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Renteria carries Braves past Giants

Jul 25, 2007 - 7:58 AM SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Edgar Renteria spoiled Barry Bonds' birthday.

Renteria hit the go-ahead two-run double in the 13th inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 7-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.

In the 13th, Juilo Franco walked and was replaced by pinch runner Chris Woodward, who took second on rookie Yunel Escobar's single to center. A wild pitch by Jonathan Sanchez (1-2) advanced Woodward and Escobar, putting runners on second and third.

Woodard tried to score on Willie Harris' groundout, but Rich Aurilia threw the 31-year-old out at home plate. But Renteria delivered a two-run double to the left field corner tor a 6-4 lead. Chipper Jones capped the three-run uprising with an RBI single.

Rookie Peter Moylan (4-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win and Tyler Yates battled in the 13th for his second save for Atlanta, which had 15 hits.

The extra-inning victory overshadowed a ninth-inning collapse. Atlanta starter Tim Hudson allowed three runs and six hits in 8 2/3 innings. He was just one out away from registering his first shutout since tossing a one-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on May 1, 2006.

"Typical Huddy game ... pitched his (butt) off and then we blow it," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "He couldn't pitch any better than that. Huddy's snake-bit with this type of game. It's unbelievable. He ought to be on his way to 20 (wins)."

After giving up back-to-back walks to open the inning, Hudson got Bonds to pop out and Ryan Klesko flied out to left-center field.

"We won the game, that's the most important thing. It was great for us to pull this game out," Hudson said. "We gave them a little bit of hope there in the ninth inning and they took advantage."

Aurilia's RBI single chased Hudson, who was replaced by closer Bob Wickman. But the veteran righthander could not close the door, as Pedro Feliz laced a run-scoring double to center and pinch hitter Bengie Molina followed with the game-tying RBI.

"Aurilia, you got to hand it to him," Cox said. "He ruined that inning. He hit a great pitch."

"I feel terrible that I've blown it twice for Timmy and the third time this year that I've blown a save for him," Wickman said.

Bonds, 43, finished 1-for-5 in remaining two homers shy from tying Hall of Famer Hank Aaron's all-time mark. The seven-time National League MVP entered hitting a remarkable .474 with four homers against Hudson.

"The key with Barry is to be aggressive," Hudson said. "He's obviously going to take advantage of you now and then, but I'd rather do that than fall behind 2-0 and mess up and throw him middle of the plate."

Atlanta grabbed an early lead in the fourth, as Jeff Francouer had an RBI double and Kelly Johnson followed with a two-run single off starter Matt Morris.

"That was a little bit of a heartbreaker there," Johnson said. "Just losing the lead and going into extra innings, but we still got a win, so we're walking away with a smile on our face and come back and get them (Wednesday)."

Jones made it 4-0 with his 17th blast over the left field wall in the fifth. It was his third career homer against Morris.

Morris, who had been mentioned in several trade rumors, gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings to remain winless in his last seven starts. He fanned five and walked one.