Braves 6-5, Mets 5-1

NEW YORK — Julio Teheran gave flashes of his vast potential in earning his first big league win and the Atlanta Braves, using a lineup with Chipper Jones starting as the No. 2 hitter for the first time in 15 years, beat the New York Mets, 5-1, Thursday night to complete a sweep of a doubleheader made necessary by the threat of Hurricane Irene.

Jones had a sacrifice fly and RBI double in the nightcap and a solo homer and a double in the opener, a 6-5 victory for Atlanta. The Braves were making a quick stop in New York to play two games postponed Aug. 27-28 after being handed their first three-game sweep of the season, by the Phillies.

The Braves next head to St. Louis for a crucial series with the team they lead in the wildcard race by 71/2 games. Only several hundred fans were on hand to see the start of the twinbill at 4:10 p.m. A few thousand more sat through a misty rain in the nightcap, though the announced attendance was 25,953.

Teheran (1-1) gave a performance more in line with his minor league credentials than his first two big league starts in May. The International League’s Most Valuable Pitcher and Rookie of the Year went 15-3 for Triple-A Gwinnett, but he gave up a combined five runs in 82/3 innings for the Braves earlier this year for a 5.19 ERA.

This time, he gave up two hits to start the first and a sacrifice fly then little more in 51/3 innings.

He left after walking two with one out in the sixth but Cristhian Martinez retired two in row to end New York’s best threat.

Dan Uggla had an RBI single in the first, driving in Michael Bourn two outs after the speedster reached on Jose Reyes’ fielding error at shortstop.

Catcher David Ross had an RBI single in the fifth off Dillon Gee (12-6) and a homer in the ninth to straightaway center.

Jones drove in a run when his sinking liner was caught by a diving Jason Bay in the seventh and doubled after Bourn tripled in the ninth.

Bay hit a grand slam off Mike Minor (5-2) in the opener and had a sacrifice fly in the finale, both coming in the first inning.

The Mets had won 10 of 13 coming in and had a chance to pull to .500 in the opener but are now 70-73.

Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez tried shaking up his scuffling club, losers of five of six over all coming in, by stacking his top on-base percentage guys up front, and his squad, with Jones starting as the No. 2 batter for first time since 1996, responded in the opener.

by

The Associated Press

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta’s Dan Uggla (The Associated Press)

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CHICAGO — Derek Lowe had a strong outing, and Chipper Jones hit a home run, which might normally be enough to translate into a victory for the Braves.

But on this cool night at Wrigley Field, the Cubs reminded their fans that they have some stars, too.

Alfonso Soriano homered and Randy Wells pitched effectively into the seventh innings as the Cubs beat the Braves, 3-2, and snapped Atlanta’s six-game winning streak.

Wells (5-4) held the Braves to one run and two hits over 6 2-3 innings, striking out six and improving to 4-1 in his career against Atlanta.

Carlos Marmol got the last three outs and joined Lee Smith as the only Cubs relievers to post consecutive 30-save seasons.

Soriano’s two-run shot fueled Chicago’s three-run rally in the second. He also walked and was hit by a pitch. Aramis Ramirez added a single and two walks, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.

Chipper Jones and Alex Gonzalez hit a solo homers for Atlanta, which managed just three hits in the game.

Derek Lowe (8-12) took the loss, allowing four hits and two earned runs over seven solid innings.

Lowe threw a season-high 119 pitches.

Wells has struggled this season, going 3-4 with a 6.16 ERA since coming off a seven-week stay on the disabled list on May 28. On Wednesday, he flashed the form that gave him the NL’s 10th-best ERA as a rookie in 2009.

He got off to a fast start, setting down the first 10 Braves and striking out four. The only hit he allowed through the first six innings was Martin Prado’s infield single in the fourth.

Wells appeared to tire in the seventh, giving up Freddie Freeman’s flyout to the wall and Jones’ home run into the batter’s eye in center field. Wells threw 109 pitches and departed after Jones’ blast, which moved him into a tie with Jeff Bagwell for 34th on the career list with 449.

Gonzalez homered off reliever Kerry Wood in the eighth.

Soriano gave the Cubs their first lead of the series in the second with his 22nd homer.

It was a mammoth two-run shot to center field well over the 400-foot sign.

The Cubs added a run later in the inning thanks to the speed of Tony Campana, who reached on an error when Dan Uggla tried to hurry on a slow roller to second. Campana stole second, went to third on a balk and scored on Wells’ swinging bunt.

Ramirez didn’t figure in the scoring, but remained hot. He walked twice and reached on an infield single, extending his streak of reaching base to a career-high nine plate appearances before grounding out in the seventh.

Ramirez is hitting .560 (28 for 50) during his 13-game hitting streak and has reached base in 30 of his last 45 plate appearances.

BRAVES NOTES

l Outfielder Jose Constanza was out of the lineup for the second straight day because of a mild sprain of his right ankle, though manager Fredi Gonzalez said Constanza was available to pinch-hit. He expect him to return to the lineup today. …

l The Braves will send rookie Brandon Beachy (6-2) to the mound for this afternoon’s series finale against Chicago’s Matt Garza (6-9), who has posted a 1.47 ERA over his last nine home starts.

Dan Uggla again took care of extending his hitting streak early in the game. This time, it wasn’t enough to spark another Atlanta win.

The latest entry in Uggla’s improbable hitting streak was not enough as Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney each had four hits to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Braves 8-4 on Saturday night.

Uggla had a first-inning single and a fourth-inning homer off Randy Wells (4-4) to extend his hitting streak to 33 games.

“It doesn’t seem to be fazing him at all,” said Braves catcher David Ross. “I’d be a nervous wreck.”

Castro drove in two runs and Wells gave up two runs on eight hits in five-plus innings for the Cubs, who have won 10 of 13.

Derek Lowe (7-11) gave up five runs on 10 hits in six innings. He allowed three hits, including Carlos Pena’s two-run double that gave Chicago a 3-1 lead in the fifth.

Pena’s hit was the one Lowe wished he could take back. He kicked the dirt on the first-base line in disgust as he left the field at the end of the inning.

James Russell walked Uggla to load the bases with one out in the ninth after giving up singles to Martin Prado and Freddie Freeman.

Cubs manager Mike Quade brought in closer Carlos Marmol, who gave up a long fly ball to Chipper Jones to drive in Prado before ending the game when Alex Gonzalez hit a pop fly to Castro at shortstop. Marmol earned his 27th save.

The Cubs won after general manager Jim Hendry announced the team placed right-hander Carlos Zambrano on the disqualified list.

Quade said he wasn’t surprised when his team responded to the controversy with a win.

“You know what? I’m never surprised at these guys,” Quade said. “They just come to the park and play.”

Third baseman had surgery on right knee two weeks ago

By CHARLES ODUM

AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA — Chipper Jones returned from the 15-day disabled list on Monday and is back in the Braves’ starting lineup only two weeks after having surgery on his right knee.

Jones played two games in a short injury rehab with Class A Rome. His last test was performing running drills before batting practice Monday under the supervision of trainer Jeff Porter.

“The biggest thing that was causing me pain until this weekend was hitting right-handed,” said the switch-hitting third baseman.

Jones said he has no continued concern about his right-handed swing.

“I assured them there will be nothing knee-related that will keep me out of there,” Jones said, adding he had some soreness in other parts of his legs as he returns to playing shape.

To make room for Jones, outfielder Wilkin Ramirez was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.

The Braves waited until after batting practice to send Ramirez back to Gwinnett after considering a move to place outfielder Jordan Schafer on the disabled list. Schafer has been unable to swing due to what has been called a jammed left middle finger.

He said he had X-rays early Monday which showed a chip fracture in the finger.

Schafer said he believes he’ll be ready to start in a couple days.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez said he’ll use a pinch-runner for Jones late in games but trusts that the veteran has full clearance.

“I trust him. We trust him,” Gonzalez said. “He knows his body. He’s good.”

Martin Prado, who filled in for Jones at third base, was back in left field against the Pirates. Nate McLouth started in center.