Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Posted: 1 a.m. Updated: 1:40 a.m.
The Associated Press
Braves 3, Mariners 1
BOX SCORE
SEATTLE -- Freddie Freeman became just the second Atlanta batter to get a hit off Seattle starter Erik Bedard and his tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning gave the Braves a 3-1 win over the Mariners on Monday night.
Bedard (4-6) fooled most of the Braves lineup before trying to sneak a high fastball past Freeman. Freeman hit his ninth homer of the season, barely eluding the reach of Seattle's Franklin Gutierrez, who climbed the wall in center field only to come up a few feet short.
Freeman's homer made a winner out of young right-hander Brandon Beachy (3-1), who struck out nine in six strong innings before turning it over to the Braves' stellar bullpen. George Sherrill, Scott Linebrink and Eric O'Flaherty got through the seventh and eighth and Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 21st save in 26 chances.
Bedard was a hard-luck loser despite his 12th straight start giving up three earned runs or less. He gave up a first-inning homer to Brian McCann -- his 14th of the season and fifth in the last eight games -- and later two singles. He issued just one walk, to Wilkin Ramirez in the third inning, while the rest of the Braves lineup was a combined 0 for 18 before Freeman stepped up with one-out in the seventh.
Freeman had put on a power display during batting practice, rattling the facade of the upper deck in right field, then showed off some of that pop.
Angels 4, Nationals 3 (10 Innings)
BOX SCORE
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Maicer Izturis hit a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning and the Los Angeles Angels beat Washington 4-3 on Monday night, spoiling Davey Johnson's debut as Nationals manager.
Sean Burnett (3-4) gave up a one-out single to Alberto Callaspo and a ground-rule double by Peter Bourjos -- his fourth hit of the game. An intentional walk to Bobby Wilson set the stage for Izturis, who grounded a 1-0 pitch through the middle.
Scott Downs (5-2) got the victory with a hitless inning.
The Angels were one out from a clean getaway in the ninth when closer Jordan Walden gave up a first-pitch homer to Danny Espinosa -- the rookie's third straight blown save and sixth in 23 chances overall.
Espinosa's drive into the lower seats in the right-field corner was his 15th home run, the most among major league rookies.
Johnson, who began his new job four days after Jim Riggleman's abrupt resignation, is managing his fifth big league club at age 68 after stints with the Mets (1984-90), Reds (1993-95), Orioles (1996-97) and Dodgers (1999-2000). He took over a 40-38 team that entered Monday 8 games out of first place in the NL East and had won 13 of 15 -- including a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox in which the Nats took two of three under interim skipper John McLaren.
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