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Chen stellar as O's blank Braves

Jun 17, 2012 - 9:59 PM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Wei-Yin Chen tossed seven shutout innings on Sunday and the Baltimore Orioles blanked the Atlanta Braves, 2-0, in the rubber match of a three-game interleague set at Turner Field.

Chen (7-2) allowed six hits, one walk and struck out two to earn the win. He threw 70 of his 101 pitches for strikes. Darren O'Day, Troy Patton and Pedro Strop combined for a scoreless eighth and Jim Johnson collected his 20th save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.

Adam Jones went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Steve Pearce scored on a balk for the Orioles, who have won seven of their last eight contests.

"We're just trying to win each game," remarked Jones. "Obviously that's not possible but that?s our mind set. We won the series which is huge. Today was the rubber match for both teams and we were able to come out and get the series. You got to tip your hat to (Randall) Delgado. He pitched a good game but we were able to get that run early and Wei-Yin was just sensational."

Randall Delgado (4-7) pitched well in defeat, allowing two runs on three hits over eight innings to go with six strikeouts. Andrelton Simmons added a pair of hits in the loss for the Braves, losers in six of their last seven games.

Baltimore plated the only run it would need in the second inning when Jones led off the frame with a ground-rule double into the right-field corner, went to third on a flyout by Wilson Betemit and scored on a deep fly ball to right by Mark Reynolds for the first run of the game.

The Braves put two runners on base in the third on consecutive singles by David Ross and Simmons, but a sacrifice bunt attempt by Delgado resulted in a double play and Chen got Michael Bourn to ground out, ending the threat.

Pearce led off the Baltimore sixth with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chen. With Robert Andino at the plate, Delgado flinched on the mound and was called for a balk, which allowed Pearce to trot home to make it 2-0.

Atlanta got the tying run to the plate in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings but failed to score each time before Johnson came on in the ninth and retired Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla and Matt Diaz to end the game.

"We've played well. You also have to remember we've got some guys hurt," Ross said. "We're just trying to get back healthy and grind it out. It's a long season. We knew this going to be a tough part. The American League is really good. I feel bad for Randall. He threw the heck of the ball."

Game Notes

Prior to Sunday's game, the Braves placed pitcher Brandon Beachy on the 15-day disabled list and recalled pitcher Todd Redmond from Triple-A Gwinnett...In his only other interleague start of the season, Chen allowed six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings on May 20 against the Washington Nationals...Baltimore went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and stranded one, while the Braves finished 0-for-2 with men in scoring position and left five on base...The O's will open a three-game set against the New York Mets on Monday, while Atlanta will also head to New York as it opens a three-game series against the Yankees on Monday.