MLB Game Summary - Atlanta at Texas
Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Robinson Chirinos' two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning brought in the deciding run in the Texas Rangers' 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Chirinos' hit off David Carpenter (6-4) helped deal the Braves a potentially damaging loss to their playoff hopes, as Atlanta fell three games back of Pittsburgh for the National League's second Wild Card after the Pirates defeated the Cubs on Friday.
It also gave Phil Klein (1-2) his first major league win after the reliever recorded the final two outs of the top of the eighth.
Adrian Beltre and Ryan Rua both went 2-for-4 for Texas, with Rua contributing an RBI in the win -- just the Rangers' second in their last 13 outings. Derek Holland scattered eight hits and struck out six without a walk over seven innings of one-run ball.
Alex Wood also pitched well for the Braves despite not factoring in the decision, striking out nine while yielding one run and four hits through seven innings.
"The only thing that's frustrating is us not getting a win as a team," Wood said. "Right now everything matters and we were grinding and battling against a good pitcher tonight. Sometimes that's just how things shake out at their home ballpark after an off-day."
Carpenter got two quick outs after relieving Wood with the game tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth, but Beltre and Rua came through with back-to-back singles before Chirinos sent a liner up the middle in which Beltre slid in ahead of B.J. Upton's throw to the plate from center field.
The Braves had nearly gone ahead in the top half of the inning. Freddie Freeman drew a walk against Michael Kirkman, stole second, and was on third with one out when Chirinos threw wildly on the steal attempt. Klein got a big strikeout of Justin Upton, however, and then fanned Chris Johnson following an intentional walk to Ryan Doumit.
"It was fun. The crowd was really into it," Klein said. "I just tried to make my pitches and get out of the jam."
Andrelton Simmons drove a ball to the warning track in the ninth, but Michael Choice hauled in it for the Rangers to seal Neftali Feliz's ninth save of the season.
Holland's only blemish came in the third inning, when singles by B.J. Upton and Simmons put runners on the corners in front of Jason Heyward's run-scoring fielder's choice.
Texas finally got to Wood in the sixth to draw even. J.P. Arencibia doubled and Beltre singled before Rua drove in pinch-runner Guilder Rodriguez with a groundout.