SAN DIEGO -- Until the ninth inning Wednesday afternoon, Nick Vincent was known as the local guy who kept shuttling between the San Diego Padres and Triple-A Tucson. Then, with two outs and runners on first and third, the rookie came on and struck out Justin Upton to earn his first career save as the San Diego Padres beat the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves 5-3 for a three-game sweep. Edinson Volquez struck out a season-high nine in seven innings as he rebounded from the worst start of his career. Chris Denorfia hit a two-run homer for the Padres, who have won six of eight. They swept the Braves in San Diego for the first time since May 19-21, 2005. It was Vincents first save opportunity this season and the second of his career. "I was ready for the moment," said the 26-year-old Vincent, whos from nearby Ramona and was an 18th-round pick in the June 2008 draft. "The moment was good. Save situation, the first save of my career, so Im excited." Vincent said his mother, father and grandmother were in the crowd. He squeezed in a quick workout after the game because they were going out to dinner. Vincent wasnt even here when this series began Monday night. He was recalled from Tucson on Tuesday. "This is your job," he said. "You have to go in and execute pitches and get outs. Thats why you come up here because you know how to get the outs. When they see you perform like that, it makes them happy and makes you happy." With closer Huston Street on the disabled list, Luke Gregerson got the first two outs of the ninth but also allowed Jordan Schafers RBI single and was pulled when the Padres couldnt turn a double play on Andrelton Simmons grounder. Left-hander Tommy Layne came on to face Jason Heyward, who singled up the middle to move Simmons to third. Vincent came on and fell behind 2-0 to Upton before striking him out looking. Upton had hit a long home run to left in the eighth. "Hes got the power. Thats what he gets paid to do. For me, Ive got to go out there and throw my pitches and hope he swings and misses," Vincent said. "Ive got to go in and throw strikes. I went 2-0 and I was like, All right, Ive got to just challenge him now. So I just threw a cutter down the middle and he swung over it. I threw another one and Yasi (catcher Yasmani Grandal) called a fastball again and I knew from last year that he swings through my fastball so it was like, all right, lets do this. He took it." Vincent said it was supposed to be a fastball away but it went in "and he took it. Mistake pitch, but it worked." "That was quite a challenge for Nick, wasnt it?" Padres manager Bud Black said. "Hope there were some people from Ramona down here for that one. That was a good one for Nick. Youve got a prolific home run hitter who in his previous at-bat hit a home run, and a young pitcher trying to make his mark in the majors. Fell behind him and came back and got him. That was a great duel. ... He made a very good pitch on the 2-2 count." The Braves, who have lost five of seven, were swept for the second time this season. The first was at Detroit from April 26-28. "Nothing to take away from the Padres, but this was a weird series," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We outhit them all three games, but we lost all three. Lets not forget that. Our guys busted their (rear ends) all three nights. In a one-run game, we had the right guy at the plate in the ninth with Justin. Thats the way baseball is sometimes. You run into a hot team and you dont get any breaks. Thats just the way it goes." The Braves outhit the Padres 25-20 but were outscored 15-11. "We thought we did all we could," Upton said. "We swung the bats well, we played solid defence. Sometimes the game doesnt go your way, and it didnt work out for us." Denorfia homered to left field with one out in the fifth off Paul Maholm, his third. Everth Cabrera was on second after hitting a single and stealing his 30th base, tops in the majors. Volquez (5-5) bounced back after allowing nine runs and 11 hits, both career highs, in 2 1-3 innings of a 10-9 loss at Colorado on Friday. He held the Braves to one run and six hits and walked three. His nine strikeouts were his most since Aug. 20. In his previous two starts, Volquez allowed a combined 13 earned runs and 17 hits in 7 1-3 innings. Maholm (7-5) loaded the bases three times, including twice in the three-run first and for a final time with two outs in the sixth before making way for David Carpenter. Maholm allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He gave up three singles and two walks in the first, including a bases-loaded walk to Kyle Blanks with one out followed by Logan Forsythes two-run single. After Jesus Guzman singled to load the bases again, Grandal lined to shortstop and Forsythe was doubled off second. One of the runs was unearned due to second baseman Dan Ugglas throwing error. Upton drove in Atlantas first two runs, including his 15th homer, a solo shot in the eighth off Joe Thatcher. The ball went an estimated 430 feet, landing in the balcony on the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse and bouncing into the second deck in left field. Upton also hit an RBI single in the third. NOTES: This was San Diegos fifth sweep this season. ... The Padres are off Thursday before opening a three-game series against NL West-leading Arizona on Friday night. The scheduled starters are RHP Trevor Cahill (3-7, 4.01 ERA) for Arizona and LHP Eric Stults (5-5, 3.53) for San Diego. ... Atlanta returns home for an off day Thursday before opening a three-game series against San Francisco. The probables are LHP Madison Bumgarner (5-4, 3.58) vs. RHP Kris Medlen (3-6, 2.87). Cheap Jerseys From China .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Wholesale Jerseys Cheap . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. http://www.jerseysstitchedcheap.com/ .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. NFL Jerseys Cheap .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter admitted Monday that he was disappointed wide receiver Mike Evans chose to sit during the national anthem before Sundays game to protest Donald Trumps election as president of the United States.Yeah, Im disappointed for that, Koetter said. I also respect Mikes freedom of speech and freedom of expression.Koetter said he was adopting the same stance he took when asked in August how he would react if one of his players protested in similar fashion to Colin Kaepernick. He even read the same statement when he addressed the media Monday.Believe it or not, we have practiced how to line up for the national anthem. Weve worked on it. I dont know if our organization has the right to tell a guy that he needs to do that, Koetter said in his statement. I would be disappointed if any of our players didnt stand up for the national anthem, personally. I look at that as a salute to the people who have paved the way for us, but at the same time, this is a free country, and I think freedom of speech is something that we all believe in and freedom of expression. Thats an individuals choice. Thats a fine line there. I would personally be disappointed, but I think it would be hard to enforce that rule.He also said he supported the statement the Buccaneers put out Sunday night.The Buccaneers are deeply committed to the military and honoring the great men and women that have dedicated their lives and have made great sacrifices to insure all the tremendous freedoms we have in this great country, the statement said. We encourage all members of our organization to respectfully honor our flag during the playing of the national anthem. We also recognize every individuals constitutional right to freedom of speech, which is crucial to the Americann principles we cherish.ddddddddddddKoetter was not aware that Evans was planning to protest before the game.I didnt know about this until after the game, Koetter said. It didnt come up in front of me in the locker room. By the time I was aware of this, most of the players were showered and mostly gone, and players are off today.He has not yet spoken to any of the players about it. After the game, Evans and Koetter exchanged text messages, and they plan to talk more Wednesday. He isnt sure if other players will join Evans protest in the future. Evans said he would continue to protest as long as Trump is the President-elect. Koetter said hell do his best to minimize any distractions caused by it.I hope it doesnt affect our team, Koetter said. Thats something Ill take whatever measures I think are necessary to try to minimize what effect it has on our team. Im really not sure. This is uncharted water for me. Im not sure about any of that.A number of fans have voiced their displeasure on social media and have even threatened to boycott the team, particularly because of the timing of the protest. The day featured a military flyover, a performance of the national anthem by the 82nd Airborne and a halftime enlistment ceremony featuring 180 recruits. Tampa is home to MacDill Airforce Base and more than 12,000 active-duty service members.Evans emphasized Sunday that his protest was not about the military but was purely about Trump.I dont want to disrespect the veterans or anything, Evans said. The men and women that served this country -- Im forever indebted to them. But the things that have been going on in America lately, Im not going to stand for that. ' ' '