One is enough for Braves

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves waited until the last inning of a memorable homestand to put an end to a streak of one-run futility they hope to forget.

The Braves finally won a one-run game when Matt Diaz hit a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning to beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 Thursday.

Atlanta was the first team since the 2000 Houston Astros to lose its first nine one-run games. The Braves were the only team in the major leagues without a one-run victory.

Chipper Jones was grateful to see the streak end.

"Amen! Hallelujah!" Jones said.

The Braves completed a 6-0 homestand to improve to 14-4 at Turner Field. They have the best home winning percentage (.778) in baseball, but now return to the road, where they are only 4-11.

"It's our first one-run win, which is nice and good for us," Jeff Francoeur said. "Now we need to take this momentum on the road, where we haven't exactly been sharp this year."

Atlanta trailed 4-1 after five innings, had its first two pitchers leave with injuries and won with its only earned run of the game.

"We caught some breaks," said Jones, who was 0 for 4 before contributing to the ninth-inning rally with a single. "We didn't deserve to win today but we took advantage of some of their mistakes."

The Padres, who lost their fourth straight, committed three errors that led to four unearned runs.

"I can't remember playing a game when we allowed so many unearned runs," manager Bud Black said. "We have played sure-handed ball. Today we let a couple balls get away."

Yunel Escobar led off the ninth with a bunt single off Joe Thatcher (0-4). Jones followed with a single to left. After the runners advanced on Mark Teixeira's ground out, Thatcher issued an intentional walk to Francoeur, loading the bases for Diaz.

Diaz, who didn't have a hit in his first four at-bats, lined a 2-2 pitch to left to drive in Escobar for the one-run win.

"Now we got that monkey off our back and we can hopefully get the road monkey off our back," Diaz said.

Braves starter Jo-Jo Reyes left in the third inning after starting to develop a blister on his left index finger. Buddy Carlyle, who relieved Reyes, was knocked out of the game in the fifth after he injured his neck in a baseline collision with Kevin Kouzmanoff.