ATLANTA – Brett Lawrie and Colby Rasmus each homered and drove in three runs and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Atlanta Braves 12-4 on Sunday.
The Braves' six-game winning streak ended even though they led 4-0 after three innings. Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero lasted only four innings.
Toronto took the lead with six runs in the fifth off 21-year-old Julio Teheran, who was called up for his first start of the season, and 37-year-old Livan Hernandez.
Lawrie hit a two-run homer and Rasmus added a homer off Hernandez as Toronto added three runs in the sixth.
Carlos Villanueva (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings.
The Blue Jays set a season high with 18 hits as they ended a three-game losing streak.
Hernandez (1-1) gave up five runs on seven hits, including two homers, in 1 2-3 innings. Hernandez has allowed nine earned runs on 13 hits in 4 2-3 innings in his last two appearances.
Teheran, the Braves' top prospect, was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill in for Tim Hudson, who has bone spurs in his left ankle. Teheran allowed only one hit, Edwin Encarnacion's broken-bat single, through four scoreless innings before wilting in the fifth.
Kelly Johnson singled to start the fifth. Yunel Escobar walked and, after David Cooper struck out, J.P. Arencibia singled to load the bases in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Yan Gomes ended a hitless streak of 16 at-bats with a run-scoring single, knocking Teheran out of the game.
Hernandez quickly inspired boos from the rain-drenched fans by giving up four straight hits: a single by Lawrie to drive in a run, a two-run single by Rasmus, a run-scoring single by Jose Bautista and Encarnacion's two-run double, giving the Blue Jays a 6-4 lead.
The boos grew louder in the sixth when Hernandez was left on the mound to endure another barrage that included the two-run homer by Lawrie, his fifth, followed by Rasmus' eighth homer.
Rajai Davis singled in a run and pinch-hitter Omar Vizquel drove in a run with a sacrifice fly off Cristhian Martinez in the seventh. Kelly Johnson had triple off Martinez to drive in a run in the eighth.
Chipper Jones came off the disabled list and was 0-for-3 with a walk. Juan Francisco replaced Jones in the seventh.
Dan Uggla was hit by a pitch from Romero to open the second. Uggla moved to third on a double by Matt Diaz and scored when Rasmus dropped the ball for an error after making the catch on Freddie Freeman's fly ball.
David Ross had a run-scoring single in the second and Freddie Freeman drove in a run with a single in the third for Atlanta. Freeman had three hits.
Uggla had played every inning this season before he was replaced by Jack Wilson to open the eighth.
Bautista and Rasmus made back-to-back diving catches of drives by Michael Bourn and Martin Prado in the eighth.
Romero gave up eight hits and four runs, three earned, in four innings. Teheran gave up four hits and four runs in 4 1-3 innings.
NOTES: The 17 hits are the most for Toronto since they had 20 at Baltimore on Aug. 31, 2011. ... The Braves optioned C J.C. Boscan and OF Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett to clear roster spots for Teheran and Jones. ... Lawrie's RBI single in the fifth snapped an 0-for-17 drought. ... Hudson said his ankle feels better and he should be ready to start on Wednesday against the Yankees. ... Randall Delgado will face Ivan Nova in a matchup of right-handers when the Braves open a three-game home series against the Yankees on Monday night. The Blue Jays play another NL East team as they return home to open a series against Washington on Monday night with RHP Brandon Morrow trying for his eighth win.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.