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Diaz leads Braves to dramatic win over Phillies

Sep 5, 2007 - 11:19 PM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies spoiled a golden opportunity to gain ground in the National League East.

Matt Diaz's three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Atlanta Braves a dramatic 9-8 victory over the Phillies on Wednesday.

After the first-place New York Mets (78-61) lost a 7-0 decision to the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the day, the Phillies (73-66) appeared to be well on their way to reducing their deficit in the division as they held a 8-2 lead entering the eighth inning.

"I'm not believing that," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of the way his team lost on Wednesday. "I totally can't believe that. I've never seen that, ever. It's mind-boggling."

The Braves (71-69) posted four runs in the bottom of the eighth before putting together an improbable two-out rally in the ninth off Phillies closer Brett Myers (3-6), who also had been called upon to record the final two outs in the eighth.

Myers recorded the first two outs in the ninth but then allowed back-to-back singles to Jeff Francoeur and Martin Prado, who collected an infield hit after chopping the ball off home plate. Myers loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk to rookie Yunel Escobar.

Diaz, who finished with four RBI, followed with a fly to deep right field that glanced off the top of the outstretched glove of right fielder Chris Roberson and rolled to the wall. Roberson retrieved the ball in time to create a play at the plate, but Escobar beat the throw home.

"We really needed a win," Diaz said. "Two outs, bases loaded, that's kind of what you live for. I was trying to make solid contact. (Myers) has had pretty good success against me. I was just trying to put a bat on the ball."

Myers allowed three runs, four hits and three walks while striking out one in the loss. Atlanta reliever Rafael Soriano (3-3) was credited with the win after tossing a scoreless ninth.

"It happened so fast," Myers said. "The game got out of control with cheap hits and balls falling in. The ball went their way today. It's disappointing."

Trailing by six and facing the possibility of falling to the .500 mark for the first time since June 24, the Braves offense waited into the eighth inning to start churning.

Chipper Jones led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on Brian McCann's bloop single to right-center field. One out later, Francoeur followed with a bloop hit over the head of second baseman Chase Utley to score Jones. Pinch hitter Scott Thorman followed with another soft single that loaded the bases and chased reliever Tom Gordon.

With the tying run on deck, Manuel called upon Myers.

Myers was wild from the start, plating pinch runner Chris Woodward with a wild pitch before loading the bases again by walking Escobar. Diaz cut the lead to 8-5 with a broken-bat infield hit before Myers forced in a run by walking Willie Harris on six pitches.

"When we were able to get runs against (Myers), it definitely felt like a momentum shift," Diaz said.

Adding to the improbability of the comeback was how putrid the Braves had been with the bases loaded of late. Entering Wednesday, the Atlanta offense had the bases loaded with one or no outs on six occasions over their last five games, but managed to plate just eight runs, scoring one run in five of those six chances.

"It's a crazy, crazy game," Jones said. "We had no business winning this game as lousy as we played the first six innings. But you swing the bat, make contact, they fall in and things happen."

Braves starter Tim Hudson allowed five runs, a season-high 11 hits, walked two and struck out four in five frames.

"That's the kind of stuff that's been happening to us all year," Hudson said. "It was nice to have something go our way for a change."

Harris broke out of an 0-for-25 slump with a single in the first inning and added a solo home run in the sixth for the Braves first run.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick scattered two runs, six hits and struck out two without a walk in five-plus frames.

Chase Utley and Jayson Werth drove in two runs apiece for the Phillies and Pat Burrell hit his 25th home run of the season.