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Lowry, Aurilia pick up Bonds-less Giants in win over Braves

Jul 26, 2007 - 6:53 AM By Ryan McCrary PA Sportsticker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Commissioner Bud Selig watched Barry Bonds get the night off while Noah Lowry and Rich Aurilia helped the San Francisco Giants scratch out a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

After announcing that he will try to be in attendance for Giants' games until Bonds reaches and breaks Hank Aaron's all-time home run record, Selig watched as the seven-time National League MVP opted to take the evening off after playing all 13 innings last night. Bonds was available to pinch hit, however.

Making the 100th start of his career, Lowry (11-7) turned in a solid effort. The southpaw entered the game after a pair of rugged starts, but rebounded to stymie the Braves in his fourth career appearance against the club, permitting one run and seven hits with four strikeouts over eight frames.

Lowry got plenty of help from a defense that turned three double plays over the first six innings. The effort has become routine for Lowry, who has induced a National League-best 23 double plays.

"I'm just happy to go out and make quality pitches," Lowry said. "We just tried to stay with the gameplan. They didn't really hit me hard - a couple bloopers, but you just try to minimize the damage."

"Wow, what a great job he did," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "He probably threw as well tonight as he has all year. Great stuff - he got the groundballs where we needed (them). He turned some nice double plays tonight."

Tied at 1-1 in the sixth, Aurilia gave the Giants their first lead of the series with a home run down the left field line.

"Anytime you can do that, it builds on your confidence," Aurilia said. "You see the ball better and take better swings."

It was one of the few blemishes for Braves starter Chuck James (8-8) on his way to allowing two runs and seven hits with five strikeouts over six innings.

"He's had nothing but great ones," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "We just couldn't get him any runs tonight. We had (them) on the ropes there in the end, but couldn't come through. Other than that, not much to that ballgame."

James offered no excuses as the Braves have managed just three runs in his last two starts, spanning 13 innings.

"He's (Lowry) a good pitcher and he had a little better stuff than me today," James said. "I actually missed up and over the middle a lot tonight and, unfortunately, I got away with it and that time (Aurilia's homer) I didn't."

Closer Brad Hennessey relieved Lowry to open the ninth and promptly surrendered Jeff Francoeur's leadoff double. However, he forced Matt Diaz into a groundout and struck out rookie Jarrod Saltalamacchia and pinch hitter Kelly Johnson to post his seventh save in nine chances.

"He was just kind of mixing everything up and threw the right pitches at the right time," Saltalamacchia said. "All in all, both pitchers threw a pretty good game."

Francoeur had two hits and Chipper Jones extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the first inning, the 22nd time in his career he has managed a double-digit streak.

"We had a couple shots," Francouer said. "We just weren't able to do it tonight. (James) pitched great. It seems like every night he's been going out there, giving up two runs in six or seven innings and that's all you can ask for. We just couldn't score any runs for him again, which is unfortunate because he pitched well."

San Francisco collected its first win at home after the All-Star Break and snapped a five-game losing streak at AT&T Park.

When asked about Bonds' availability for Thursday after the game, Bochy gave a dodging definite maybe.

"More than likely he'll be out there," Bochy said. "Today was my decision, but tomorrow I think he'll be out there."