Braves 6, Astros 4: Chipper Jones had a home run and two RBIs in his first game of the season, helping Atlanta hang on for its first win of the season.
The Braves entered the game as the National League’s only winless team, but they opened up a 3-1 lead on Jones’ two-run bomb to right in the third, and then extended it to 4-1 on Tyler Pastornicky’s first career home run in the next inning.
Tommy Hanson (1-1) exited after striking out eight in five strong innings, but Houston clawed its way back against the Atlanta bullpen. The Astros pieced together four singles to plate two runs in the seventh, the last of which cut it to 5-4 when J.D. Martinez scored on Chris Johnson’s single to center.
The Braves got an insurance run in the eighth when Jason Heyward came home on Eric Hinske’s slap single to left.
Jones’ home run capped a three-run rally with two outs against Houston starter Kyle Weiland (0-1). Dan Uggla knocked in Brian McCann with a double to center in the previous at-bat.
Jones sat out the team’s first four games after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Jones has 33 RBIs in 39 career games at Minute Maid Park … Hanson is now 4-0 in six career starts against Houston … Jordan Schafer, a former Brave, went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Atlanta | Houston | |
Tommy Hanson | Player | Kyle Weiland |
Win | W/L | Loss |
5.0 | IP | 5.0 |
8 | Strikeouts | 5 |
6 | Hits | 8 |
3.60 | ERA | 7.20 |
Atlanta | Houston | |
Chipper Jones | Player | Carlos Lee |
2 | Hits | 3 |
2 | RBI | 2 |
1 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 3 |
.500 | Avg | 1.000 |