ATLANTA — The Braves may be done with scoreboard watching, but the batting race could keep them entertained.
Edgar Renteria had three hits, including a homer, Chipper Jones had two hits and drove in a run and Chuck James allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings as the Braves beat the Florida Marlins 5-0 on Wednesday night.
Jones is hitting .339, just ahead of Renteria’s .338 mark. Colorado’s Matt Holliday was hitting .338 to lead the league entering Wednesday’s games.
The Braves (79-73) have won four straight to match the win total from last year’s 79-83 team. Atlanta began the day 5 1/2 games back in the NL East and NL wild-card standings.
Mark Teixeira added a two-run homer in the first inning as the Braves completed a three-game sweep of the last-place Marlins. Andruw Jones added a solo shot, his 26th, in the ninth.
James (11-10) avoided his trend of fading after four innings. Of his 72 earned runs allowed this season, 32 (44 percent) have come in the fifth and sixth innings.
James remained strong on a cool night. He completed seven innings for only the fourth time this season, striking out six and walking only one batter.
Peter Moylan pitched a perfect eighth for Atlanta. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth, giving up Dan Uggla’s 30th home run with one out to break up the shutout.
Cody Ross broke his bat while lofting a third-inning single to left field for the Marlins’ only hit off James until Miguel Cabrera hit a single to left with one out in the seventh.
With one out in the first, Renteria lined a homer to center off Daniel Barone (1-3). Chipper Jones followed with a walk, and Teixeira hit a two-run homer to right for a 3-0 lead.
The Braves knocked Barone out of the game with three straight singles in the fifth. Jones’ single drove in Kelly Johnson from second.
Notes: RHP Jeff Bennett, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Richmond on Wednesday, will made his 2007 debut for Atlanta when he starts against Milwaukee on Thursday. ... The Braves completed their fourth series sweep of the season, while the Marlins were swept for the ninth time.
Edgar Renteria had three hits, including a homer, Chipper Jones had two hits and drove in a run and Chuck James allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings as the Braves beat the Florida Marlins 5-0 on Wednesday night.
Jones is hitting .339, just ahead of Renteria’s .338 mark. Colorado’s Matt Holliday was hitting .338 to lead the league entering Wednesday’s games.
The Braves (79-73) have won four straight to match the win total from last year’s 79-83 team. Atlanta began the day 5 1/2 games back in the NL East and NL wild-card standings.
Mark Teixeira added a two-run homer in the first inning as the Braves completed a three-game sweep of the last-place Marlins. Andruw Jones added a solo shot, his 26th, in the ninth.
James (11-10) avoided his trend of fading after four innings. Of his 72 earned runs allowed this season, 32 (44 percent) have come in the fifth and sixth innings.
James remained strong on a cool night. He completed seven innings for only the fourth time this season, striking out six and walking only one batter.
Peter Moylan pitched a perfect eighth for Atlanta. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth, giving up Dan Uggla’s 30th home run with one out to break up the shutout.
Cody Ross broke his bat while lofting a third-inning single to left field for the Marlins’ only hit off James until Miguel Cabrera hit a single to left with one out in the seventh.
With one out in the first, Renteria lined a homer to center off Daniel Barone (1-3). Chipper Jones followed with a walk, and Teixeira hit a two-run homer to right for a 3-0 lead.
The Braves knocked Barone out of the game with three straight singles in the fifth. Jones’ single drove in Kelly Johnson from second.
Notes: RHP Jeff Bennett, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Richmond on Wednesday, will made his 2007 debut for Atlanta when he starts against Milwaukee on Thursday. ... The Braves completed their fourth series sweep of the season, while the Marlins were swept for the ninth time.
