Braves 4 - 3 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Braves hand Dodgers first home loss

Apr 25, 2012 - 6:15 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Tyler Pastornicky broke a ninth-inning tie when he scored on Martin Prado's two-out triple, and the Atlanta Braves edged the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3, in the middle test of a three-game series.

Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones celebrated his 40th birthday with a solo home run.

Pastornicky collected three hits, including a leadoff single in the ninth, for the Braves, who snapped a two-game skid and handed the Dodgers their first loss in eight home games this season.

Atlanta's rookie shortstop moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before Prado lofted the seventh pitch he saw from Javy Guerra (1-2) to center field. Matt Kemp couldn't make the catch as he crashed into the wall.

"Prado gave me a nice birthday present," Jones said. "He had a long at-bat and finally got one."

Craig Kimbrel succeeded Eric O'Flaherty (1-0) and struck out Andre Ethier to begin the bottom of the ninth, but gave up a single to Jerry Hairston and issued a two-out walk to A.J. Ellis. Kimbrel recovered to strike out pinch- hitter Tony Gwynn on three pitches and earn his sixth save of the season.

Mike Minor started for the Braves, while Aaron Harang toed the rubber for Los Angeles. Both hurlers gave up three runs over six innings.

"That lineup is pretty good and for Aaron to hold them to three was pretty good," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

Juan Rivera hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Los Angeles before leaving later in the game with a left hamstring strain.

Atlanta pulled even with two runs in the fifth. Jones led off the frame by going deep for the fifth time on his birthday. The Braves then loaded the bases on singles by Jason Heyward and Pastornicky and a one-out walk by Michael Bourn. Prado plated Heyward with a groundout to second.

Brian McCann then scored on a wild pitch to give the visitors the lead in the sixth. But the Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the frame when Kemp grounded into a double play to score Dee Gordon.

Game Notes

The Braves were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position...Minor allowed eight hits, two more than Harang, who walked four batters.






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