Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - John Buck's go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning was the difference, as the Seattle Mariners beat the Atlanta Braves, 7-5, in the first of two interleague games at Turner Field.
Buck finished 3-for-4 and scored three runs while Stefen Romero had a pinch- hit, three-run home run for the Mariners, winners of their last four contests.
"Obviously it's a great feeling," said Romero. "I haven't hit too many homers in the big leagues. That was my third one and it's not going to get old."
Seattle's bullpen shut down the Braves after a rocky start from Erasmo Ramirez, with four pitchers allowing just two hits and a pair of walks in six scoreless innings. Dominic Leone (2-0) fanned four batters in two innings of relief to earn the win.
Fernando Rodney pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the win and collect his 15th save of the season.
Evan Gattis crushed a three-run homer and B.J. Upton collected two hits, one being a solo shot, and scored a pair of runs for the Braves, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Alex Wood (5-6) served up the go-ahead home run to absorb the loss.
Buck smacked a two-out, two-run homer to deep right field to break a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning. Dustin Ackley singled on a soft ground ball to first baseman Freddie Freeman to keep the inning alive.
"We let them hang around and they came back and got some big hits," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez.
Jason Heyward doubled to right lead off the first inning and advanced to third on a B.J. Upton base hit. After Upton stole second, Freeman drove in Heyward on a line drive single just above second baseman Robinson Cano's glove.
The Mariners got two runs back in the second inning with a pair of RBI singles from Brad Miller and James Jones. Miller plated Buck, who reached base on a throwing error from third baseman Chris Johnson.
B.J. Upton's solo homer to straightaway center in the home half of the inning gave the Braves a 5-2 advantage.
Romero's pinch-hit, three-run homer in the fourth frame tied the game at 5-5. Buck singled to right and Miller worked a walk to start the inning.
Game Notes
Romero's homer was the first pinch-hit home run for the Mariners this season ... Braves starter Gavin Floyd yielded five runs -- three earned -- on 10 hits over five-plus innings ... Seattle starter Ramirez was tagged for five runs on eight hits in just three innings ... Heyward extended his hitting streak to eight games, going 1-for-5 ... The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Atlanta against Seattle.
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