Padres 4, Braves 3
Logan Forsythe singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as visiting San Diego rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the series opener.
Chase Headley’s solo homer on the first pitch of the eighth off Jordan Walden (4-3) tied the game at 3. Nick Vincent (5-3) struck out the side in the seventh, Chris Denorfia finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and Huston Street earned his 30th save for the Padres.
Atlanta starter David Hale set a franchise record for most strikeouts in his first big-league game with nine, scattering four hits and one walk in five innings. Justin Upton and Brian McCann homered for Atlanta, which saw its lead over Washington in the National League East trimmed to 10 games.
The Braves built a 3-0 advantage in the fourth on Upton’s 25th homer of the season leading off the inning and McCann’s 20th homer – a two-run shot – later in the frame. Upton and Freddie Freeman each finished with two hits for Atlanta, which has a magic number of six to clinch the East.
San Diego started its comeback in the seventh, scoring twice on Jesus Guzman’s infield single and Denorfia’s sacrifice fly. After Headley’s homer, Tommy Medica walked and eventually scored on Forsythe’s single to center.
GAME NOTEBOOK: San Diego starter Ian Kennedy allowed three runs on five hits in six innings. … Bob Dresser (1902) and Kenshin Kawakami (2009) struck out eight in their major-league debuts for the Braves. … San Diego’s Luke Gregerson struck out two in a perfect eighth.