Braves squander 4-0 lead, lose in 10 to Jays

A mix of blown calls and missed opportunities doomed the Braves today. They squandered a four-run lead and lost 6-5 in 10 innings to the Blue Jays.

Chris Johnson got the Braves on the board with a sacrifice fly in the first inning after R.A. Dickey loaded the bases; Freddie Freeman added another majestic home run, a two-run shot, in the third inning; A.J. Pierzynski contributed a line drive homer to right leading off the fourth. The offense gave Alex Wood a 4-0 lead and he made it hold up through six innings thanks to four double plays turned behind him.

The trouble for Wood and the Braves started in the seventh inning. Danny Valencia doubled with one out, his third of four hits in the game, and scored on Russell Martin's single; one out later, Martin scored on Steve Tolleson's triple. The next batter, Dalton Pompey, hit an ordinary ground ball to Andrelton Simmons. Easy out, right? Instead, Pompey was called safe and the third run of the inning scored. The play was challenged, with replays clearly showing the ball in Freddie's glove before Pompey's foot touched the base, but the call was still flubbed and Wood departed with a one-run lead. Simmons made a nice over-the-shoulder catch to end the inning but spiked the ball in frustration.

Don’t stop the loop. @Andrelton is so GOOD. https://t.co/ZefSeOZKe5

— MLB (@MLB) April 18, 2015

The offense failed to cash in an opportunity to score in the top of the eighth, coming up empty after starting the inning with two on and no outs. Jim Johnson answered the call in the bottom of the inning, and for the second straight game served up a meatball, a two-run blast to Jose Bautista that put the Jays in front. The Jays brought on their closer Miguel Castro for the ninth, but Kelly Johnson greeted him with a game-tying homer, sending the game into extra innings.

Jace Peterson was picked off after a single in the 10th, and with Sugar Ray Marimon pitching, the game ended quickly and in suitable fashion: a home run, this one by Josh Donaldson.

Wood: 6.2 IP, 9 hits, 3 runs, 2 BB, 0 K
Dickey: 7 IP, 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 BB, 6 K
Freeman: 2-4, 2-run HR
Markakis: 1-2, 3 BB
Donaldson: 3-4, HR, 2 runs
Valencia: 4-4, 2 doubles, 1 run

Win Expectancy