Wieters' 11th-Inning HR Gives Orioles 2-1 Win Over Braves
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves wasted an outstanding pitching performance by Alex Wood and put a damper on a special night for Nick Markakis.
Matt Wieters led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a home run against Luis Avilan to give the Baltimore Orioles a 2-1 victory over the Braves on Monday.
Wood allowed three hits and two walks in 7 1-3 scoreless innings. The left-hander was replaced by Jason Frasor, who struck out Manny Machado on a 3-2 pitch with two on and two outs.
That left Wood with an unsatisfying no-decision.
"It's one of those things where, if you throw absolutely terrible but you win the game, you feel all right," he said. "And then you throw really good and you get a loss, it still feels like a loss."
Markakis played nine years with the Orioles before signing a four-year, $44 million contract with Atlanta during the offseason. Many in the crowd of 26,256 acknowledged his run in Baltimore with a long standing ovation before he stepped into the batter's box to begin the game.
The team also saluted its longtime right fielder with a video montage before the bottom of the first.
"Tonight just shows what type of fans they are and how loyal they are," Markakis said.
His former teammates feel the same way.
"Obviously we all love him and respect him," Orioles starter Kevin Gausman said. "Just one of those guys that did everything the right way."
Markakis went 2 for 5. Rookie third baseman Adonis Garcia homered for the Braves, who have dropped 11 of 15.
After taking two from Tampa Bay last weekend, the Orioles rallied in the ninth inning and put the game away in the 11th when Wieters connected on the second pitch from Avilan (2-4).
It was Wieters' fourth home run, the first since June 25, and his teammates celebrated by dousing him with a bucket of water at the plate.
Garcia went deep against All-Star reliever Zach Britton in the ninth inning to break up a scoreless duel, but Baltimore rallied in the bottom half against former Oriole Jim Johnson.
Playing in his fifth major league game, Garcia drove a 1-0 pitch over the right-field scoreboard. Garcia, a 30-year-old Cuban native, has two homers since making his debut on Saturday night.
Looking for his 10th save, Johnson promptly gave up singles to Adam Jones and Wieters to put runners at the corners with no outs for J.J. Hardy, who delivered a sacrifice fly.
Brad Brach (4-2) worked the 11th for the Orioles, who have won three straight for the first time since late June.
"To win the last three games, it's been a challenge for us, so I think it's coming at a good time," manager Buck Showalter said.
The defending AL East champions trail division leader New York by seven games but are in the thick of the wild-card hunt.
"Right now being where we are, cherishing a win is big," Wieters said. "To be able to keep piling up wins is what we need to do."
STREAKY
Braves: Former Baltimore catcher Ryan Lavarnway had his seven-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 outing.
Orioles: Hardy has hit in 10 straight games, Wieters snapped an 0-for-14 skid with a seventh-inning single and Chris Davis went 0 for 3 with two intentional walks, ending his nine-game hitting streak.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: Freddie Freeman batted third for the first time since returning from the DL on Saturday. He had been sidelined with a bruised right wrist. Markakis was shifted from third to the leadoff spot, and Jace Peterson went from first to sixth.
Orioles: Steve Pearce (left oblique strain) has not been able to perform baseball activities or lift weights since going on the disabled list July 22 (retroactive to July 19). He expressed doubt about returning from the DL next week.
UP NEXT
Braves: Julio Teheran (6-5, 4.49 ERA) makes his first career start against the Orioles on Tuesday. Atlanta is 11-9 in his 20 starts.
Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (7-6, 3.81 ERA) seeks to improve his 3-5 lifetime record against the Braves, a team he last faced in 2013.
(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)