Phillies' bats blast Braves

ATLANTA — Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer and Pat Burrell added a solo shot as Philadelphia survived a ninth-inning scare to beat Atlanta 7-3 on Wednesday night.

The Phillies improved to 5-0 in Atlanta this season and 7-1 overall in the season series.

The Braves (40-45) fell a season-worst five games under .500 with their second straight loss in the series, despite homers from Chipper Jones and Ruben Gotay.

Jones, playing his second game after missing eight straight starts with a strained right quadriceps, hit his 17th homer off J.C. Romero in the eighth, cutting the Phillies' lead to 5-3.

The Phillies answered with two runs in the ninth on Jimmy Rollins' RBI triple and Chase Utley's run-scoring single.

The Braves loaded the bases against Brad Lidge in the ninth on one hit and two fielding errors by Howard at first base but Lidge struck out Mark Teixeira to end the game.

Adam Eaton (3-6) gave up five hits and two runs in five innings for his first win in five starts.

MARLINS 4, NATIONALS 2: At Miami, Florida's Alfredo Amezaga hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in seventh inning when play resumed after a 1 1/2-hour rain delay. Ricky Nolasco (9-4) improved to 4-0 in his last five starts, allowing two runs and three hits in seven innings. Kevin Gregg threw a perfect ninth for his 15th save.

PIRATES 9, REDS 5: At Cincinnati, Xavier Nady homered twice and drove in four runs to lead Pittsburgh, which lost another pitcher to injury. Closer Matt Capps will be gone for about eight weeks after a medical test detected bursitis and tightness in his pitching shoulder.

DODGERS 4, ASTROS 1: At Houston, Hiroki Kuroda threw seven shutout innings after coming off the disabled list, and Jeff Kent had two RBI-doubles for Los Angeles. Kuroda (4-6) allowed five hits in his first start since going on the DL on June 18 with tendinitis in his right shoulder.

ROCKIES 8, PADRES 1: At Denver, Garrett Atkins, Troy Tulowitzki and Yorvit Torrealba homered for Colorado. Atkins drove in four runs and Ubaldo Jimenez pitched into the seventh inning for his second win in his last three starts. Chase Headley homered for the Padres, who have lost 15 of 18 games.

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