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Diaz Puts Finishing Touches On Braves' Sweep Of Padres

POSTED: 5:11 pm EDT May 8, 2008

(Sports Network) - Matt Diaz drove in the game-winner in the ninth as the Atlanta Braves completed a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres with a 5-4 win at Turner Field.

Yunel Escobar went 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored while Greg Norton drove in two for the Braves, who have won six straight on the heels of a four- game losing streak.

"In that last inning when the first runner got on I thought for sure Chipper Jones was gonna hit a homer just so we didn't have a one-run win," said Diaz. "Hopefully we can go get that road monkey off our backs and play some good ball in Pittsburgh."

Jo-Jo Reyes started on the mound for Atlanta, but left in the third inning with a blister on the index finger of his left hand. He gave up two runs -- one earned -- on five hits in 2 2/3 innings of work. Buddy Carlyle then took the mound in place of Reyes, but left in the fifth after colliding with Kevin Kouzmanoff. Carlyle have up one run on one hit with a walk in two innings of work.

Manny Acosta (1-1) got the win for getting the final out of the ninth inning.

Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a run scored and Kouzmanoff drove in a pair of runs for the Padres, who have dropped four straight and six of seven overall.

"We had a lead, but we couldn't get any more runs across," said Gonzalez. "They were able to get back into the game. It's difficult, but we'll battle through it and turn it around."

Starter Wilfredo Ledezma gave up one unearned-run on two hits in four innings of work. Joe Thatcher (0-4) got the loss for giving up the winning run.

In the ninth, Thatcher started on the mound and Escobar beat out a bunt single down the first base line to start the frame. Chipper Jones then punched a single to left before Mark Teixeira grounded out. Jeff Francoeur was then issued an intentional walk, but Diaz roped a single to left to score Escobar for the win.

San Diego got on the board in the first inning when Kouzmanoff belted a double to center that score Brian Giles and Callix Crabbe for a 2-0 lead.

Atlanta got a run back in the bottom of the first as Teixeira roped a single to right that plated Escobar.

The Padres increased their lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. After Jorge Campillo took the mound, Scott Hairston beat out an infield single that allowed Gonzalez to score and Khalil Greene followed with a double to plate Hairston for a 4-1 advantage.

The Braves, though, chipped away at the lead in the sixth as Greg Norton's pinch-hit single to left scored Diaz and Mark Kotsay to make it a 4-3 game.

Atlanta then tied the game in the seventh as a wild pitch from Heath Bell scored Escobar to make it a 4-4 game.

Game Notes

Before the game, the Braves placed catcher Brayan Pena on the 15-day disabled list and activated infielder Omar Infante from the 15-day DL...Atlanta announced before the game that pitcher Peter Moylan will have surgery on his right elbow in Birmingham, Alabama...It was the fourth series sweep of the year for Atlanta, and the team is 6-0 in home day games this season...Atlanta plays in Pittsburgh for four games starting on Friday...The Padres head home to begin a three-game set with Colorado starting on Friday.


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