ATLANTA (Reuters) - A bases-loaded single at the bottom of the ninth inning from Omar Infante and a game to forget for Phillies closer Brad Lidge gave the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 win over Philadelphia on Saturday.
Infante's game-winning hit capped a two-run rally off Lidge (0-5), who picked up his eighth blown save of the year and second in five days, as the third-placed Braves climbed to within five games of the Phillies in the National League East.
Lidge committed two errors on one play to set up the rally, including a wild throw past first base into the outfield that allowed Anderson to scamper home with the tying run and Diaz to go to third.
He then intentionally walked Adam LaRoche and pinch-hitter Greg Norton to load the bases, but after striking out Ryan Church, Infante followed with his single to left field.
"I feel as good as I have in two years," Lidge told reporters. "I don't know what else to do, except keep getting the ball and throwing it.
"Eventually, they're going to hit it at somebody, or we're going to get the right breaks or I'm not going to make an error."
Lidge converted all 41 save opportunities last season and then all seven in the post-season to help the Phillies win the World Series. He has a 7.27 ERA this year and remains frustrated at his inability to close out games this season.
"It's puzzling," Lidge said. "It doesn't mean that it's crazy, because this is baseball. The ball's not bouncing the right way.
"Last year, it bounced the right way every time."
Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said he still had faith in the struggling pitcher.
"We've got confidence in him, he's still our closer," Manuel said. "At the same time, we definitely want to win games, of course."
Chipper Jones had two hits for the Braves and Brian McCann belted a two-run homer. Peter Moylan (5-2) got the win with a perfect ninth inning.
"You have got to play good in order to beat them," Jones said. "They don't give you games.
"So we feel fortunate about this one."
Jayson Werth hit his 24th home run of the season for the Phillies, matching his career best.
(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto, Editing by Ian Ransom)
