PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Alex Gonzalez hit the go-ahead RBI single and Brian McCann added a two-run homer in the 11th inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

It was the second straight extra-inning game for the teams, following Philadelphia’s 3-2 victory in 10 innings Friday.

The Braves (54-37) have won 10 of 12, and closed the Phillies’ lead in the NL East to 2.5 games. Philadelphia (56-34) remains one win shy of tying the club record for victories in the first half.

Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee accounted for the Phillies’ only run with his first career homer off Tommy Hanson, but both pitchers were gone by the time this one ended.

Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske led off the 11th for the Braves with a walk off Michael Stutes (3-1), and pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez went to second on Jordan Schafer’s sacrifice. First baseman Ryan Howard could have gotten the second out, but he failed to make a tough over-the-shoulder catch of Gonzalez’s foul pop fly. It was ruled “no play,” and two pitches later, Gonzalez lined a single to center, scoring Ramirez and putting the Braves ahead 2-1.

McCann followed by launching Stutes’ 1-2 pitch into the seats in right.

George Sherrill (2-1) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the 10th to earn the victory, allowing two hits and striking out one. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 11th for his 28th save in 33 chances.

Neither Lee nor Hanson earned a decision, although both were worthy of a win. Lee pitched eight innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine while walking two. Lee had won each of his past six home starts and now stands at 7-1 at home while lowering his ERA to 1.61 at Citizens Bank Park this season.

After having his 34-inning scoreless streak snapped in his last start at Toronto, when he gave up seven runs — six earned — in 7.1 innings, Lee was back to being the pitcher who went 5-0 with a 0.21 ERA in June. His only blemish Saturday was Dan Uggla’s homer on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Other than that, Lee allowed just one base runner to reach second.

Hanson was equally dominant, scattering four hits while striking out six and walking one. Aside from Lee’s third-inning solo homer, the only Phillies batter to advance to second was John Mayberry Jr., who doubled in the sixth. The right-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning after tossing seven innings, and the no-decision snapped Hanson’s career-high streak of five straight wins.

Lee homered on a 3-2 count, on the 10th pitch he saw, into the first row in right-center to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the third. He pumped his fist slightly while rounding first once the ball cleared the fence. Lee, who entered 8 for 39 (.205), was given a curtain call by the crowd of 45,637, the Phillies’ 171st straight sellout.

After Lee had retired 11 straight, Uggla tied it at 1 by belting Lee’s first pitch of the fifth inning to deep left field.

Hanson, who entered holding hitters to a league-low .192 batting average, retired 10 straight after Lee’s homer before Mayberry’s two-out double to left in the sixth. After walking Chase Utley to put runners on first and second, Hanson struck out Howard with a 75 mph curve.

Atlanta got a runner to second with two outs in the eighth when Schafer reached on a bunt single and went to second on Lee’s throwing error. But Lee struck out Gonzalez to end the threat.

Philadelphia reliever Antonio Bastardo pitched a scoreless ninth, extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings. The left-hander has allowed just one hit in 45 at-bats during the stretch. Bastardo struck out Uggla to end the ninth, and the Braves’ second baseman dropped his bat, argued with plate umpire Mike Everitt before tossing his helmet toward the dugout in frustration. Manager Fredi Gonzalez came out to argue, as well, although neither was ejected.

Philadelphia left-hander Juan Perez, who struck out the side on nine pitches Friday, struck out two in a perfect 10th.

Atlanta’s Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty combined to pitch two hitless innings in relief of Hanson, while Sherrill worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth. The Phillies loaded the bases in the 10th off Sherrill, but the left-hander got Mayberry to ground out to first to end the frame.

JONES OUT: Braves All-Star 3B Chipper Jones was placed on the disabled list before Saturday’s game with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Jones had a procedure Saturday in Atlanta and likely will miss two or three weeks.

Jair Jurrjens tries to continue his impressive start to
the season this evening when the Atlanta Braves continue their three-game
series against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

Jurrjens, the National League’s top pitcher for the month of May, became just
the fourth pitcher in major league history to allow two earned runs or less
and pitch at least six innings in each of his first nine starts on Sunday
against Cincinnati. He held the Reds to a run and six hits in eight innings,
to improve to 7-1, while lowering his major league best earned run
average 1.51.

Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies set the record last year when he did it in his
first 12 starts. Like Jurrjens, Randy Johnson (2000) and Lefty Gomez (1937)
did so in their first nine outings to the season.

“It’s an honor,” Jurrjens said. “It’s not easy to be a starting pitcher in
this league. I went out there and knew the bullpen needed a rest. I just made
sure I kept my pitch count down and stay deeper in the game.”

Injuries limited the right-hander to just 20 starts a year ago, but a victory
this evening would surpass his total from last year and tie him for the NL
lead along with Pittsburgh’s Kevin Correia. Although, two other seven-game
winners – Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo and St. Louis’ Kyle Lohse – are also
slated to take the hill this evening.

Jurrjens threw seven scoreless innings to beat the Mets back on April 16 and
is 8-2 lifetime against them with a 2.54 ERA in 11 starts.

New York, meanwhile, will counter with an equally impressive righty in Dillon
Gee, who is 5-0 with a 3.83 ERA. Gee won his third straight start on Monday
against Pittsburgh, as he limited the Pirates to three runs and five hits in
seven innings.

Gee defeated Atlanta earlier in the year and is 1-1 in two starts against them
with a 2.84 ERA.

Atlanta rallied for a victory in Friday’s opener, as Eric Hinske’s solo, tie-
breaking home run off Francisco Rodriguez with one out in the ninth inning
boosted the Braves to a 6-3 win.

“I was thinking I’m going to try and ambush him, get something to hit over the
plate. It worked out,” said Hinske, who entered the game in the fifth inning
when Jordan Schafer was forced to leave after bunting a ball off his face.
“Sometimes you guess right and it’s part of the cat and mouse game.”

Freddie Freeman added a two-run double to cap the ninth inning uprising, as
the Braves topped the Mets for the 10th time in the last 12 meetings.

The Mets, who held a 3-1 lead going to the eighth inning, lost for the third
time in four games. Jose Reyes committed a critical error in the eighth, which
allowed the tying run to score.

Derek Lowe pitched six effective innings and Craig Kimbrel locked down his
17th save of the year. Kimbrel now has more saves before the All-Star break
than any rookie in NL history. Johnathan Papelbon holds the overall rookie
saves mark before the break with 26.

Jonny Venters (4-0) fanned a pair of batters in the eighth to get the win.

“We’ve got to continue to work together to get through these and add on some
runs,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Schafer reportedly has a broken nose, but he underwent more tests after the
game to see if there was any other damage.

While Rodriguez (1-2) suffered the loss, he has converted his last 16 save
chances, his longest streak in a season since equaling that mark to began the
2009 campaign.

Atlanta took two of three from the Mets earlier in the year.

©2011 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read More: Dan Uggla (2B – ATL), Chipper Jones (3B – ATL), Brian McCann (C – ATL), Martin Prado (LF – ATL), Joe Mather (LF – ATL), Kyle Phillips (C – SDP), Jordan Schafer (CF – ATL), Freddie Freeman (1B – ATL), Tommy Hanson (P – ATL), Craig Kimbrel (P – ATL), Logan Forsythe (2B – SDP), San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves, Jun 1, 2011 7:10 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves had not been swept at home by the San Diego Padres since 1989. Behind a strong effort from Tommy Hanson, a late home run by Martin Prado and solid bullpen work, it’ll be at least one more year before San Diego accomplishes that sweep.

The Braves scored in the first inning of Wednesday’s game, though they could have added on even more. Martin Prado ripped a double off the left-center field wall to get the rally started and Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Freddie Freeman and Alex Gonzalez all followed with singles to give Atlanta an early 2-0 lead. With the bases loaded and just one out, Dan Uggla popped out for the second out and Joe Mather went down swinging to end the threat.

Tommy Hanson had a relatively quick first inning, but the Padres battled back in the second. After hitting the game-winning home run on Monday night, Padres rookie Kyle Phillips hit a 2-run home run to tie the game up. 

Hanson appeared to be frustrated with himself after the blast, tough he settled down nicely and proceeded to dominate the Padres lineup after giving up the lead. He allowed just two walks and no hits after the home run, all while striking out four in six innings of work.

Freddie Freeman regained the lead for the Braves in the third inning. Brian McCann doubled to lead off the inning and Freeman followed with a check-swing double down the left field line which just stayed fair. Martin Prado added on in the sixth inning with a monster home run to left field, which was his eighth of the season. He’s now leads the team in homers.

Eric O’Flaherty made his return to the mound after battling a sore back and allowed a run in an inning of work. He gave way to Jonny Venters in the eighth inning, and Venters struck out all three batters he faced.

Craig Kimbrel came in the ninth and struck out the first two Padres batters he faced. Kyle Phillips singled on an 0-2 pitch to give San Diego hope, which brought up Logan Forsythe to the plate. Forsythe hit a deep line drive to center field, but Jordan Schafer made an incredible running catch for the final out of the game.

Be on the lookout for Schafer’s incredible catch on the nightly highlight reels. He covered a ton of ground to get to the ball and held on after a violent crash with the Turner Field wall.

Braves win 4-3. They still lost the series, but hey, you don’t win them all.

Atlanta will have an off-day tomorrow before heading up to New York to kick off a three game series with the New York Mets.

For more on the series, Padres fans should check out Gaslamp Ball and Braves fans should check out Talking Chop.

ATLANTA (AP) – Jair Jurrjens outpitched Johnny Cueto, Martin
Prado hit a two-run homer and the Atlanta Braves beat Cincinnati
2-1 on Sunday night to end the Reds’ damaging road trip.

Prado also helped on defense by throwing out Paul Janish at the
plate in the eighth inning to protect the lead. Janish tried to
score from second base on Brandon Phillips’ single to left field.

Prado’s throw got to the plate first, but Janish appeared to
slide home safely as catcher David Ross applied a high tag. Janish
and manager Dusty Baker argued the call with home plate umpire Dan Iassogna.

The Reds lost two of three to the Braves to complete a 2-8 road
trip.

ATLANTA (AP) — Mike Leake returned from the minors to give
Cincinnati’s depleted rotation a boost and the Reds beat the
Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Friday night for only their second win in 10
games.
Leake (4-2) gave Cincinnati its first win by a starter since May
16. The right-hander allowed one run, seven hits and three walks in
six innings.
Ramon Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Braves
closer Craig Kimbrell.
The Braves loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth before
Nick Massett ended the threat on Alex Gonzalez’s grounder to
shortstop Paul Janish.
Leake, 23, was recalled from Triple-A Louisville Friday for his
first start since May 3. He was needed after the Reds lost Homer
Bailey (injury) and Edinson Volquez was sent to the minors.