Glaus' HR gives Braves 5-4 win

Saturday, June 19, 2010
© Copyright 2013 Gwinnett Daily Post

ATLANTA -- Troy Glaus hit a leadoff homer in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.

Brian McCann also homered for the Braves, who have won 13 of 14 at home to improve to 23-7 at Turner Field. Atlanta moved 11/2 games ahead of the second-place New York Mets in the NL East.

Glaus' 14th homer came off Robinson Tejeda (2-3).

Billy Wagner (5-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win.

Royals starter Zack Greinke fell behind 2-0 in the first. Chipper Jones hit an RBI single, moved to second on the throw and advanced to third on a passed ball. He scored on shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt's throwing error.

McCann's seventh homer, a leadoff shot in the fourth, made it 3-0.

Kansas City cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth on Scott Podsednik's sacrifice fly and Jason Kendall's RBI groundout.

The Braves went ahead 4-2 in the sixth when Jason Heyward scored from second on Glaus' grounder. Third baseman Alberto Callapso tried to begin a double play, but Jones, who was running from first, slid hard enough to knock second baseman Mike Aviles backward onto the ground.

Seeing Aviles was getting up slowly with the ball, Heyward dashed for the plate and scored with a headfirst slide.

Eric O'Flaherty replaced Atlanta starter Kris Medlen with one out in the seventh and runners on second and third, but the Royals tied it 4-all on Podsednik's RBI groundout and Kendall's RBI single.

Greinke, last year's AL Cy Young Award winner, allowed six hits, four runs -- three earned -- and no walks in seven innings. The right-hander, who struck out five, was making his first career appearance against Atlanta.

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