Braves 5, Phillies 0: Brian McCann hit a grand slam after Freddie Freeman snapped a scoreless tie with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning as visiting Atlanta won the opener of a three-game series.

Atlanta’s Tim Hudson and Philadelphia’s Kyle Kendrick hooked up in a tight pitcher’s duel for seven innings, but Philadelphia turned to reliever Antonio Bastardo in the eighth and the Braves broke through.

Bastardo (2-3) allowed singles to pinch-hitter Matt Diaz and Michael Bourn before walking Chipper Jones with one out. Freeman worked a walk to score Diaz before McCann deposited a 0-1 pitch over the wall in center, his 11th homer of the season and ninth career grand slam.

Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard, who made his season debut after missing the first 84 games with an Achilles injury suffered on the final at-bat of last season’s NL Division Series, went 2-for-4. He doubled in his first at-bat in the second inning.

Hudson (7-4) needed only 79 pitches to navigate seven innings, allowing four hits. He did not strike out a batter but walked only one.

Kendrick was removed after seven innings after allowing four hits, a walk and striking out five.

Neither team seriously threatened until the Phillies put runners on first and third in the sixth. But Hudson got Chase Utley to ground out to first to end the threat.

Jones and Freeman led off the seventh with back-to-back singles before Kendrick retired the next three hitters to keep Atlanta scoreless. Philadelphia put runners on first and second with one out in the sixth, but Hudson retired the next two hitters.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez dropped struggling 2B Dan Uggla to seventh in the lineup. Uggla entered Friday hitting an anemic .106 since June 5. … Jones went 1-for-3, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Martin Prado went 0-for-4, ending his 11-game hitting streak. … Philadelphia 3B Placido Polanco got the night off; Mike Fontenot played third and hit eighth.