The Orioles slugger made that strategy look foolish.
Machado hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the 15th inning, lifting Baltimore to a 10-7 win over Atlanta on Friday night after each team staged dramatic ninth-inning rallies.
The Braves surrendered six runs in the ninth, and then scored four times in the bottom of the inning.
Peter Moylan, Atlanta’s eighth pitcher, hit Craig Gentry to open the 15th. Gentry moved to second on Austin Wynns‘ sacrifice.
With first base open, the Braves pitched to Machado and he responded with his 19th homer, a drive into the Orioles’ bullpen in left.
Snitker said the right-handed Moylan is tough on right-handed hitters but acknowledged ”you hate like hell (Machado) is one of them.”
Machado said an intentional walk ”crossed my mind at first. I thought they were. In that situation they probably had faith in Moylan out there that he could get some ground balls to the left side of the infield.”
Machado hit a 0-2 slider Moylan said was ”supposed to be middle in.” Moylan said the pitch ”slipped out of my hand and ended up middle middle.”
Moylan (0-1) gave up another run on singles by Colby Rasmus and Jonathan Schoop.
Mike Wright Jr. (1-0), Baltimore’s seventh pitcher, threw two scoreless innings.
The game lasted 5 hours, 21 minutes.
The Orioles trailed 3-1 heading into the ninth, and the Braves rallied against closer Zach Britton in the bottom of the inning. Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino was not used while Dan Winkler allowed four runs while recording only one out.
Snitker said he rested Vizcaino because of shoulder soreness and he might be available on Saturday.
Chris Davis hit a drought-breaking homer and drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly as Baltimore opened a 7-3 lead.
Britton got one out and was charged with four runs and five hits. He gave up a single to Johan Camargo and a double to Danny Santana before hitting Ender Inciarte to load the bases.
Ozzie Albies‘ bases-loaded single drove in Camargo. Freddie Freeman’s two-run single cut the lead to one before Nick Markakis tied the game with a double to right field.
Atlanta had jumped in front on Charlie Culberson’s tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth.
Davis, making his first start since June 11, hit his first homer since May 9 in the fifth. Camargo tied the game with his run-scoring double in the seventh.
Braves left-hander Sean Newcomb allowed five hits in seven innings.
Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb permitted four hits in seven innings
The start of the game was delayed 11 minutes by rain.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: OF Trey Mancini (stiff neck) struck out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. He did not start for the second straight game. … INF Tim Beckham (core muscle surgery) could return Monday. He has been out since April 25.
Braves: RHP Mike Soroka was placed on the 10-day disabled list Tuukka Rask Jersey , retroactive to Wednesday, with right shoulder inflammation. It is the rookie’s second DL stint with the shoulder issue. He missed 24 games from May 17 to June 13. He allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings and his velocity dropped in the Braves’ 11-4 win at Toronto on Tuesday. Santana was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett. … RHP Mike Foltynewicz (right triceps tightness) threw on the side without problems and could come off the DL to start Monday against the Reds.
THROWBACK
As part of the team’s celebration of Hank Aaron this week, the Braves wore 1974 throwback uniforms.
NO FIREWORKS
Fans booed after the Braves announced the length of the game forced the team to cancel the postgame fireworks show.
DRASTIC CHANGES
Davis was hitting only .150 when he was given 10 days to work on his swing with hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh and vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson. Davis, in the third season of a seven-year, $161 million contract, described changes to his swing as ”drastic.”
”I think the break was obviously more just to give me an opportunity to sit down and try to make some of these adjustments and not have to go out and do it in the game,” Davis said.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (5-7, 3.81 ERA) is 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA in eight career interleague games, including seven starts. He will be making his first career appearance against Atlanta on Saturday.
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran (5-4, 3.97 ERA) will make his second career start against Baltimore.
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Jordan Zimmermann looked like a $110 million pitcher in his last start. The Detroit Tigers hope the oft-injured Zimmermann can produce like that on a regular basis.
Zimmermann, who will start for the Tigers against the Texas Rangers on Friday in Detroit, has been a huge disappointment since signing a five-year, $110 million free-agent contract in November 2015. His first two seasons with the club were marred by injuries and ineffectiveness.
He took another trip to the disabled list in May because of a shoulder impingement. He has made three starts since his return and was sharp at Toronto on Sunday Sam Hubbard Jersey , holding the Blue Jays to one run on five hits in seven innings. He didn’t issue a walk while striking out six.
His curveball and slider neutralized Toronto’s lineup as the Tigers ended an 11-game losing streak.
“My off-speed stuff was really good (Sunday),” Zimmermann said afterward. “I think the slider’s coming back.”
If Zimmermann (3-0, 3.91 ERA) can string together some quality outings, he could help the Tigers on two fronts. He could provide stability to a rotation that hasn’t gone deep into games often enough. He could also enhance his trade value, which would provide financial relief to a rebuilding franchise.
He lost his only career start against the Rangers despite holding them to three runs in eight innings in 2016.
Detroit’s roster has been in a state of flux since losing first baseman Miguel Cabrera to a season-ending biceps injury last month. Center fielder Leonys Martin and closer Shane Greene are on the disabled list, and Opening Day second baseman Dixon Machado has been designated for assignment.
Niko Goodrum, who has taken over second base, hit a solo homer Thursday but Texas took the opener of the series 7-5. The Tigers have lost 14 of their last 16 games.
Zimmermann, 32, is 13 years younger than his mound opponent in the second game of the four-game series. Bartolo Colon (5-5, 4.76) will make his 16th start this season for Texas.
Colon lasted just long enough to collect the victory in his last appearance, when he gave up three runs in five innings to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
With another victory Friday, he will surpass Dennis Martinez for the most wins by a Latin American pitcher. They are tied at 245.
“Tying Dennis Martinez Zdeno Chara Jersey , it’s such an accomplishment,” Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre told MLB.com after Colon’s last outing. “It takes him a long time, 45 years, but it’s nice that he was able to get that, and hopefully he can break it in his next start.”
Colon is 9-10 with a 5.20 ERA in 29 career appearances (28 starts) against Detroit.
Texas designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo did not play in the series opener, so his on-base streak remains at 44 games. He is dealing with tightness in his right quadriceps.
“I don’t want to push it,” Choo told the Dallas Morning News. “Do this until the All-Star break, and the rest will help.”
Joey Gallo and Ronald Guzman picked up the slack Thursday, delivering two-run homers as the Rangers built a seven-run lead and held off Detroit’s late surge.
