PHOENIX – This time, 11 innings wasn’t the winning formula for the Atlanta Braves.

A day after the Braves earned a 3-1 victory in 11 at home, closer Craig Kimbrel faltered in the bottom of the 11th Wednesday, allowing the Arizona Diamondbacks to score twice and rally for a 5-4 win.

Ryan Roberts’ single back through the box in the 11th went off Kimbrel’s glove and just out of the reach of second baseman Dan Uggla. Roberts moved to third base on the game-tying single by Kelly Johnson, and scored the winning run on Justin Upton’s ground ball.

“That’s just the way it goes sometimes,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “You can’t run the clock out. You’ve got to throw the ball over the plate and the kid (Kimbrel’s) trying to make play there, the ball up the middle, it’s a double-play ball. But you can’t fault him for that.”

The loss ended the Braves’ four-game winning streak as Kimbrel blew his fourth save chance in 15 opportunities.

“I should have made the play,” Kimbrel said of the deflection.

With the Braves trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Brooks Conrad delivered a game-tying RBI double. He then scored on Martin Prado’s sacrifice fly. The Diamondbacks tied it in the bottom half of the inning, Roberts scoring from second base on a wild pitch by reliever Scott Proctor.

Diamondbacks starter Joe Saunders pitched six innings and allowed a run on seven hits. Saunders is winless in nine starts this season.

Two outfield assists in the same inning by left fielder Gerardo Parra kept Arizona within striking distance. Parra prevented a potential big inning in the sixth after the Braves put runners on second and third with no out.

Brian McCann hit a fly ball that Parra tracked down before it went over his head and off the wall, a sacrifice fly that scored Jason Heyward. Chipper Jones broke for third with Parra backtracking, and the left-fielder threw him out trying to advance.

“He got the best of us there,” Jones said of Parra. “It’s always odd when we play here … this is kind of like our Yankee Stadium. It’s a house of horrors.”

Saunders walked Uggla, who tried to take third base on Freddie Freeman’s single to shallow left. Parra threw out Uggla and ran off the field pumping his fist. Parra became the first Diamondbacks outfielder to record two assists in one inning.

The Diamondbacks scored the game’s first two runs, the first on Upton’s solo home run in the first and the second on a run-scoring single by Roberts in the fourth.

Prado’s single to start the game gave him a 10-game hitting streak. Braves starter Julio Teheran, recalled from the minors earlier Wednesday, got through only four innings and is expected to be sent back to Triple-A.

Notes: The Diamondbacks made roster moves before Wednesday’s game after designating pitcher Armando Galarraga for assignment late Tuesday. Infielder Sean Burroughs, out of pro baseball since June 2007, was selected from Triple-A Reno, and Arizona reinstated utility player Willie Bloomquist from the 15-day disabled list. … 3B Melvin Mora was placed on the bereavement list with no timetable set for his return. … Burroughs said he shed some tears of emotion when he got the call to join the Diamondbacks. “It’s been a long journey. I’ve been through a lot. A lot of ups, a lot of downs,” he said. “If you’d have told me 12, 14 months ago that I’d be playing baseball in general anywhere I don’t know if I would believe you.” … Manager Kirk Gibson has to find a new starting pitcher for Saturday, which would have been Galarraga’s turn in the rotation. He said he has yet to talk to general manager Kevin Towers about what exactly will be done, but didn’t rule out an external candidate not currently on the major-league roster. … Braves RHP Cory Gearrin was optioned to AAA Gwinnett to make room for Teheran. … RHP Peter Moylan will see Los Angeles physician Dr. Robert Watkins for further evaluation Friday after having had surgery on his lower back Tuesday.

The Atlanta Braves will open a three-game series against the
Washington Nationals tonight at Turner Field.

The teams will meet at 6 tonight, Wednesday night and Thursday
night.

SportSouth will televise all three games.

April

2 at Washington, 1:05 p.m.

3 at Washington, 1:35 p.m.

4 at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m.

5 at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.

6 at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.

7 at Milwaukee, 1:40 p.m.

8 Philadelphia, 7:35 p.m.

9 Philadelphia, 1:10 p.m.

10 Philadelphia, 1:35 p.m.

12 Florida, 7:10 p.m.

13 Florida, 7:10 p.m.

14 Florida, 7:10 p.m.

15 N.Y. Mets, 7:35 p.m.

16 N.Y. Mets, 1:10 p.m.

17 N.Y. Mets, 1:35 p.m.

18 at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

19 at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

20 at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

21 at L.A. Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

22 at San Francisco, 10:15 p.m.

23 at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m.

24 at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.

25 at San Diego, 10:05 p.m.

26 at San Diego, 10:05 p.m.

27 at San Diego, 3:35 p.m.

29 St. Louis, 7:10 p.m.

30 St. Louis, 1:10 p.m.

May

1 St. Louis, 1:35 p.m.

2 Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

3 Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

4 Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

5 Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

6 at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

7 at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

8 at Philadelphia, 8:05 p.m.

10 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

11 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

12 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

13 Philadelphia, 7:35 p.m.

14 Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m.

15 Philadelphia, 1:35 p.m.

16 Houston, 7:10 p.m.

17 Houston, 1:05 p.m.

18 at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

19 at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

20 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

21 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

22 at L.A. Angels, 3:35 p.m.

24 at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m.

25 at Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.

27 Cincinnati, 7:35 p.m.

28 Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m.

29 Cincinnati, 2:05 p.m.

30 San Diego, 1:05 p.m.

31 San Diego, 7:10 p.m.

June

1 San Diego, 7:10 p.m.

3 at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

4 at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

5 at N.Y. Mets, 1:10 p.m.

7 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

8 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

9 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

10 at Houston, 8:05 p.m.

11 at Houston, 7:05 p.m.

12 at Houston, 2:05 p.m.

13 at Houston, 8:05 p.m.

14 N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

15 N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

16 N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

17 Texas, 7:35 p.m.

18 Texas, 4:10 p.m.

19 Texas, 1:35 p.m.

20 Toronto, 7:10 p.m.

21 Toronto, 7:10 p.m.

22 Toronto, 1:05 p.m.

24 at San Diego, 10:05 p.m.

25 at San Diego, 8:35 p.m.

26 at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

27 at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

28 at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

29 at Seattle, 3:40 p.m.

July

1 Baltimore, 7:35 p.m.

2 Baltimore, 7:10 p.m.

3 Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.

4 Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

5 Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

6 Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

7 Colorado, 1:05 p.m.

8 at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

9 at Philadelphia, 4:10 p.m.

10 at Philadelphia, 1:35 p.m.

15 Washington, 7:35 p.m.

16 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

17 Washington, 1:35 p.m.

18 at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

19 at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

20 at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

21 at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

22 at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m.

23 at Cincinnati, 4:10 p.m.

24 at Cincinnati, 1:10 p.m.

25 Pittsburgh, 7:10 p.m.

26 Pittsburgh, 7:10 p.m.

27 Pittsburgh, 7:10 p.m.

28 Pittsburgh, 7:10 p.m.

29 Florida, 7:35 p.m.

30 Florida, 7:10 p.m.

31 Florida, 1:35 p.m.

August

1 at Washington, 7:05 p.m.

2 at Washington, 7:05 p.m.

3 at Washington, 1:05 p.m.

5 at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

6 at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

7 at N.Y. Mets, 1:10 p.m.

8 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

9 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

10 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

12 Chicago Cubs, 7:35 p.m.

13 Chicago Cubs, 7:10 p.m.

14 Chicago Cubs, 1:35 p.m.

15 San Francisco, 7:10 p.m.

16 San Francisco, 7:10 p.m.

17 San Francisco, 7:10 p.m.

18 San Francisco, 7:10 p.m.

19 Arizona, 7:35 p.m.

20 Arizona, 7:10 p.m.

21 Arizona, 1:35 p.m.

22 at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.

23 at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.

24 at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

25 at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

26 at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

27 at N.Y. Mets, 4:10 p.m.

28 at N.Y. Mets, 1:10 p.m.

30 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

31 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

September

1 Washington, 7:10 p.m.

2 L.A. Dodgers, 7:35 p.m.

3 L.A. Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.

4 L.A. Dodgers, 1:35 p.m.

5 at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

6 at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

7 at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

9 at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m.

10 at St. Louis, 7:15 p.m.

11 at St. Louis, 2:15 p.m.

12 Florida, 7:10 p.m.

13 Florida, 7:10 p.m.

14 Florida, 12:05 p.m.

16 N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

17 N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

18 N.Y. Mets, 1:35 p.m.

19 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

20 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

21 at Florida, 7:10 p.m.

23 at Washington, 7:05 p.m.

24 at Washington, 1:05 p.m.

25 at Washington, 1:35 p.m.

26 Philadelphia, 7:10 p.m.

27 Philadelphia, 7:10 p.m.

28 Philadelphia, 4:10 p.m.

Published: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7:16 PM     Updated: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7:22 PM

KISSIMMEE, Florida– Atlanta Braves minor-league manager Luis Salazar returned to camp Wednesday, two weeks after being struck in the face by a foul ball and losing his left eye.

“I’m very fortunate to be alive,” Salazar said. “God gave me a second chance in this life, and I’m going to take advantage of it.”

He hopes to join his Class A Lynchburg team in April near the start of the Carolina League season.

Salazar was standing on the top step of the dugout when he was struck by Brian McCann’s line drive during the first inning of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 9. He was knocked unconscious and airlifted to the hospital.

Doctors could not save Salazar’s eye, and it was removed on March 15. After a week in an Orlando hospital, he spent a week at his home in Boca Raton, Fla.

“I feel really good and this is a big day for me,” Salazar said after meeting with Braves players and staff. “I shook hands with all my friends.”

McCann visited Salazar several times after the injury.

“Brian McCann is a very sensitive kid, and he was worried about my health,” Salazar said. “We talked for about three hours. I told him what happened could happen to anybody. I told him move on and forget the incident.”

The 54-year-old Salazar said he’s probably two to three weeks away from resume his minor-league duties. “I’ll take it day by day,” he said. “But I’ll be fine.”

Salazar, who played 13 years in the major, is in his first year in the Braves organization. He was invited to camp early to familiarize himself with how the Braves run their major league camp and was helping out during exhibition games.

Salazar doesn’t remember much of what happened. At first, it was feared that he had stopped breathing.

“Nothing is wrong with my brain,” Salazar said. “That is the greatest news that I heard.”

The native of Venezuela said he appreciated the prayers and well wishes of those in baseball and beyond.

“I appreciate everyone who prayed for me,” Salazar said. “A lot of people care about me. In difficult times, that is when good friends show up. And that is what happened to me.”

McCann is amazed at his resilience.

“His attitude is off the charts,” McCann said. “He’s looking at (losing his eye) as a positive with what could have happened. He’s alive. That’s the most important thing.”

(FOX Sports South) – Luis Salazar, the manager of an Atlanta Braves’ minor league club, suffered numerous facial fractures Wednesday after being hit with a line drive off the bat of catcher Brian McCann.

Salazar is communicating with doctors and family after being unconscious when he was taken from Champions Field by ambulance and quickly airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center — a sight that left both athletes and fans somber.

Salazar, 54, was knocked unconscious in the first inning of the Braves’ spring game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was standing on the top step of the Braves’ dugout, alongside several other players and coaches, when McCann’s scorching line drive caught him by surprise.

The game was halted for 15 minutes while he was lifted out of the dugout on a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance.

“I think everyone was just in shock,” said Braves general manager Frank Wren. “We feel fortunate and blessed now that Luis is alive and responding to his family at the hospital. The scans have been positive to this point.”

Onlookers in the dugout said Salazar had blood coming from both his mouth and nose and that his eyes swelled up and closed almost immediately.

“It was awful. He was knocked out the minute the ball hit him,” said Braves veteran Chipper Jones, who was standing on first base when it happened. “A ball hit that hard, from that close a distance could kill you. And for a while, we weren’t sure. I’ve seen a guy get hit in the nose with a 90 mph fast ball, and that was the worst on-field accident I had seen — before today.”

Wren said the Braves considered canceling the game because the situation looked so dire when Salazar was put in the ambulance. Play resumed shortly after the ambulance left the field, but there was a hushed tone throughout the stadium at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

McCann, who looked shaken by the scene, returned to the plate and immediately took a called third strike, then took himself out of the game. He went immediately to the hospital to check on Salazar, whose son was at the game.

“It was pretty sickening to see, the way he fell,” said Kyle Lohse, who was pitching for the Cardinals in that first inning. “It shook up everyone who saw it. The ball just went off his face. It was hard for everyone to get re-focused after that.”

Salazar is in his first year with the Braves organization but his ninth as a minor league manager in baseball. He is currently the manager of the Braves’ Class A Lynchburg Hillcats.

Salazar played 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, with the Padres, White Sox, Tigers and Cubs.

Read more: FOX Sports