Nick Ahmed breaks tie in 7th as Diamondbacks top Braves

ATLANTA — Nick Ahmed hit a tie-breaking single in the seventh after Zack Godley allowed a run over six innings, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Friday night.

Both teams began the week in first place but have since fallen out. The Diamondbacks began the night a half game behind the Dodgers in the NL West. The Braves fell 1.5 games behind NL East-leading Philadelphia.

Godley (11-6) gave up three hits in the first, including Kurt Suzuki’s run-scoring single. He allowed only two hits over the next five innings and struck out seven overall.

Brad Boxberger struck out the side in the ninth for his 23rd save.

Braves right-hander Anibal Sanchez also was sharp, allowing a run and five hits in six innings. The right-hander gave up his run in the sixth, when Alex Avila doubled to left and scored from third on Jon Jay’s blooper into shallow left field. Jay moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Paul Goldschmidt but was thrown out at the plate by first baseman Freddie Freeman on David Peralta’s grounder.

Arizona quickly took the lead against the bullpen in the seventh. Daniel Descalso drew a one-out walk from Sam Freeman (2-5) and scored on Ahmed’s single up the middle off Dan Winkler.

Steven Souza Jr. led off the third with a double to left field but, with the help of a video review, was picked off second by Sanchez. The review showed the tag by shortstop Dansby Swanson before Souza returned to the bag.

Many fans in the SunTrust Park record crowd of 42,130 left their seats when rain began in the sixth, but the only delay was for the grounds crew to add dry dirt to the mound.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: An MRI on RHP Shelby Miller (right elbow inflammation) will be examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Miller’s Tommy John surgery last year. Manager Torey Lovullo said team physicians have examined the results but want ElAttrache to provide an additional opinion. Miller left Wednesday’s 19-2 loss to Colorado with tightness in the elbow after giving up five runs in the first inning.

Braves: LHP Luiz Gohara is schedule to make two starts with Triple-A Gwinnett before he returns to Atlanta. He’ll be on schedule to start on July 24 against Miami. Gohara was optioned to Gwinnett on Thursday, and OF Preston Tucker was recalled on Friday in a corresponding move.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (9-5, 3.39) is 3-1 with a 2.94 ERA in eight career starts against Atlanta.

Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (7-4, 3.44) has allowed five runs in each of his last two starts, both losses.