Pittsburgh — They insist it hasn't become a mental block, but it's natural to start wondering about these Braves and their mounting road woes.

And then there's the utter lack of support for Tom Glavine. ...

John Heller/AP (ENLARGE)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Brian Bixler slides into home plate to score the Pirates' second run of a baseball game as Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann misses the tag in the seventh inning in Pittsburgh, Friday.

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And don't forget the one-run-game thing. ...

Oh, everything was so much better back home.

Fresh off a six-game homestand sweep, the Braves hit the road and were dealt another wrenching defeat, losing 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night in the opener of a four-game series at PNC Park.

Freddy Sanchez's two-out, ninth-inning single off Jeff Bennett (0-2) was the game-ender, leaving Glavine with another no-decision after seven strong innings.

"We've got to start playing better on the road, if we want to be a complete team," catcher Brian McCann said of the Braves, who have the distinction of owning the best home record (14-4) in the majors and worst road record (4-12).

They started this seven-game trip the way they ended their last one, with a one-run loss. They are a majors-worst 1-10 in one-run games, the exception coming Thursday in a 5-4 win against San Diego to complete a 6-0 homestand.

Glavine took a three-hit shutout to the seventh inning and climbed two spots on the career strikeout ladder, moving past Bob Feller and Warren Spahn into 24th.

But it was another otherwise empty feeling for the 42-year-old left-hander, who finished with no decision and a pitching line of two runs, five hits and four walks allowed, with three strikeouts to give him 2,584 for his career.

"Can't pitch any better," manager Bobby Cox said of Glavine, whose record remained 0-1 this season and 303-200 in his career. Cox went through Glavine's starts citing his total runs allowed, followed each time by "... and we blew it."

"You have to laugh at it, nothing else that I can do," Glavine said of his tough luck, which includes no decisions in three road starts when he has pitched six or more innings while allowing two earned runs or fewer.

"I mean, it's frustrating, and I want to win and be part of what's going on around here. The flip side is, I'm happy with the way I'm throwing the ball. It [winning games] just hasn't happened for me yet."

The 42-year-old left-hander is 0-3 in 10 starts since mid-September, and his teams (Mets and Braves) have lost nine of those games.

The Braves trailed 2-1 before Jeff Francoeur's tying two-out single in the eighth inning off former Braves reliever Tyler Yates. Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann had each hit two-out singles off Damaso Marte.

The Braves had as many hits in that inning (three) as in the first seven.

"I feel bad for [Glavine]," McCann said. "He deserves three or four wins already this year. It's just a shame. We haven't hit for him."

Fans with radios kept others informed of what was happening in the NHL Eastern Conference championship series opener between their beloved Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers being played on the other side of downtown.

After six innings at PNC Park, there had been as many goals in the hockey game (five) as hits in a baseball game that started a half-hour earlier.

The Braves broke a scoreless tie in the sixth after Chipper Jones and Teixeira drew walks to start the inning. McCann's single loaded the bases with none out.

Francoeur grounded into a potential double play, but Pirates starter Ian Snell failed to cover first base. The run would've scored anyway, but Francoeur was credited with an RBI when the double play was averted.

Mark Kotsay then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Braves had a prime opportunity for a go-ahead run in the ninth after a Gregor Blanco single and pinch-hitter Greg Norton's walk with none out. But Kelly Johnson struck out and Yunel Escobar grounded sharply into a double play.

Glavine took one-run lead to the seventh, when Xavier Nady hit a leadoff double. After a walk and a sacrifice, Glavine intentionally walked Brian Bixler.

Then he struck out Pirates newcomer Jason Michaels looking, but Sanchez followed with a two-run double for a 2-1 lead.