Loss doesn't daunt Devine

ATLANTA - When Joey Devine described his performance Saturday in his first major-league relief outing - in which he surrendered the game-winning grand slam to Xavier Nady - as "unbelievable," it wasn't meant as a negative thing.

In fact, Devine was still thrilled to be a part of the Braves.

"It's an organization that I looked up to ever since I was 5 years old, when I first picked up a bat and a ball," he said Sunday. "And (it's) just an unbelievable experience. I mean, it's been absolutely fabulous. It's been a great, great few days."

This from a guy whose initial appearance left him with a 21.60 ERA and his first career loss after 1w innings of work. The grand slam was the first of Nady's career and opened the door for the Padres to win a 13-inning marathon, 7-2.

But Devine said he wasn't going to let what he considered one bad throw to get him down.

"That was one pitch that could either make or break an outing, but I didn't look at it that way, because, overall, I thought I pitched pretty good," he said. "I felt good."

Devine's teammates and coaches have told him to stay positive, he said.

"They're all very supportive and said, 'Hey, you know, it's baseball,'" Devine said.

PEN WOES, AGAIN: It's not as if Devine is alone among Braves relievers having a tough time. While Kyle Farnsworth, Chris Reitsma and Blaine Boyer kept the Padres from scoring Saturday as the 2-2 affair dragged on, the bullpen is struggling in August.

Braves relievers are 2-3 with a 5.37 ERA this month, and they've converted one of five save opportunities. Compare that with July, when the bullpen went 6-3 with a 3.63 ERA and converted nine of ten save chances. Even though they've pitched 11w fewer innings this month, the bullpen has already surrendered six more runs and six more homers.

Reach Brandon Larrabee at brandon.larrabee@morris.com.