Reynolds' HR lifts Orioles past Braves, 5-4

Sunday, July 3, 2011

ATLANTA - Mark Reynolds hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, Nick Markakis had a career-high five hits and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Sunday to end their five-game losing streak.

Zach Britton gave up three runs in five-plus innings and hit his first career homer. Jim Johnson (5-1) gave up one run in two innings.

Markakis had a run-scoring double in the sixth. Markakis had three hits in Saturday night's loss after his 19-game hitting streak ended Friday night.

Reynolds also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third. He had two homers in the Orioles' 5-4 loss to the Braves on Saturday night.

The Braves had their five-game winning streak snapped and were denied their third straight interleague sweep.

Kevin Gregg pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save.

Britton was pulled after giving up a walk and two hits, including Freddie Freeman's RBI single, to open the Braves' four-run sixth. Johnson gave up a single to Nate McLouth to load the bases.

Julio Lugo's groundout drove in Brian McCann before pinch-hitter Eric Hinske's two-run single off Johnson gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead.

Markakis hit a one-out single off Scott Proctor (1-2) in the seventh before Reynolds smashed the go-ahead homer, his 18th, into the left-field seats. McLouth barely moved in left field as he watched the homer.

Britton gave up three runs and six hits and three walks in five-plus innings. The rookie left-hander's highlight was his first career homer off Brian Beachy in the third. Britton also had an infield single.

The Braves loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but couldn't score. Lugo walked, pinch-hitter Wilkin Ramirez singled to left and Jordan Schafer reached on a bunt single before Jason Heyward hit into a double play to end the inning.

Beachy gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out six, including five in the first two innings.

McCann, who was selected as the NL's All-Star starting catcher, had two hits. He just missed a homer in the seventh when his long fly ball hit off the top of the right-field wall. Markakis fielded the bounce off the wall and threw out McCann at second base.

McLouth gave Baltimore reliever Koji Uehara a scare in the eighth when his long fly ball to right field was caught by Markakis at the wall.

NOTES: Kris Benson hit the last home run by a Baltimore pitcher on June 17, 2006, against the Mets. ... OF Martin Prado, recovering from a staph infection in his right leg, hopes to begin a minor league rehabilitation stint in a few days. ... 3B Chipper Jones said he hadn't decided if he would have another cortisone shot in his right knee. He had shots in the knee on May 15, but still has discomfort caused by a torn meniscus.