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Maybe, just maybe, the Braves aren’t out of the playoff picture after all. They certainly didn’t act like it during Friday’s game — or after it.
Rather, the Braves celebrated like a postseason-bound team when Chad Lundahl capped a frantic late-inning comeback with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth that lifted the Braves to a 7-6 win over Greenville in the finale of an eight-game homestand.
The victory gave the Braves a split in the four-game series and a 4-4 record on the homestand. They are 6½ games out of first with one month to play, but they now feel as if they have new life.
“You never know when one game might turn things around, and this could be the one for us,” said manager Randy Ingle of the Braves, who open an eight-game road trip tonight in Hickory, N.C. “I can’t think of a sweeter win.”
The Braves trailed 6-2 before scoring four runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the eighth.
Matt Kennelly, the Australian-born catcher, delivered the first big hit with a two-run single. Cody Johnson, who had missed the previous five games with a hamstring injury, followed with a game-tying double to right-center field.
In the ninth, a leadoff walk to Sammy Sime, followed by Cole Miles’ sacrifice and David Berres’ single, set up Lundahl to be a hero — and he delivered.
The Rome shortstop smashed a grounder past Greenville’s drawn-in infielders, and Sime sprinted home with the winning run to send the Braves to a rare late-inning victory. They entered the night with a 2-51 record when trailing after seven innings.
“This win should instill some confidence in us,” said Lundahl, who finished with three hits, “and it just proves that no game is ever out of hand.”
This one sure looked to be. The Braves were down by four runs with just four outs left to spare before the out-of-nowhere rally in the eighth.
“I kept waiting for us to break loose,” said Ingle, “and in the eighth, it finally happened.”
Johnson and Jason Heyward finished with two hits apiece, and Freddie Freeman produced his team-leading 80th RBI for the Braves.
Reliever Craig Kimbrel (1-0), who joined the team on this homestand, earned the win by striking out the side in the ninth after Benino Pruneda had worked a scoreless eighth to set up the last-inning drama.
“This was a great way to end the homestand,” said Kennelly after emerging as one of the heroes while playing just his fifth game for Rome. “It was big to get this one and head out on the road with some confidence.”
In the eighth, Kennelly blooped a single to center field that narrowly eluded a diving attempt by Greenville’s Ryan Kalish. Johnson followed with a double to deep right center, tying the game at 6. Johnson was thrown out after rounding the bag at second base, but the tying run had already scored.
An inning later, Lundahl came through with his one-out single, and the amiable infielder pumped his fist as he raced down the first-base line.
“I’ve been in that situation a couple of times this season, and didn’t come through,” said Lundahl, “so it was nice to get it done tonight.”
Lundahl said the Braves are holding fast to their playoff hopes: “One little hot streak and we can get back in it.”
Rome’s Jeff Locke, making his first start in nine days, was charged with four runs, all earned, on six hits and three walks and five strikeouts in 4 2-3 innings.
NOTES: The Braves made a roster move Friday, placing catcher Benji Johnson on the DL and activating pitcher Chad Rodgers.
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