Road trip starts with tough loss
SAN FRANCISCO - Aaron Rowand drove in the winning run with two outs in the 13th inning, salvaging the San Francisco Giants' home opener and unbeaten season with a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
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It was the fifth game-ending hit of Rowand's career and scored Juan Uribe, who drew a one-out walk from Kris Medlen (0-1) before stealing second. Uribe went to third on catcher Brian McCann's throwing error, and Rowand brought him home.
Jeremy Affeldt (2-0) pitched one inning for the win in the longest game in the majors this season and the longest home opener in San Francisco history.
Edgar Renteria hit a tying two-run homer off Braves closer Billy Wagner with one out in the ninth. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox was ejected in the top of the 13th for arguing balls and strikes, the 154th ejection of his career.
"Great game. Quite an opener," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
San Francisco rallied from an early 3-0 deficit after a dazzling season debut by Braves starter Tim Hudson. At 4-0, the Giants are off to their best start since winning their first seven games in 2003, their last playoff year.
Both teams missed early chances to end it.
In the 12th, San Francisco slugger Pablo Sandoval led off with a double and went to third on Andres Torres' sacrifice, but the Giants couldn't convert. Torres was the Giants' last available position player.
The Braves were already out of position players because Chipper Jones is sidelined with a strained right oblique muscle.
Giants closer Brian Wilson pitched a 1-2-3 10th, striking out sensational rookie Jason Heyward to end the inning, before loading the bases in the 11th. Sergio Romo relieved and got Troy Glaus on a flyout.
Bochy has said all along Renteria deserved a chance to show what he can do healthy. He played in pain all last year and was limited to 124 games in his first season with the Giants, largely beca
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