It shouldn't be too much of a surprise that the Braves' offense broke out during a visit to Turner Field by the Brewers.
Atlanta looks to win its seventh straight home contest over Milwaukee this evening, but could again be without third baseman Chipper Jones.
The Braves hit just .212 over their season-opening six-game road trip, dropping the first four games before ending the swing with two wins at Houston. In their first home game since last season's regular-season finale setback that cost them a playoff spot, the Braves posted 14 hits in a wild 10-8 win over the Brewers.
It was Atlanta's 14th victory in its past 20 versus Milwaukee and that includes a sweep of a four-game set at home last May.
The Braves roared ahead with a six-run fifth inning, getting a three-run homer from Brian McCann and a two-run shot by Matt Diaz in the frame, but the Brewers battled back to tie the game. However, Dan Uggla highlighted his three-hit, three-RBI game with a broken-bat single that plated two runs in the eighth.
"We haven't been in one of these games in a long time," McCann said after matching a career high with four hits. "It was a slugfest. This team, honestly, hasn't been in one in a very long time."
Atlanta was victorious despite playing without Jones, who missed the final home opener of his career due to excessive fluid and swelling in his left knee. He is doubtful to return Saturday for the middle portion of this three- game series.
Corey Hart homered and knocked in three for Milwaukee, which lost its second straight game. Alex Gonzalez and George Kottaras clubbed back-to-back homers in the second inning off Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens, but the Brewers faltered with a man in scoring position in the eighth.
Jurrjens gave up seven hits and five runs over five-plus innings, while Brewers starter Randy Wolf was touched for nine hits and eight runs over 4 1/3 frames.
"It was definitely the most uncomfortable I've felt in a long time," Wolf said. "I had ridiculously bad fastball command and my offspeed stuff was horrible."
Shaun Marcum draws the start tonight for the Brewers after picking up a win in his first start on Monday despite some early issues. After missing time during the spring with right shoulder soreness, the right-hander gave up homers in the first and second frames, but his final line read three runs on five hits without a walk and six strikeouts over six innings of a 7-5 win.
Marcum, 30, is 1-0 with a 2.08 earned run average in two career starts versus the Braves.
Left-hander Mike Minor looks for better results tonight for the Braves after getting roughed up in his debut nearly a week ago. Facing the Mets on Sunday, the 24-year-old gave up six runs on six hits and four walks over five innings, striking out six and taking the loss.
Minor will face the Brewers for only the second time in his career after suffering a defeat in Milwaukee over a year ago. On April 6, he was touched for five runs in 4 1/3 frames of work, getting tagged for seven hits and four walks. Prince Fielder do a host of that damage, but the good news for Minor is that he is now playing in Detroit.
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