Published February 05, 2015
Gavin Floyd gave up a big lead, leaving him still looking for his first win of 2014.
The Braves scored four runs in the first and added another in the second, but Floyd lost the lead and Atlanta fell 7-5 to Seattle on Tuesday night.
After Floyd gave up five runs, three earned, in five-plus innings, John Buck hit a go-ahead two-run home run off Alex Wood (5-6) in the seventh inning.
Pinch-hitter Stefen Romero hit a three-run homer off Floyd in the fourth that tied the game 5-all.
The rough start left Floyd with a still-strong 2.80 ERA.
"Looking back I think we could have executed a couple of pitches better," Floyd said. "Especially to the pinch hitter, making a better pitch to him. I think that's one I'd take back.
"Nobody wants to give (the lead) right back. Ultimately you can't pay attention to that as a starting pitcher. You've got to go out there and make pitches and get these guys out."
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez remains confident in Floyd, who gave up a season-high 10 hits.
"When you make 35, 32 starts a year you're going to have a bad one," Gonzalez said. "Today is maybe one of those starts."
Floyd was hurt by the bottom of Seattle's lineup.
"They got him. But he's a pro," Gonzalez said. "Give him a couple days and he'll come back and crank it up."
The Braves, who lost four straight to the Red Sox last week, are 0-5 in interleague games.
Evan Gattis and B.J. Upton hit homers for the Braves.
The homer was Buck's fourth against the Braves since the start of the 2013 season — including the only three he has hit at Turner Field. No other player has more homers against Atlanta in that span.
Asked about his power surge against the Braves, the 33-year-old catcher shrugged and said he has hit "a couple here and there."
"You play them enough, you're bound to get a few," Buck said.
Dominic Leone (2-0) had four strikeouts in two perfect innings.
Buck's homer, his first of the season, cleared the right-field wall and drove in Dustin Ackley, who reached on a two-out soft roller down the first-base line.
"We let them hang around and they came back and they got the big hits," Gonzalez said. "You've got to give them the credit."
Buck said he started guessing Wood's pitch selection after the left-hander threw a first-pitch changeup.
"Then he came in with a hard fastball and I said all right, I had that feeling he might come with a changeup," Buck said. "I looked for it up and I hit it."
Fernando Rodney had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.
Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma before the game for his seventh start with Seattle, gave up five runs on eight hits, including two homers, in only three innings.
The Braves led 4-0 before Ramirez recorded his second out. Freddie Freeman's single drove in Jason Heyward, who led off with a double. Gattis followed with a three-run homer, his 12th.
Upton's second-inning homer to center field gave Atlanta a 5-2 lead.
A two-base throwing error by third baseman Chris Johnson set up run-scoring singles by Seattle's Brad Miller and James Jones in the second.
NOTES: Braves RHP Jordan Walden, a key setup man on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, threw in the bullpen before batting practice. Walden's next step will be a minor league rehab assignment. ... Rookie 2B Tommy La Stella's strikeout in the third inning was his first in his 17th at-bat. ... Braves LHP Mike Minor will face Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma as the two-game series ends on Wednesday.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/gavin-floyd-blows-early-lead-still-looking-for-first-win-after-braves-fall-to-mariners-7-5