GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ATLANTA (74-72) at WASHINGTON (65-81)

Francoeur lifts Braves over Nationals in marathon game

<h3>ATLANTA 8, WASHINGTON 5 (13 INNINGS)</h3>By Tim Hipps
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


WASHINGTON (Ticker) - The Atlanta Braves' slim playoff chancesreceived a boost thanks to Jeff Francoeur.


Francoeur delivered a two-run single in the 13th inning as theBraves edged the Washington Nationals, 8-5, on a rainy Fridaynight in the opener of a three-game series.


With the bases loaded, Francoeur sent an 0-1 offering from JesusColome (4-1) into right field to score Martin Prado and ChipperJones and give Atlanta a 7-5 advantage. Mark Teixeira scoredon Andruw Jones' sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.

"That's the worst best game I've ever had," said Francoeur, whowas 0-for-5 before delivering the game-winner. "I was swingingat balls so far over my head tonight it was frustrating.

"I felt like I couldn't see and I couldn't get comfortable atall. I finally was able to kind of jam it over the firstbaseman's head."


Francoeur's game-winning hit came at 12:21 a.m. Saturday, justas the longest game - by time - in Nationals history hit thefive-hour mark. The game was completed in 5:13.


Both clubs used 23 players and eight pitchers in the marathoncontest, most of which was played in the rain. The Bravesemployed 12 players in the ninth spot of their batting order.

"Wow, what a night, eh?" Braves manager Bobby Cox said."Started late. It rained the whole game. And we end up winningin the 13th. That was the 13th, right? Francoeur finally gota hit to fall in there with somebody on. It was one of thosecrazy nights."


Jose Ascanio (1-1) recorded the win after pitching two perfectinnings to close out the game.


Despite the win, the Braves (75-72) still remain 4 1/2 gamesbehind the San Diego Padres (79-67) in the National League wildcard race.


Chipper Jones' RBI double to the right-field corner in the ninthscored Pete Orr, who was running for Edgar Renteria, to pullthe Braves into a 5-5 tie.


"He fell behind me 2-0 and I could tell Chief was strugglingwith his slider a little bit," Jones said. "With Tex hittingbehind me, I knew that he was probably going to come see me, andI got a pitch I could get extended on. I had a fast guy onfirst base who motored around on a double and we got to soak inthe rain for about four more innings.


"We've got to win every game, plain and simple. We're way toofar out. We've got to gut out wins like we did tonight. We'vegot to play better."


And hopefully play in better conditions.


"From about the sixth or seventh inning on, it was unplayable,"Jones said.


"It was wet as could be," Francoeur added. "That last inningwhen I stole I slid into second and my whole right foot was justdrenched - my whole pants leg and everything. When we startedthe game, they pretty much told us that we were going to play inthe rain all night. They were right on with that."

Jones had missed the Braves' past three games after straininghis right oblique during batting practice on Monday. He went2-for-4 with two walks and two RBI.


Renteria led off the inning with an infield single on a hotcomebacker that ricocheted off the ankle of Nationals closerChad Cordero, who allowed one run on two hits and two walks overone inning.


The Nationals loaded the bases in the ninth on a double byRonnie Belliard - his fourth hit of the game - an intentionalwalk by pinch hitter Ryan Church and a walk by Austin Kearns.Braves righthander Rafael Soriano then struck out pinch-hitterTony Batista and got Jesus Flores to fly out to center to endthe threat.


Washington threatened again in the 11th but Flores' fly outstranded runners on second and third.


Ryan Zimmerman's 24th homer of the season, a two-run shot toright in the seventh inning, gave the Nationals a 5-3 lead.Belliard led off the seventh with an infield single beforeZimmerman homered off Braves righthander Tyler Yates.

The Braves pulled it to 5-4 in the eighth inning when AndrewJones hit a one-out double off the left field wall and laterscored on Matt Diaz's bloop single to right.


The Braves left the bases loaded in the seventh when Teixeirawas called out on strikes. A dumbfounded Teixeira was halfwayto first base, thinking he had drawn a walk from Nationalsrighthander Chris Schroder, before realizing he had been rung upby home plate umpire Jim Wolf.


Following a 16-minute rain delay, the Braves struck quicklyduring a steady downpour in the first inning against Nationalsstarter Matt Chico.


Yunel Escobar and Edgar Renteria opened the game withback-to-back singles and Escobar scored on an RBI single byChipper Jones. Teixeira followed with an RBI double that scoredRenteria for a 2-0 lead. Andruw Jones capped the rally byscoring Chipper Jones on a sacrifice fly to center that gave theBraves a 3-0 lead.


Belliard hit his 10th homer of the season, a solo shot to centeroff Braves starter Chuck James in the first inning.

"A win like this can get you going again," Francoeur said. "Ifwe can continue this, it would be nice to get a sweep and getout of here."