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Jones lifts Braves over Reds in 12 innings

May 29, 2011 - 4:19 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Chipper Jones singled home Jordan Schafer in the 12th inning to boost the Atlanta Braves to a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Turner Field.

Brian McCann went 4-for-5 with a pair of solo homers. Freddie Freeman had three hits, including a solo home run, in Atlanta's third victory in four games.

Jonny Gomes had four hits and scored twice for the Reds. Drew Stubbs knocked in three runs, but grounded into a double play with two men on base in the top of the 12th.

"It's always good to come through on the last at-bat. It's frustrating because I've been so close the last few games," Jones said. "I'm swinging the bat a lot better and coming within milli-inches of hitting a couple of balls out, not getting enough of them. Two guys at the top set the table there the last inning, put good at-bats together and one finally fell in, so it's nice to see."

In the bottom half, Carlos Fisher (0-2) walked Schaefer and Martin Prado before Jones grounded a single through the right side. The throw to the plate was late, as the Braves evened the three-game series with the finale set for Sunday night.

Scott Linebrink (1-1) pitched the final two innings to get the victory.

Both starters saw early exits thanks to some offensive firepower. Bronson Arroyo surrendered nine hits and five runs over three innings, while Derek Lowe departed after yielding seven hits and five runs over 3 1/3 frames.

"The last two outings I've just gotten killed," Arroyo said. "I pitched less than six innings in two outings and thrown about 130 pitches, it's not a real good number. The ball club came back tonight and tried to pick me up, but we just couldn't quite get it done."

Arroyo has allowed 19 hits and 14 runs over his last two appearances.

"We've been struggling as a starting rotation for a little while now as a whole," he said. "I'm the guy now that's really gotten killed the last 10 days. I just have to go back to the drawing board, simplify things and try to find a way to put a zero on the board, however you've got to do it."

Losers in nine of their last 11 games, the Reds rallied from an early five-run deficit, but 13 men left on base hampered their chance to follow up Friday's 5-1 win.

Jeremy Horst, promoted from Triple-A Louisville Saturday, made his major league debut and fanned four batters over 2 2/3 innings after taking over for Arroyo. He added an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Jay Bruce killed a bases-loaded rally by grounding into a double play to complete the top of the first, and Eric Hinske singled in Jones in the bottom half.

The Braves tacked on RBI singles from Schafer and Prado in the second. McCann and Freeman homered to right field in the third inning to provide the 5-0 margin.

The Reds bounced back with a five-spot in the fourth. They loaded the bases with one out before Stubbs cleared them with a double to right. Brandon Phillips then doubled to left and scored on Joey Votto's base hit to center.

Horst's first major league plate appearance resulted in an RBI base hit to drive in Gomes in the fifth, but McCann led off the bottom half with a blast over the wall in right-center to tie it at 6-6.

Prado flied out to center to strand a runner at third in the sixth.

Edgar Renteria singled to start the top of the 12th and Chris Heisey was intentionally walked with one out, but Stubbs grounded into his first double play all season to squash the rally.

Game Notes

This was McCann's seventh multi-homer game and second this year...Braves rookie reliever Craig Kimbrel celebrated his 23rd birthday Saturday and pitched the 10th inning...Bruce, who entered Saturday hitting .400 with three homers and 12 RBI this week, went 0-for-6.