ATLANTA -- Following Wednesday night¡¯s 3-2, 10-inning loss to the D-backs at SunTrust Park, Braves manager Brian Snitker did not hesitate when he was asked if Jesse Biddle's recent struggles are more mental than physical.

¡°It¡¯s a mental thing,¡± Snitker said. ¡°It absolutely is. Against right-handers, it¡¯s fine. But it¡¯s like we said the other day, you¡¯ve just got to get the ball over the plate better.¡±

Dating back to last season, when Biddle would often work on throws to first base long before the stadium gates would open, scouts and opposing teams knew he had the ¡°yips¡±, or, more precisely, trouble fielding his position. Thus, the D-backs knew what they were doing when speedy pinch-hitter Tim Locastro attempted to bunt for a base hit with one out and nobody on in the 10th.

¡°It¡¯s known that he doesn¡¯t like to throw the ball to bases,¡± D-backs outfielder Adam Jones said. ¡°With Locastro, I never got to see him really, really run. Man, he can fly. He made something happen.¡±

Biddle fielded Locastro¡¯s bunt and then uncorked a throw that went down the right-field line, resulting in an error. Jarrod Dyson followed with a four-pitch walk and David Peralta drew a five-pitch walk with two outs. This set the stage for Jones, who did not swing the bat in the process of drawing the decisive, bases-loaded six-pitch walk.

This is not the kind of outing Biddle ever wants to experience, especially one day after responding to his struggles during Tuesday¡¯s bullpen letdown by saying, ¡°I can promise you we¡¯re not going to let it happen again.¡±

¡°I feel a lot of things,¡± Biddle said. ¡°I¡¯m going to want the ball tomorrow. I let the team down tonight. They fought hard tonight, and I just didn¡¯t pick them up when I had a chance.¡±

Biddle has issued four walks, surrendered a two-run single and committed a costly error en route to retiring just two of the eight batters faced over the past two games. The left-handed reliever may rest during Thursday afternoon¡¯s series finale, but until the Braves commit to using some of their starting pitching prospects as relievers, there aren¡¯t many backup options for an injury-depleted bullpen.

¡°It¡¯s something [Biddle] is going to have to work through,¡± Snitker said. ¡°He¡¯s going to have to take a blow every now and then and get out there and work his way through it. He¡¯s going to have to believe in himself and turn the things loose and attack the hitters and not try to throw strikes. You¡¯ve got to trust that baseball guy inside you to take care of the rest, instead of trying to do too much.¡±

It looked like a potential night of redemption for the Braves¡¯ bullpen, as the reliable Wes Parsons worked the eighth without a blemish and closer A.J. Minter, who allowed Tuesday¡¯s game-winning homer, tossed a scoreless ninth. Their contributions backed the strong seven innings completed by Kevin Gausman, who allowed three hits and two runs while matching a career-high 10 strikeouts.

Gausman¡¯s average four-seam velocity (94.3 mph) was the second-highest he¡¯s produced since joining the Braves. The lone hit he surrendered through the first six innings came courtesy of former Orioles teammate Jones. Gausman threw a first-pitch splitter to the bottom of the zone, and Jones drilled it over the left-field wall. Then Ketel Marte¡¯s game-tying double with two outs in the seventh erased the lead Atlanta gained with the two-run, second-inning double by Brian McCann, which he recorded in his first plate appearance back from the injured list.

¡°If we keep getting starting pitching like this, everything else will work itself out,¡± Snitker said.

With Arodys Vizcaíno done for the season, Darren O'Day likely to remain on the injured list for a few more weeks and Jonny Venters taking what may be a short hiatus, the Braves have to hope Biddle and some of their other struggling and inexperienced relievers turn things around in a hurry.

¡°We¡¯ve seen Biddle really, really good, and he¡¯ll get it back again,¡± Snitker said. ¡°He¡¯s just going through a tough time right now.¡±