Julio Lugo slid and was called safe on a play at the plate in the 19th inning for a 4-3 win against Pittsburgh at Turner Field, though replays clearly showed Pirates catcher Michael McKenry applied the tag well before Lugo touched the plate.
"That’s the way baseball goes," said Braves relief pitcher Scott Proctor (2-3), whose fielder's choice grounder to third with one out gave him both a win and a game-winning RBI. "I’m not saying anything else.”
The weary Braves had a 4-3 win over the Pirates that took six hours and 39 minutes, cost Atlanta its All-Star catcher for at least the next 15 days, and might have provided further impetus for Braves general manager Frank Wren to make a trade this week to strengthen the team's offense.
As inconsistent as that offense has been lately, it's now without its best hitter for a while after Brian McCann injured the oblique muscle in his left side while making a throw to second base in the 10th inning. He'll go on the 15-day disabled list and Triple-A journeyman J.C. Boscan will serve as David Ross' backup until McCann returns.
"Chipper [Jones] will be back in a couple of days," Ross said. "Get him back, we'll be alright. We really need Mac, though. It’s going to be a big loss. There’s no way to hide that. The guy's a stud. He's an MVP candidate.
"There’s no way to replace that. I’m just going to try to do the best I can and play my game and try to help this team win.”
Wren was on a cell phone in his private suite above home plate, talking with someone during the seventh inning as he watched his hitters flail on the field below during the longest game ever played by either the Atlanta Braves or the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Braves went 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position Tuesday after going 0-for-5 in those situations during Monday's 3-1 series-opening loss to the Pirates. They left 23 runners on base Tuesday and had 15 hits, all singles, including two from McCann before he left in the 10th.
The game lasted 29 minutes longer than the previous longest in Atlanta history, a 19-inning game against the New York mets on July 4, 1985 at Fulton County Stadium.
Source: http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-beat-pirates-4-1050295.html
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