Brian Lawrence has been in Richmond a few days. Given Atlanta's rapidly expanding casualty list in the starting rotation, his timing is impeccable.

The veteran major-league right-hander made his debut with the Richmond Braves yesterday. He was excused well before the rest of the group -- Richmond scored two runs in the 13th inning to take a 5-4 victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a game that lasted 4 hours, 28 minutes -- but he acquitted himself well before 2,550 at The Diamond.

Lawrence allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in 61/3 innings. After a rough two-run first inning, he retired 13 of the next 15 hitters.

Lawrence left in the seventh trailing 3-1. Richmond rallied to tie the score 3-3 on Sal Fasano's two-run homer.

Both teams spent extra innings extricating themselves from jams. Scranton pushed across the go-ahead run in the 13th when Chris Resop walked Brett Gardner with the bases loaded.

But Richmond responded by loading the bases, getting a sacrifice fly from Clint Sammons and a game-winning infield single from pinch-hitter Scott Thorman.

Atlanta has lost four starters to injury and has called up a parade of replacements from Triple-A Richmond. Lawrence, 32, served as the opening-day starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres in 2003 and '04, won 15 games in 2004 and has a 50-63 record with a 4.19 ERA in the majors.

Lawrence, who missed the 2006 season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, was released by Kansas City in spring training and went to the independent Atlantic League. Atlanta signed him earlier this week.

TOWER OF POWER: No tale of the tape exists at The Diamond. Distance measurements on home runs are estimates.

High and deep and well over 400 feet describes the one that Fasano hit that tied the game 3-3 in the seventh. The ball crossed the left-field fence at about the 330-foot mark, but it was up near the lights at the top of the 75-foot tower.

HOW SOON? Another meltdown in Atlanta's bullpen yesterday might mean a quicker return for reliever Mike Gonzalez. The left-hander, coming back from ligament transplant surgery in his elbow, has been sharp in his past two rehab outings.

Gonzalez allowed one hit and one walk -- and produced a key strikeout -- in one inning last night.

ANOTHER NEW FACE: Atlanta picked up some bullpen insurance by signing former Baltimore closer Jorge Julio and assigning him to Richmond. He is scheduled to join the R-Braves today. The hard-throwing right-hander was released by Cleveland 11 days ago (0-0, 5.60 ERA). Julio had 83 saves with the Orioles from 2002-04.

UP NEXT: Richmond and Scranton conclude the four-game series with a 7 p.m. game at The Diamond. Braves left-hander Jonathan Rouwenhorst (6-4, 5.00) is scheduled to face righty Alan Horne (1-0, 3.00).

SCRANTON/W-B     RICHMOND                 a     r     h     bi                 a     r     h     bi     Gardner cf     6     1     1     1           Lllbrdge ss     5     0     0     0     Closser c     5     1     1     0           Timmns 1b     5     0     0     1     Gonzlz 3b     3     0     1     0           Perry, J 1b     5     0     1     0     Duncn, E 1b     6     0     1     0           Canizrs dh     5     1     3     0     Carson rf     6     0     1     2           Hrndz, D 2b     6     1     2     0     Christian lf     5     2     2     0           Jurich rf     3     1     0     0     Porter dh     4     0     1     0           Fasano c     4     1     1     2     Green ss     6     0     2     1           Sammns c     0     0     0     1     Cstro, B 2b     6     0     2     0           Cruz 3b     5     1     1     0                                         Thrman ph     1     0     1     1                                         Ldnthl CF     4     0     1     0     Totals     38     9     14     8           Totals     33     2     6     2
Scranton/W-B ----------- 200 000 100 000 1 -- 4 12 1
Richmond ------------------------- 001 000 200 000 2 -- 5 10 0

E -- Gonzalez (5). 2B -- Green (9); Canizares (12). HR -- Fasano (1). LOB -- Scranton 13; Richmond 11.

Scranton W/B	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Igawa	6.1	5	3	3	4	6
Strickland	1.1	0	0	0	2	1
Phillips	0.1	0	0	0	0	0
Patterson	1	0	0	0	0	1
Traber	2	2	0	0	1	1
Robertson	1	0	0	0	0	3
White L 4-4	.1	3	2	2	1	0

Richmond	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Lawrence	6.1	6	3	3	3	2
Gonzalez	1.1	1	0	0	1	2
Nunez	1.1	1	0	0	1	1
Schreiber	2	1	0	0	3	1
Resop W1-0	2	3	1	1	5	0

Time--4:28.A-- 2,550