Clutch hitting allowed the Braves to hand the Dodgers their first loss at home this season. Atlanta next goes for a series victory behind starter Brandon Beachy as it plays the rubber match of a three-game series tonight against Los Angeles.
The Braves lost for the second straight time following a five-game win streak with Monday's setback in the series opener, but battled through for a 4-3 win last night. Chipper Jones homered on his 40th birthday and Martin Prado plated Tyler Pastornicky for the game-winning run on a two-out triple in the ninth.
Prado's drive to center just glanced off the glove of Matt Kemp.
"Prado gave me a nice birthday present," Jones said. "He had a long at-bat and finally got one."
Pastornicky collected three hits, including a leadoff single in the ninth, for the Braves, who snapped a two-game skid and handed the Dodgers their first loss in eight home games this season.
Mike Minor started for the Braves, while Aaron Harang toed the rubber for Los Angeles. Both hurlers gave up three runs over six innings.
"That lineup is pretty good and for Aaron to hold them to three was pretty good," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.
Juan Rivera hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Los Angeles before leaving later in the game with a left hamstring strain.
Beachy looks to continue his excellent start to the season tonight as he is 2-1 with a major league-leading 0.47 earned run average through three starts. He has been charged with five runs over his 19 1/3 innings, but only one has been earned.
After limiting the Brewers to one unearned run over seven innings of a victory on April 15, the 25-year-old righty threw 7 1/3 scoreless frames to beat the hosting Diamondbacks on Friday. Beachy worked around four hits and a walk while fanning five.
"This is a lot of fun," Beachy told Atlanta's website. "I keep saying that word, but we are having a lot of fun. It's a game and we are enjoying it. We are playing it well. It's just like when we were kids."
He is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two career starts versus the Dodgers.
Los Angeles starter Ted Lilly has also gotten his 2012 campaign off to a great beginning, though his season was delayed a bit due to a stiff neck. However, the lefty has won both of his starts since opening the year on the disabled list while allowing just one earned run over 13 innings.
Lilly was charged with one unearned run over seven innings to beat the Padres in his season debut on April 14, then held the Astros to just a run over six innings six days later despite allowing four hits and six walks. The 36-year- old also struck out five in the 3-1 win.
"You'd rather not have to leave the bullpen with nine outs left to get. More times than not, though, with these guys, I feel like our pen is going to take care of it," Lilly said.
Lilly has made 10 career starts versus the Braves, going 5-2 with a 3.86 ERA.
The Dodgers won five of seven versus the Braves last season.
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