A ninth inning base running blunder by the Atlanta Braves allowed the San Diego Padres to snap a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 win in Atlanta, Friday.
Robert Suarez came in for the save in the bottom of the ninth inning and Alex Verdugo singled to start the inning for the Braves. He was replaced by pinch runner Eli White, who advanced to second base on a groundout by Sean Murphy.
Ozzie Albies stepped in and hit a line drive single to center that appeared to have a chance to drive in White from second base. Instead, White misinterpreted the Atlanta third base coach’s direction to stop at third base and returned to second where he was tagged out by Xander Bogaerts for the second out of the inning.
Suarez then got Michael Harris II to hit a ground ball to Bogaerts, who threw to Jose Iglesias at second base to force out Albies and give Suarez the save and the Padres the win.
San Diego and Atlanta were knotted at 1-1 heading into the ninth inning. Ronald Acuña Jr. crushed the first pitch he saw in the first inning 467 feet to centerfield for a solo home run to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.
Gavin Sheets followed in the second with a solo home run to centerfield of his own to tie the game.
The difference in the game came in the top of the ninth inning when Manny Machado led off with a solo home run to left field off Atlanta reliever Raisel Iglesias to give San Diego a 2-1 lead.
The pitching duel between Nick Pivetta for the Padres and Chris Sale for the Braves did not disappoint. Pivetta pitched six innings allowing one earned run with seven strikeouts and three walks. Sale pitched seven innings allowing one earned run with six strikeouts and one walk.
The Padres remain in Atlanta to take on the Braves, Saturday at 1:10 p.m.