With Brian McCann out of the Braves’ lineup for at least 15 days, backup catcher David Ross did his best impersonation of the team’s clutch-hitting All-Star.
After the Pittsburgh Pirates intentionally walked Dan Uggla to load the bases in the 10th inning, Ross singled to left field to give the Braves a 2-1 walk-off win Wednesday night at Turner Field.
“You’re not replacing B-Mac," said Ross, who's expected to play almost every day until McCann returns from an oblique muscle strain. "I’m trying to get in there and hold down the fort until he gets back. You know, catch a good game, call a good game, throw some runners out.
"Luckily tonight I was able to come up with some hits.
Ross threw out two would-be base stealers and had two hits to drive in both runs for the the Braves, who took a 2-1 lead in the four-game series and pulled within five games of National League East-leader Philadelphia. The Phillies lost 2-1 at home to San Francisco on Wednesday.
"The Giants helped us out today," said Braves starter Jair Jurrjens, who got no decision after limiting the Pirates to one run and six hits in seven innings. "It’s all about winning series. Keep winning series, that’s it.”
After Nate McLouth led off the Braves’ 10th with a single and Freddie Freeman’s one-out single put runners on the corners, right-hander Chris Leroux intentionally walked Uggla, who had collected three hits and extended his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.
"I would have done the same thing they did, pitch around Uggs to get to me," Ross said. "Luckily I put a good swing on one and found a hole."
After grounding into a double play in the eighth inning, Ross came through in the 10th with a single to left field to start a celebration as Braves players poured out of the dugout to mob the popular veteran.
“He’s going to do something, whether it’s hit a sac fly there, or put the ball in play and make them make the play," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "You could do a lot of stuff with him offensively. You can hit-and-run, you can bunt with him, he can run you out of the ballpark [with a homer]. You feel pretty good something good is going to happen.
“I can’t think of too many teams in the major leagues that have the quality in the backup catching position that we do.”
The first five in the Braves' order -- McLouth, Martin Prado, Freeman, Uggla and Ross -- were a combined 12-for-23. Freeman had a long opposite-field fly sail just a bit wide of the foul pole before pulling a single to right field to put runners at first and third with one out in the 10th.
The rookie first baseman also made a diving catch on a line drive for an unassisted double play in the top of the 10th, after making two similar catches late in Tuesday's 19-inning win. Freeman extended his hitting streak to 11 games, best among NL rookies.
"He's acclimated now and he’s just got a great attitude towards everything," Uggla said of Freeman, who has hit .322 in his past 62 games with 11 homers and a .383 on-base percentage. "This kid, he already is really good, but it’s going to be scary to see what he does in his career.”
Jair Jurrjens bounced back from a couple of rough starts and eased the load on a bullpen weary after Tuesday's longest game in Atlanta Braves history.
“I’m still not where I want to be; I walked three guys," Jurrjens said. "Sometimes I was being aggressive, and sometimes I was running away from contact. But it was an improvement over the last two times, for sure. I got into the seven inning in a big game for us, to try to save the bullpen.”
Eric O’Flaherty and Craig Kimbrel had two strikeouts apiece while retiring the Pirates in order in the eighth and ninth innings, and Scott Linebrink (4-2) gave up a one-out single in the 10th before Freeman stabbed Lyle Overbay's liner and stepped on first base to end the inning.
When Garrett Jones homered to start the sixth inning for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead, he ended a string of 21 consecutive scoreless innings for the Pirates. They scored three runs in the first two innings Tuesday, then didn’t score again in that 19-inning Braves win.
The Braves answered with a run in the sixth on three singles including Ross’ RBI hit. But they stranded two in the inning when Wilkin Ramirez and Julio Lugo struck out back-to-back with runners on first and second.
Stranding runners has been a recurring theme through three games of the series against the upstart Pirates. The Braves were 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position Wednesday, after going 2-for-19 on Tuesday and 0-for-5 in Monday’s series-opening loss.
Jones’ homer was the fourth off Jurrjens in his past two starts, after he gave up only five homers in his previous 17 this season. Three homers off came in his Friday start at Cincinnati, where the stadium’s nickname — Great American Small Park — is deserved. It’s the epitome of hitter-friendly.
On Wednesday, the right-hander looked more like the pitcher he was before the All-Star break. Jurrjens went 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA in 16 starts before the break to earn his first All-Star selection, then gave up 10 runs and 12 hits in 11 innings of his first two starts after the break, including six runs in five innings of a home game against Washington.
Against the Pirates, he wasn’t dominant, but made good pitches when he needed them most. He also got help from his defense and Ross.
After a two-out single and a walk in the first, Jurrjens struck out Pedro Alvarez. After Steve Pearce reached on a two-base error by right fielder Ramirez to start the Pirates’ second, Jurrjens retired the next three in order including two strikeouts.
Following Xavier Paul’s leadoff single in the third, Ross threw out Paul attempting to steal second.
“[Ross] had both RBIs, a big sacrifice bunt, threw two runners out," McLouth said. "He did it all tonight.”
Ater a one-out walk and single in the fourth, Brandon Wood flied out to left fielder Prado, whose strong throw to the plate cut down Alvarez for another inning-ending double play.
