Thursday night at Harbor Park: Gwinnett 5, Tides 4

The Tides received  a strong performance from starting pitcher Jake Arrieta, who controlled the Braves' lineup for seven innings. They scraped together four runs. All they needed to do was keep Gwinnett off the scoreboard for one more inning. They couldn't do it.

3 outs from victory

After starting the ninth with a 4-1 lead, reliever Bob McCrory faced five batters.

Four reached base before the Tides' hard-throwing righ-hander was replaced. Then Jim Miller yielded a game-tying single to Brian Barton before misfortune hit the Tides. Braves third baseman Wes Timmons smacked a ball that glanced off the glove of first baseman Brandon Snyder before the ball rolled into the Tides' dugout. The runner on second, Reid Gorecki, was sent home by the umpire and the Braves had the lead for good.

"It's one of those things," Snyder said. "If I could have caught it or knocked it down, I though I could have saved a double. It's pretty frustrating."

Said Tides manager Gary Allenson: "When you can't nail down a three-run lead in the ninth inning, that's disappointing. But it's over with."

Testy, testy

Each time Braves center fielder Jordan Schafer batted, he and home plate umpire Alan Porter exchanged words. The confrontation began moments after Schafer struck out in the first inning and questioned Porter while walking back to the dugout. Over the course of his two at-bats, the tension grew. Eventually, Schafer was ejected in the fifth inning moments after he lined out to Tides shortstop Justin Turner. Schafer was replaced by Barton, who hit the game-tying single.

So many options

For most players, the All-Star break is a time for rest. But not for Chris Tillman, who had the choice to play in the Futures Game on July 12 in St. Louis or participate in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Portland four days later. He chose St. Louis

"The organization asked me which one I would rather go to," he said. "Too much traveling for no reason because if I went I wouldn't throw.

Tillman (5-5), the Tides' ace, has had an impressive season even if his record is unremarkable. The 21-year-old right-hander leads the Tides in strikeouts with 75 and has a 2.97 ERA in 14 starts.

Had he opted to go to Portland, Tillman would have been joined by Miller, who was the only other Tides player selected to represent the International League. He is 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA and is tied for the IL lead in saves with 16.