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Six-run fourth lifts the Braves
Braves 4 col BW
Atlanta Braves' Edgar Renteria, center, and Yunel Escobar, right, congratulate Mark Teixeira (24) after Teixeira's fourth-inning, three-run home run off New York Mets reliever Aaron Sele at Shea Stadium in New York Tuesday. Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca, far left, looks on. - photo by Associated Press

    NEW YORK — Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves roughed up a rusty Orlando Hernandez in a 13-5 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

    Yunel Escobar also went deep for Atlanta, which played without Chipper Jones for the second straight night but still managed 13 hits. Willie Harris drove in three runs, and Jeff Francoeur was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

    The Braves, clinging to their slim playoff hopes with 17 games left, pulled within 8 1/2 of NL East-leading New York. They began the day five back of San Diego in the wild-card race.

    Paul Lo Duca hit a two-run homer and speedy Jose Reyes had a career-high three doubles for the Mets, who had won four straight and nine of 10. They remained six games ahead of the Phillies, who lost to Colorado.

    The teams observed a pregame moment of silence to mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The Mets also wore hats from eight New York City departments who sustained losses that day, and a firefighter sang the national anthem.

    Hernandez, sporting an FDNY hat, struggled in his first start since he gave up five runs and six hits over three innings at Philadelphia on Aug. 30. He traveled back to New York after that shaky outing and got a cortisone shot in his sore right foot. El Duque retired the Braves in order in the first but forced home a run with a bases-loaded walk to Harris in the second and gave up Escobar’s two-run homer in the third.

    Atlanta chased the right-hander during a six-run fourth, batting around to take a 9-0 lead. The first five hitters reached against Hernandez (9-5), who yielded run-scoring singles to pitcher Buddy Carlyle and Kelly Johnson before he was replaced by Aaron Sele.

    Hernandez was charged with six hits and a season-high eight runs over three-plus innings, his first loss since July 4 at Colorado. New York was 9-1 in his previous 10 starts.

    Sele got two quick outs before Teixeira connected for his 12th homer with the Braves.

    The slugger, who was acquired from Texas in a trade deadline deal, went 3-for-5 and scored two runs.

    Carlyle gave up six hits and three runs in 4 1-3 innings for Braves, who have won four of six. Pete Moylan (5-3) threw 1 2-3 scoreless innings to earn the win, and three other relievers combined to finish it.

    Moises Alou singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 16 games for New York and added his 12th homer in the eighth.

    Jones was a late scratch before Monday night’s 3-2 loss to the Mets after he hurt himself during batting practice. The team said he is day to day.

    The Braves did get Andruw Jones back after he missed the series opener with the flu. He went 0-for-3 and scored a run.

Notes: Atlanta purchased the contract of catcher Clint Sammons from Double-A Mississippi. ... Reyes also tied the franchise record for doubles in a game, last accomplished by Carlos Beltran on Aug. 8, 2006, against San Diego.