SAN FRANCISCO — Rick Ankiel splashed a tiebreaking home run into McCovey Cove in the 11th inning for his first postseason clout, and the comeback Atlanta Braves rallied from a late four-run deficit to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Friday night.
The Braves earned 46 come-from-behind victories this season and did it again when it counted in October — with manager Bobby Cox watching from the clubhouse after his third career postseason ejection way back in the second inning.
Atlanta heads home to Turner Field for Game 3 on Sunday with the best-of-five NL division series tied at a game apiece. It’s the only first-round playoff series that is even after two games.
Kyle Farnsworth pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings for the victory, relieving in the 10th after closer Billy Wagner got hurt fielding a sacrifice bunt.
Farnsworth escaped a bases-loaded jam when Buster Posey grounded into an inning-ending double play that was started by Troy Glaus at third base.
Alex Gonzalez hit a tying, two-run double in the eighth against Giants closer Brian Wilson, who led the majors with 48 saves this season.
Ankiel’s drive on a 2-2 pitch from Ramon Ramirez was just the second splash homer in the postseason at 11-year-old AT&T Park. Home run king Barry Bonds hit the other one on Oct. 10, 2002, in Game 2 of the NL championship series against St. Louis.
Cox became the third manager to get ejected in eight postseason games this year, following Tampa Bay’s Joe Maddon and Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire on Thursday. Before that, no manager had been tossed in the postseason since St. Louis’ Tony La Russa in 2005.
