ATLANTA -- David Ross showed again he can be an effective fill-in for Brian McCann.

Atlanta's backup catcher hit a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning and the Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Wednesday night for their second straight victory in extra innings.

This time, there was no controversy, no debate and a lot less innings.

Atlanta and Pittsburgh played 19 innings Tuesday night before Julio Lugo scored the winning run on a call at the plate that umpire Jerry Meals later acknowledged was incorrect.

Ross became Atlanta's starting catcher when the Braves placed McCann on the 15-day DL before the game with a left oblique injury. Ross came through with two hits, driving in both of the Braves' runs.

"You're not replacing B-Mac," Ross said. "I'm trying to get in there and hold down the fort until he comes back."

Ross is hitting .296. Most recently, he served as Tim Hudson's personal catcher in a routine that gave McCann a regular day off.

The Braves are 17-6 with Ross starting, and the veteran is hitting .316 with four homers and 18 RBIs in those starts.

"I can't think of very many teams in the major leagues that have the quality we do at the backup catcher position," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Nate McLouth led off the 10th with a single to right off Chris Leroux (1-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis before the game.

McLouth advanced to third on Freddie Freeman's one-out single and Leroux intentionally walked Dan Uggla to load the bases for Ross.

Scott Linebrink (4-2) pitched the 10th for the win. Uggla finished with three hits to extend his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.

"I would have done the same thing they did, pitch around him to get to me," Ross said.

Meals said Wednesday he watched a replay and Pittsburgh catcher Mike McKenry tagged Lugo before he scored the winning run in the second game of the series.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said he wanted the clear acknowledgement from Meals that he missed the call.

"I think that would be appropriate," Hurdle said before Meals released his statement. "It would be professional. It would be respectful. And then we could all move on."

Hurdle spoke with Meals when lineup cards were exchanged at home plate before the game. The two shook hands, and Hurdle gave the umpire a pat on the back before returning to the dugout.

The 19-inning game lasted 6 hours, 39 minutes and was the longest in Turner Field history and in both franchise histories. The game drained each team's bullpen, and the start of another extra-inning game had Gonzalez worried.

"I was starting to get nervous, I was starting to get real nervous," Gonzalez said.

Pittsburgh, seeking its first winning season in 19 years, fell 1½ games behind St Louis and Milwaukee in the NL Central.

The Pirates were held to seven hits by Jair Jurrjens and three relievers.

"We're not built to slug," Hurdle said. "You combine that and you come in here and face the Braves' starting rotation, it's one of the best ones in the league. It's tough duty.

"We've got to find some bats to get in play. Hopefully that will start tomorrow."

Jurrjens helped preserve the bullpen by pitching seven innings, allowing Garrett Jones' sixth-inning homer to right-center. Jurrjens gave up six hits, walked three and struck out four.

The Braves scored one run and had three hits off Paul Maholm in the sixth. Martin Prado led off with a bloop single to left and scored on a single by Ross.

Prado, who went 0 for 9 in the 19-inning game, had two hits but was thrown out at third by left fielder Xavier Paul while trying to stretch a double in the first.

Maholm gave up nine hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked none.

Atlanta is concerned about its lineup after losing two regulars for at least two weeks, placing McCann and outfielder Jordan Schafer on the 15-day disabled list.

The Braves are also missing third baseman Chipper Jones, who is limited by a strained right quadriceps to pinch-hitting duty.

Jones grounded out in the ninth.

Schafer leads the team with 15 stolen bases, usually as the leadoff hitter. McCann is hitting .306 with 18 homers and a team-leading 55 RBIs.

The Braves recalled catcher J.C. Boscan and outfielder Wilkin Ramirez from Triple-A Gwinnett. Ramirez started in right field. Jason Heyward had the night off.

Boscan will serve as the backup to Ross while McCann recovers.

Game notes
The Pirates placed INF Chase D'Arnaud on the 15-day DL with a fractured right little finger. ... The Braves acquired C Wil Nieves from Milwaukee for cash and assigned Nieves to Triple-A Gwinnett. ... Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit was 0 for 3 in his second injury rehab game with Triple-A Indianapolis. Doumit is returning from a left ankle sprain.