ATLANTA - Jeff Locke attempted to shrug off an ugly loss as just another game that didnt go your way. Brock Nelson Jersey .With the Pirates in a tight division race, however, it was much more.Locke gave up six runs in only four innings and the Pirates missed a chance to move up in the NL Central race, falling to the Atlanta Braves 6-2 on Wednesday night.It marked the second time in five September starts Locke (7-6) failed to last longer than four innings. He allowed 13 baserunners a€” eight hits and five walks a€” in the short start.Locke said he struggled pretty much the whole game, really.Manager Clint Hurdle said Lockes pitches were up in the zone and he lacked consistency with his fastball and secondary pitches.So it was tough for him out there, Hurdle said.The Pirates, who clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday night, stayed 1 1/2 games behind division-leading St. Louis, which was beaten by the Cubs. Pittsburgh lost for only the fourth time in its last 19 games.Hurdle wouldnt say if the start could affect Lockes role in the playoffs.You know what, were not even there, Hurdle said. Well have those conversations when we need to. Thats not a question Im going to answer tonight. When we sit down, well look at the volume of work and well look at matchups.Andrew McCutchen had two hits, including a two-run homer in the fifth inning after Atlanta led 6-0.The Pirates had two baserunners in the ninth before Braves closer Craig Kimbrel struck out McCutchen and Travis Snider for his 45th save.We still battled, McCutchen said. We still fought at the end.Pittsburgh catcher Russell Martin left the game in the fifth inning with tightness in his left hamstring.I didnt tweak it; its just tight, Martin said, adding it was a smart and cautious decision to leave the game and guard against a more serious hamstring injury.Justin Upton hit a two-run homer and pitcher Julio Teheran and Emilio Bonifacio each had two-run singles as Atlanta ended a five-game losing streak. Teheran (14-13) allowed six hits and two runs in five innings.The Braves improved their dismal September record to 5-16. Their six runs matched their combined output in the five straight losses.Pittsburgh lost a day after its clubhouse celebration at Turner Field, where champagne and beer flowed freely. The Pirates wrapped up their post-season berth exactly one year after clinching a place in the 2013 playoffs to end a 21-year drought.McCutchen drove in Starling Marte, who had two hits, with his 25th homer.Christian Bethancourt hit two ground-rule doubles for Atlanta.UP, UP AND AWAYUpton set a career high with his 28th homer. He has 99 RBIs, also a career high, and has been a highlight of a bad season for Atlanta hitters.GOOD FRIENDSLocke and Atlantas Jason Heyward lived together when the two were beginning their professional careers at Danville in the Braves farm system. Locke said he and Heyward remain good friends and talk or text regularly.Heyward had no hits in three at-bats against Locke.ADDITIONThe Pirates claimed right-hander Chaz Roe off waivers from the New York Yankees. Roe had been designated for assignment by the Yankees on Sunday.The 27-year-old Roe began the season with the Marlins before being acquired by the Yankees on August 31. He made three appearances with New York this season, and also posted 14 saves in 47 games (64.0ip) at Triple-A New Orleans.Roe will take the roster spot of right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton, who was placed on the 60-day D.L. with right hip inflammation.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: Martin singled in the second inning and seemed to hurt himself when he returned to first base on a pickoff throw. He remained on one knee for several seconds before rising slowly and said after the game it looked funny because his foot slipped off the bag.Braves: 3B Chris Johnson had two hits and scored two runs before he left the game in the sixth with a lower back strain. ... C Evan Gattis is expected to make his first start since Sept. 7 on Thursday night but likely wont play the full game. He has been held out with strep throat and a kidney stone.UP NEXTPirates: Edinson Volquez (12-7) will start on Thursday night in the final game of the four-game series. He hasnt faced the Braves this season and is 2-3 against Atlanta in six career starts.Braves: RHP David Hale, replacing Mike Minor in the rotation, will make his first start since June 28 in the Braves final home game of the season. Hale (4-4) has pitched in relief in 39 of his 44 games. John Tavares Jersey . Toronto ended an 0-4-0 skid with Sundays shootout win over visiting New Jersey, but the club could have a difficult time making it two victories in a row tonight. The Maple Leafs have dropped three straight and 11 of the last 12 regular- season meetings against Boston overall and the Bruins have claimed six straight in Beantown. Shane Prince Jersey . Orlando is to begin play in the MLS for the 2015 season. Kaka, who currently plays with AC Milan, is expected to be loaned out to his home club Sao Paulo for the upcoming season before joining Orlando for next season. http://www.islandersauthority.com/authentic-denis-potvin-islanders-jersey/ . His second visit, not so much. Roark (7-5) allowed four runs on 10 hits and one walk over six innings in a 7-2 setback in front of several friends and family members, as the Cubs snapped his personal streak of four consecutive victories on Friday.BARCELONA, Spain -- Four days after affirming its European credentials by toppling Manchester City, Barcelona slumped to a stinging 3-1 loss at Real Sociedad to relinquish the provisional Spanish league lead to Real Madrid on Saturday. Gareth Bale scored a blistering long-range strike to help Madrid brush aside Elche 3-0 at home, and Barcelona was unable to match that with a win. Instead, it was overrun by Sociedads dynamic attack led by forwards Antoine Griezmann and Carlos Vela. Barcelonas defeat confirmed the change in course in the league title race over the past two months, leaving Madrid in command and waiting to see if Atletico can keep up when it visits Osasuna on Sunday. After starting the season with 13 wins and a draw, Barcelona has dropped points in four of its last seven games. Barcelona coach Gerard Martino shuffled his lineup from Tuesdays Champions League victory at City and tried to reinforce his defence by playing with two holding midfielders in Sergio Busquets and Alex Song. The move backfired when Song scored an own goal in the 32nd minute in the first of several defensive lapses that doomed the defending champions. Lionel Messi equalized in the 36th, only for Griezmann to restore the hosts advantage after an error by defender Marc Bartra in the 54th before setting up David Zurutuza in the 59th. The loss left Barcelona three points behind Madrid, the first time it has trailed its fierce rival this season. Atletico is also three points behind Madrid before it plays on Sunday. The last time Barcelona lost by more than one goal was a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in May 2013. Martino took the blame for the humbling defeat. "Real (Sociedad) deserved to win," he said. "I didnt make the correct reading of the game. The decision not to change was also a mistake." Madrid won its third straight game without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was finishing a three-game suspension. Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 34th. Bale then squashed Elches timid second-half surge with a blast frrom about 25 metres in the 72nd before substitute Isco Alarcon sealed the victory in the 81st. Custom New York Islanders Jerseys. Bale was having a discreet outing until his superb strike that hit the underside of the bar and bounced in, securing the three points that made Madrid the overnight pacesetters. "I said My goodness, what a goal when I saw the ball pass by," Madrid fullback Dani Carvajal said. Madrid will visit Schalke 04 on Wednesday in the Champions League final 16 enjoying an unbeaten streak of 26 games in all competitions. Madrid then plays at crosstown rival Atletico next weekend in a highly anticipated league meeting. Also, Celta Vigo fought back for a 1-1 draw at home against 10-man Getafe to leave the visitors winless in the last 10 rounds, while Malaga drew 0-0 at Almeria. Martino was dismissed by the referee during halftime, and Barcelonas first-year manager had to witness the rare sight of his team being thoroughly dismantled from the Anoeta Stadium stands as the festive home fans soaked up their big win. The victory moved Sociedad one point out of fourth place and Spains last Champions League spot as the Basque side deployed its best version of its up-tempo attack to take a good measure of vengeance for Barcelona eliminating it from the Copa del Rey the previous week. Sociedad was unlucky not to widen the final margin when a disheartened Barcelona appeared to tire in the final minutes. Vela almost capped his outstanding performance in the 81st but his shot hit the post. Sociedad went ahead when Gorka Elustondo muscled by Song to meet Sergio Canales cross, which Elustondo appeared to graze with his head before it hit Song in the chest and landed in the net. Messi combined with Martin Montoya to level when Sergio Busquets craftily let Montoyas pass run between his legs for Messi to rifle it inside the upright of Claudio Bravos goal. Sociedad, however, got the winner when Bartra headed Bravos goalkick back toward his own area, where Vela was quick to pounce and crossed for Griezmann to volley in his 15th league goal of the season. 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