Diaz has hit in 8th, Braves top Cards 2-1

[March 19, 2010]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- Matt Diaz drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single off Kyle McClellan in the eighth inning, rallying the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Kyle Lohse pitched six scoreless innings and left with a 1-0 lead, but he was denied his fourth straight win as the Braves took advantage of McClellan's shaky eighth.

McClellan (1-1) walked Omar Infante, Chipper Jones and Jeff Francoeur to set the stage for Diaz's go-ahead hit with two outs.

McClellan threw ball three behind Diaz's back before giving up the two-run single up the middle on the 3-2 pitch.

Peter Moylan (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth after Jo-Jo Reyes allowed only three hits, one walk and one run in seven innings.

Mike Gonzalez struck out the side in the ninth for his third save in four chances. Gonzalez struck out Albert Pujols on three straight called strikes for the second out. Gonzalez threw Pujols three straight balls to begin the at-bat.

Reyes retired 13 consecutive batters after giving up a single to Lohse with two outs in the second. Reyes, who lost his last seven decisions in 2008 and his first decision this season, avoided becoming the first Braves pitcher to have nine straight losses since Marty Clary in 1990.

Lohse gave up four hits with four walks in six innings to lower his ERA to 1.97.

Yadier Molina had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the first, to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.

Reyes' first five outs were strikeouts, but he gave up a run in the first on the way to striking out the side.

With one out, Reyes hit Colby Rasmus with a pitch and walked Pujols. After striking out Ryan Ludwick, Reyes gave up Molina's run-scoring single past a diving Jones at third base. Molina's grounder bounced off Jones' glove and into shallow left field.

The Braves wasted a scoring chance in the third inning when Yunel Escobar hit a one-out single and moved to second on Jones' walk. Escobar ran past third base on Kotchman's groundout and was thrown out trying to return to the base for an inning-ending double play.

Rick Ankiel made a diving catch of pinch-hitter Greg Norton's drive in left-center field to end the seventh inning.

Notes: Jones walked four times. ... Infante filled in for Braves 2B Kelly Johnson and made a strong defensive play to throw out Khalil Greene in the fourth. Infante knocked down Greene's grounder, returned to his feet and threw out Greene. Cardinals' 2B Brendan Ryan delivered a similarly strong play to throw out Reyes in the fifth. ... Clary finished 1-10 in 1990 and didn't make another major league appearance.

[Associated Press; By CHARLES ODUM]

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