Marlins beat Braves for fourth walk-off win of week

MIAMI - The Florida Marlins' latest pie-in-the-face celebration came with a twist: Wes Helms was a target twice, the second time when his 7-year-old son delivered a platter of shaving cream to his dad's face in the clubhouse.

"He more punched me than pied me," Helms said with a grin.

The Marlins' walk-off win ritual is becoming commonplace but hardly routine. Helms hit a bases-loaded RBI single with none out in the 11th inning Sunday to beat the Braves, 5-4, and give Florida its fourth walk-off victory of the week and seventh of the season.

"You don't see a stretch like this very often," Helms said. "With the lead changes and the drama at the end of the games, it's just amazing to see that in one week."

The Marlins went 7-3 on their homestand, with six wins by one run. The surge left them at .500 and still in playoff contention as they begin a West Coast trip Monday.

"These kind of wins are fun," said Dan Uggla, whose single in the 11th preceded Helms' hit. "We would like to have a safe win and a nice little five- or six-run lead once in a while, but we'll take them any way we can get them."

The Braves loaded the bases four times, including in the top of the 11th, and those situations produced only one run. They stranded 11 runners. "You let the other team off the hook that many times, eventually they're going to cash in and beat you," Chipper Jones said.

The NL East-leading Braves lost a series for only the second time since early May.

Florida's Hanley Ramirez singled off Jesse Chavez (2-2) to start the 11th and took third on Uggla's single. After Cody Ross was intentionally walked to load the bases, Helms hit an 0-and-1 pitch through the left side of the infield and was mobbed after rounding first base.

Chris Coghlan hit Helms with a pie on the field. Wes Jr. - hoisted up by big rookie Mike Stanton - got Dad again in the clubhouse.

Helms already is plotting payback with his son.

"I can get him when he's sleeping," said Helms, who had a two-run triple in the Marlins' four-run fourth. "He's going to wake up with shaving cream over his whole body."