Jordan Hits Braves' Winner

Brian Jordan was expecting another day of rest for his sore wrist. Fortunately for the Atlanta Braves, he was in the lineup Thursday.

Jordan lined a one-out single in the 11th inning, scoring Ozzie Guillen from second as the Braves overcame a string of wasted opportunities to beat the Montreal Expos 3-2.

Jordan didn't play the previous game after being hit on the right wrist with a pitch Tuesday. But the Braves couldn't afford to have him sit out another game, not with Javy Lopez and Walt Weiss on the disabled list.

"It's sore, there's no question about that," said Jordan, his wrist wrapped in ice after the game. "I thought I would get another chance to sit out, but Don (Baylor, the Braves hitting coach) said I looked pretty good in the cage, so they threw me in there."

Guillen led off the 11th with a single against Guillermo Mota (2-1) and stole second. After Chipper Jones was intentionally walked, Jordan switched to a heavier bat used by teammate Brian Hunter, hoping it would take away some of the stress on the wrist. The move paid off with a single to center.

"That's a slap in my face when they walk the guy in front of me," Jordan said. "I think that's a good attitude to have. I'll come through more times than not in that situation."

Kevin McGlinchey (3-2) picked up the win for the Braves, within one out of losing in the ninth when Otis Nixon scored from third on a passed ball.

Nixon, hitting only .167, batted for Eddie Perez to lead off the inning and blooped a double down the left-field line, the ball deflecting off the glove of a diving James Mouton. Nixon moved to third when another pinch-hitter, Keith Lockhart, flared a single to right.

Ugueth Urbina, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, nearly got out of trouble again when Guillen popped a bunt back to the mound and Bret Boone fouled out to first.

With the count 1-0 on Jones, a low fastball skipped off the glove of catcher Chris Widger and rolled all the way to the backstop, allowing Nixon to slide across with the tying run.

Te Braves loaded the bases before Gerald Williams flied out, following a pattern of wasted opportunities. Atlanta stranded 15 runners, including 10 in scoring position.

"We just have to execute with runners on," said John Smoltz, who pitched eight strong innings. "In the ninth inning, we were given a gift. There's no doubt this would have been our most frustrating loss all year. Fortunately, we don't have to talk about that."

While Widger's passed ball gave the Braves the tying run, Montreal manager Felipe Alou focused on Nixon's double.

"A fly ball to shallow left should be caught in the big leagues," Alou said. "In Class A ball, you have to catch that ball. That was play of the game."

Mouton, who called off shortstop Orlando Cabrera, agreed with his manager.

"If we came back and played again, I think I would make it," Mouton said. "We had him played perfectly. He just didn't hit it hard enough."

The Expos had their own comeback against Smoltz, who led 1-0 with two outs in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Vladimir Guerrero and Manny Martinez put Montreal ahead with back-to-back, run-scoring triples.

Guerrero, hobbled by a sore left groin, fouled off two 3-2 pitches before sending a drive to the wall in right-center. Martinez followed with a hit to nearly the same spot and also made it to third.

Smoltz allowed only five hits and struck out a season-high nine in eight innings, while Montreal starter Dustin Hermanson limited the Braves to seven hits and a run in seven innings.

Hermanson, who entered with a 5.98 ERA, missed a chance for his first win since May 8. He has four losses and four no-decisions in his last eight starts.

Guerrero didn't start after straining his left groin Wednesday night while throwing out a runner at the plate. But he came on in the eighth to extend his streak of consecutive games played to 214

third-longest in the majors.

Boone put Atlanta ahead with an RBI single in the fifth.

Notes: