roberts had also scored the game-tying run in the seventh inning when he raced home from second base on a wild pitch.

Upton hit a solo homer for the Diamondbacks, who have won four of five, and starter Joe Saunders gave up just a run in six innings. Aaron Heilman (2-0) got the win despite giving up Atlanta's run in the 11th.

The Braves had a four-game winning streak snapped. Starter Julio Teheran lasted four innings, giving up two runs on six hits.

"We let one slip away," said Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones. "Got a little unlucky."

The Diamondbacks tied the game on an unlikely play.

After walking to lead off the seventh and going to second on Johnson's sacrifice bunt, Roberts came all the way around to score on a wild pitch.

Braves catcher Brian McCann couldn't locate the ball, which kicked back toward the Arizona dugout. And by the time reliever Scott Proctor raced to get it, his throw was too late to get Roberts.

"I just took off running and glanced in after about three steps and saw that McCann didn't know where the ball was," said Roberts. "So I just kept running hard.

"First of all, I was just going to give it a hard turn (around third). And I saw Proctor and him both break for the ball and saw an open plate, so I just took a chance to tie the game."

Upton jumped on a 3-2 changeup in the first inning, hammering it deep into the seats behind left-center field for his ninth homer of the season.

Arizona extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth, sparked by Juan Miranda's one- out single. He moved to second on Saunders' two-out single and scored when Roberts lined an opposite-field base hit into right.

The Braves halved their deficit in the sixth, when Jason Heyward singled, moved to third on Jones' double and scored on McCann's sac fly.

They took a 3-2 lead in the seventh after Esmerling Vasquez relieved Saunders. Brooks Conrad hit an RBI double, went to third on the throw home and scored on Martin Prado's sac fly.

Game Notes

The Braves went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven men on base. The Diamondbacks were 3-for-9 and left 12 runners on...Saunders hasn't won a game since September 21 against Colorado (11 starts).






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