ATLANTA — Eric Hinske had three hits, including a tie-breaking single in the seventh, and the Atlanta Braves used a makeshift lineup to beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Monday night.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez subbed Hinske in left field and Joe Mather, who had a two-run single in the sixth, in right as the Braves were missing third baseman Chipper Jones and right fielder Jason Heyward from their starting lineup.
Tommy Hanson (5-3) gave up three hits and two runs, one earned, in seven innings. He struck out 10, one shy of his career high, with only one walk.
Craig Kimbrel gave up a single to Carlos Lee but struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save.
Matt Downs had a homer and RBI double for Houston.
After Fernando Abad (1-4) walked Nate McLouth and Dan Uggla in the seventh, Hinske's single to right drove in McLouth for a 3-2 lead.
Heyward, who missed his sixth straight start with inflammation in his right shoulder, entered the game in the eighth as a defensive replacement. In his first at-bat since Tuesday, Heyward hit a grounder in the eighth and was safe on shortstop Clint Barmes' throwing error.
Downs hit a homer into the chilly wind blowing in from left field to give Houston a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Following Mather's two-run single for Atlanta in the sixth, Downs' double in the seventh drove in Lee, who reached on third baseman Martin Prado's throwing error, for a 2-2 tie.
Houston's Brett Myers lasted six innings despite needing 56 pitches to escape bases-loaded jams in each of the first two innings. The right-hander gave up eight hits and two runs with six strikeouts and three walks.
Prado, the regular in left field, filled in for Jones at third base and had the defensive play of the game in the first when he made a diving stop of a sharp grounder hit by Lee. Prado's throw from his knees beat Lee to first base.
Prado made another strong play in the third, charging in to field Michael Bourn's bunt and throwing out the speedy runner. He threw high to first for an error after fielding another grounder from Lee in the seventh.
Prado was primarily a second baseman before moving to the outfield after the Braves made an offseason trade for Uggla.
NOTES
: Lee's fourth-inning single gave him a 10-game hitting streak. ... Gonzalez said RHP Julio Teheran will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to start on Wednesday at Arizona. ... Jones said he could play as soon as Tuesday after an MRI on Sunday revealed a small meniscus tear in his right knee. He had two shots in the knee Sunday and said he felt better on Monday. ... Prado had a first-inning single before he hit into three double plays.
