Braves Pull Out Win in 10th Inning, 4-2 : Baseball: Padres waste bases-loaded chance in the bottom of the ninth.

The Atlanta Braves, given one too many chances, lowered the tomahawk on the San Diego Padres and left town with a 4-2, 10-inning victory Thursday night.

Despite a crowd of only 13,556 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, the game was played with playoff intensity until the 10th, when the Padres set up Atlanta’s victory with two errors.

That victory allowed the Braves to stay within half a game of the Dodgers as they open a three-game series tonight at Dodger Stadium.

It was a particularly frustrating defeat for the Padres, who fell to .500 at 74-74 and wasted the bases-loaded opportunity against rookie reliever Mark Wohlers in the bottom of the ninth.

Said Atlanta first baseman Sid Bream: “That got the old heart pounding. When you get down the stretch like this, every play is critical.”

Wohlers gained the victory to improve to 2-1. Alejandro Pena pitched a perfect 10th for his 10th save.

The loss went to Craig Lefferts (1-6). Lonnie Smith, who earlier tied the score in the sixth and seventh innings by driving in runs, opened the 10th with a single. Rookie Vinny Castilla, laid down a bunt that Padre first baseman Fred McGriff bobbled, then threw away for two errors that put runners on second and third.

Terry Pendleton was walked to load the bases for David Justice, who singled through the infield to break the tie. Ron Gant’s sacrifice fly added the last run.

Padre outfielder Bip Roberts, talking about the way the Braves took advantage of opportunities, said: “Contending teams get the breaks, but they also make ‘em. They’re not playing to tie, they’re playing to win, and that’s what they do.”

The matchup of two hot pitchers dominated the early going.

But the Padres got to the Atlanta starter John Smoltz for their first two hits in the third inning when Tim Teufel led off with a double off the left-field wall and scored on Thomas Howard’s single. It was Howard’s sixth run batted in this week.

The Braves got their first hit off Padre starter Andy Benes in the sixth, when they tied the score with Smith’s one-out home run, his sixth of the season, over the fence in right-center.

But the Padres came back in the bottom of the inning to break the tie. Tony Fernandez drew a one-out walk, the third of the evening off Smoltz, and came around on McGriff’s line shot that hit the chalk down the right-field line. McGriff, however, was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple, derailing any further scoring.

The hit gave McGriff 29 RBIs for his past 35 games and raised his total to a career-high 95.

Neither pitcher survived the seventh. Smoltz, who gave up only three hits, was lifted for a pinch-hitter; and Benes, who threw 92 pitches despite a sore knee and also gave up only three hits, was removed after allowing one-out walks to Greg Olson and Tommy Gregg. Mike Maddux gave up a long fly ball that moved Olson to third, then a run-scoring single to Smith before getting out of the inning. Both runs were charged to Benes.

The Padres had a prime chance to win the game in the ninth but left the bases loaded. Benito Santiago got a one-out single, followed by a grounder to short by Darrin Jackson. Second baseman Mark Lemke bobbled the relay and never appeared to have control as he attempted to shift the ball to his throwing hand. However, second base umpire Greg Bonin called the out and Manager Greg Riddoch argued to no avail.

Teufel walked and Howard singled to left, but the Padres again chose not to challenge Smith, whose throw home was 10 feet up the line, and the bases stayed loaded.