ATLANTA -- Matt Diaz's bases-loaded walk-off single gave the Braves a 5-4 victory over the Padres and completed a 6-0 homestand that leaves Atlanta with a Major League-best record of 14-4 at Turner Field.
Padres reliever Joe Thacker got two strikes, but Diaz connected with an inside fastball on a 2-2 count and lined the winning hit into left field.
Diaz was 0-for-4 prior to the at-bat and is hitting less than .200 against right-handed pitchers. But he came through when the Braves needed him the most.
The Braves had played nine one-run games previously and lost them all.
Atlanta heads to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with a 4-11 record away from Turner Field after finishing their last road trip with four straight losses.
Atlanta success happened in part thanks to San Diego's generosity.
The Padres' three errors led to four unearned runs by the Braves.
The only Atlanta run that wasn't aided by an error was the winning one.
Yunel Escobar led off the ninth-inning rally with a bunt hit and took second on a single by Chipper Jones. The runners moved up on Mark Teixeira's grounder, and Francoeur was walked intentionally.
The Braves six-game winning streak is the longest since July 2006, when they won seven straight.
The news wasn't all good for Atlanta, however. The Braves had two pitchers leave the game with injuries.
Jo-Jo Reyes departed in the third inning after starting to develop a blister on his index finger. The rookie left-hander allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) in 2 2/3 innings.
Buddy Carlyle came in for Reyes, but had to leave himself in the fifth inning when he and the Padres' Kevin Kouzmanoff collided on a dribbler down the first-base line. Carlyle suffered a muscle strain on the left side of his neck.
Jorge Campillo replaced Carlyle, and he gave up RBI hits to Scott Hairston and Khalil Greene as the Padres took a 4-1 lead.
The Braves scored two unearned runs on Greg Norton's pinch-hit single in the sixth inning and tied it in the seventh with their fourth unearned run. Escobar, who had reached on a throwing miscue by shortstop Greene, came home on Heath Bell's wild pitch.
Norton is 2-for-3 with three RBIs since joining the Braves. He had the winning hit on Wednesday against the Padres.
The Braves used seven pitchers in the game, with Jeff Bennett, Royce Ring, Will Ohman and Manny Acosta allowing just one hit and no runs over the final three innings.
Now the Braves (18-15) hope to take some of their home success with them on the road. If they do, they may be able to return to Turner Field back in the hunt for first place in the NL East.
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Adapted from MLB.com
Manager Bobby Cox with injured Buddy Carlyle.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt