Atlanta Braves lose 2-1 to Texas Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Alex Wood gave Atlanta a chance for a big road win Friday night. The Braves’ lineup was unable to come up with a big hit.

Wood struck out nine over seven innings of one-run ball, but Atlanta lost 2-1 to the Texas Rangers.

The Braves have lost four of five to drop three games behind Pittsburgh for the National League’s second wild card. Over the last 12 games, Atlanta is 4-8 while scoring only 27 runs.

In Wood’s last eight starts, he is just 3-1 despite giving up only 11 runs, with no more than three runs in any game. The left-hander didn’t complain about the lack of run support.

“The only thing that’s frustrating is us not getting the ‘W’ as a team,” Wood said. “Right now, everything matters. We’re grinding out at-bats.”

Wood walked two and allowed four hits.

“He has some unbelievable numbers,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “It doesn’t bother him. He’ll come back out the next time and give ya another chance to win the game.”

Adrian Beltre and Ryan Rua had two hits apiece as Texas won for only the second time in 13 games. The Rangers improved to 2-5 under interim manager Tim Bogar.

Texas’ winning rally started with two out in the eighth. Beltre and Rua hit consecutive singles against David Carpenter (6-4) before Robinson Chirinos lined an RBI single to center.

Chirinos was playing for the first time after missing 10 games because of a stiff neck.

Rookie Phil Klein (1-2) recorded two outs for his first major league win and Neftali Feliz pitched a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save in 10 opportunities.

Atlanta had a runner on third with one out in the eighth when Klein struck out Justin Upton. After issuing an intentional walk to Ryan Doumit, Klein struck out Chris Johnson to end the inning.

The game ended when Andrelton Simmons flied out to Texas right fielder Michael Choice on the warning track.

The Braves had taken a 1-0 lead in the third, when they had four of their eight hits against Derek Holland.

Singles by B.J. Upton and Simmons and Jason Heyward’s ground ball produced the run. Holland retired Justin Upton and Doumit with the bases loaded to prevent a bigger inning.

“We had some opportunity,” Gonzalez said. “It wasn’t for lack of trying, or lack of putting people on base, we just can’t put the ball in play sometimes when we have to.”

Texas tied it in the sixth on J.P. Arencibia’s double, Beltre’s single and Rua’s groundout.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: C Evan Gattis (strep throat) missed his fourth straight game.

Rangers: RHP Scott Baker (triceps tendinitis) was scratched from Saturday’s scheduled start. … OF Jake Smolinski (fractured left foot) could come off the disabled list to join Texas on Tuesday at Oakland. … OF Jim Adduci (concussion) is undergoing tests to determine if he could return from the DL.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Julio Teheran (13-11, 3.00 ERA) faces RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (0-0, 7.36 ERA) on Saturday afternoon. Teheran will be trying to end a personal two-game losing streak. Bonilla is making his first major league start in Baker’s place.

LOOOONG STREAK

Beltre has the longest current hitting streak by any player against the Braves. The streak extends back to 2003, but it’s only 13 games because he has played in the American League since ’05.

MORE STREAKING

On his 25th birthday, Braves 1B Freddie Freeman’s third-inning single stretched his on-base streak to 28 games. Beltre’s streak went to 27 after his sixth-inning single.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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