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Reyes gets first major league win, Braves edge Marlins

Sep 19, 2007 - 4:22 AM By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Jo-Jo Reyes and Andruw Jones helped keep Atlanta's remote playoff chances alive.

Reyes allowed one run in five frames and Jones made a spectacular defensive play in the eighth to lead the Braves to a 4-3 win over the Florida Marlins on Tuesday.

With Buddy Carlyle sidelined with a hyperextended right elbow, the Braves sent Reyes (1-2) to the hill looking for his first major league win. The 22-year old Californian delivered.

Reyes allowed one run and three hits, walked three and struck out a career-best seven in five frames. The southpaw hurled 55 of his 100 pitches for strikes en route to notching his first win in his eighth start.

"It was fun," said Reyes, who was given the game ball. "My goal was to have fun. That's what I had tonight. I was glad to get (the first win) out of the way and move on from there."

"He kept them off balance," catcher Brian McCann said. "He got the job done. They were swinging at quality strikes. He did a great job."

With the victory, Atlanta (78-73) moved to within 5 1/2 games of the suddenly struggling New York Mets (83-67) in the National League East Division. New York lost, 9-8, to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

The Braves also trail the San Diego Padres (82-67) by five games in the race for the wild card. San Diego faces the Pittsburgh Pirates later Tuesday.

"We're going to need help," Matt Diaz said. "Crazier things have happened. Not much crazier things, but they have happened."

Atlanta plated single runs in the first, second, fourth and fifth en route to notching their third straight win.

Jeff Francoeur got the Braves on the board with an RBI single off rookie Chris Seddon (0-1) in the first and Edgar Renteria plated Matt Diaz with a single one frame later to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.

After Dan Uggla lofted a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 2-1 in the third, rookie Yunel Escobar plated Matt Diaz with a single in the fourth and Brian McCann chased Seddon by plating Chipper Jones with a single in the fifth to pad the lead to 4-1.

The Marlins closed the gap to 4-3 in the seventh.

The Marlins loaded the bases with two outs off Atlanta relievers Tyler Yates and Royce Ring. Manny Acosta relieved Ring and surrendered a two-run single to Miguel Cabrera before issuing a free pass to Josh Willingham to load the bases. But Ron Mahay, Atlanta's fourth pitcher of the frame, finally restored order by inducing Mike Jacobs to ground out to end the inning.

Mahay issued a leadoff single to Cody Ross in the eighth before retiring the next two batters in order. Ramirez lofted what appeared to be a game-tying extra base hit into the right-center field gap.

However, nine-time Gold Glove Award winning center fielder Andruw Jones robbed Ramirez by making a spectacular diving grab to preserve the win.

"It was big," Jones said. "The game was on the line there. It gets by you and it's a double or a triple. It was one of those do or die catches."

"You've seen that play by him all the time," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "That's why he has what, nine or 10 Gold Gloves?"

Jones' game-saving play, while spectacular, was something that his teammates have become used to.

"Andruw won the game for us with that catch in (right)-center field," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It was a remarkably great play, but just an Andruw Jones ordinary play."

"It's the most unbelievable catch you'll see all night," Diaz said. "It'll be the number one top play. But the whole time, I thought he had that."

Closer Rafael Soriano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his seventh save.

Seddon allowed four runs - three earned - and nine hits in 4 1/3 frames for the Marlins, who have lost two straight.