Cincinnati — Nothing has gone right for the Braves on the road, and nothing can go wrong for Reds outfielder Jay Bruce.

It was a brutal combination for the Braves Saturday when they came inches from winning on a play at the plate but lost 8-7 in 10 innings instead on the rookie's walk-off homer.

Al Behrman/STF (ENLARGE)

Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. hits a two-run home run -- 599th of his career -- off Braves pitcher Jair Jurrjens in the first inning.

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In five games since his call-up, Bruce is hitting .579 (11-for-19). His first major- league home run sent the Braves to their 20th consecutive one-run loss on the road, including 13 this season.

The Braves fell to 7-20 on the road. One more loss today against the Reds and the Braves are almost mirroring their home record of 22-7.

"It's to the point now where we have to start winning these games, have to start winning these close games," catcher Brian McCann said. "Right now, they're killing us."

It's hard to get any more excruciating than what the Braves had already endured this season on the road, but the ninth inning tried.

Two outs away from a one-run win, the Braves thought they had a double play, but the Reds scored the tying run on a call that sent McCann into figurative convulsions and manager Bobby Cox into a hat-tossing tirade.

Cox was ejected for his career record-extending 138th time and the third time this season. Neither had much of a case, as Ryan Freel appeared safe in replays, but frustration has been piling up.

"Obviously, I thought he was out, but he wasn't, he was safe," McCann conceded. "He made a good call. I thought I tagged him towards his biceps, but I went and looked at it, and it was more up his body. I got caught up in the moment."

The moment unfolded with runners first and third and Rafael Soriano fielding a swinging bunt in front of the mound by David Ross. He quickly looked Freel back to third base and threw to first for the sure out. Freel broke for home as Soriano turned back, and beat Mark Teixeira's throw home on a headfirst slide.

"It was one of those where [Soriano] had to get the out," McCann said. "He looked him back and Freel made a good play. He deked like he was going back to third and then sprinted to home."

Soriano was pitching for only the second time since coming off the disabled list with elbow tendonitis. Manny Acosta had pitched 1 1/3 innings on back-to-back nights, so Soriano got the ninth-inning call.

He had a wobbly start, walking the leadoff man Adam Dunn on six pitches — including one to the backstop. And he gave up a one-out single to Joey Votto to put runners on first and third.

"The first pitch I throw, I feel a little bit not loose," Soriano said. "After a couple more pitches, I felt right."

Acosta came on in the 10th and took the loss.

Relievers were scarce after Jair Jurrjens failed to make it out of the fifth inning for the second consecutive start.

He gave up as many home runs in the first inning as he had all year — two — on back-to-back swings by Ken Griffey Jr. and Brandon Phillips. Griffey's was the 599th of his career.

"I stunk today," Jurrjens said. "I didn't have control of anything. My fastball was running up ... and up here if you [throw] high fastballs you're going to get lit up."

Jurrjens had blister problems, making it only 4 2/3 innings Monday against Arizona. He wouldn't blame that for his 4 1/3 innings Saturday.

"If I blame the blister, I'm being a coward," he said.

The Braves stayed in the game on home runs by Greg Norton and Teixeira, that drove in five runs. They thought they'd won it on a third, when Jeff Francoeur put them up 7-6 on a solo shot in the seventh.