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Gordon sparks Dodgers over Braves

Aug 15, 2014 - 12:49 AM Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Dee Gordon had three hits and scored four runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Atlanta Braves, 6-4, Thursday afternoon at Turner Field.

Adrian Gonzalez added three hits and drove in three runs for the Dodgers, who won three of four against the Braves in this series.

Drew Butera added a two-run homer and Yasiel Puig had three hits and an RBI for NL-West leading Los Angeles, which has won seven of its last 10 to become the first National League team to 70 wins this season.

Dodgers starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez (7-8) got the win in his second start with the Dodgers since being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies. The right-hander was charged with one run on three hits, striking out five and walking four in six innings.

"I feel better now," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "If you lose today, you lose a half game. I like how we were able to come in here and take three out of four."

Freddie Freeman had three hits and scored a pair of runs and Justin Upton had two RBI for the Braves, who have lost 12 of their last 15 games.

Atlanta starting pitcher Aaron Harang (9-7) lasted just 4 1/3 innings suffering his first loss since June 18. The right-hander, who fell to 4-1 in 10 starts since his last defeat, was charged with five runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Harang fell victim to a Dodgers team that found all kinds of ways to score runs.

Gordon's speed led to the Dodgers' scoring a run in the first inning. He reached on a bunt single, stole second - moving to third on catcher Gerald Laird's throwing error on the play - and then scored on Puig's base hit.

The long ball added a pair of runs for the Dodgers in the second, as Butera hit a two-run homer to give Los Angeles a 3-0 lead.

Gordon again helped the Dodgers manufacture a run in the third. He walked to lead off the inning, stole second, moved to third on a Puig fly out and scored on a Gonzalez single.

Atlanta got a run back in the fourth when Freeman scored on a Tommy La Stella groundout, but Los Angeles got that run back in the next frame courtesy of another Gonzalez base hit that scored Gordon.

The Braves made it interesting in the eighth with Upton driving in a pair with a double against reliever Brian Wilson and pinch-runner B.J. Upton scoring on an Andrelton Simmons base hit against Kenley Jansen to make it 5-4.

However, Jansen struck out pinch-hitter Evan Gattis to get out of the eighth and, after Gonzalez drove in Gordon in the ninth to extend the lead to two runs, worked the ninth for his 34th save of the season.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Jansen struck out B.J. Upton to end the game.

"We have to play better," said Laird. "We're down to 42 games. When you're chasing first-place teams and teams in contention, you have to play better baseball otherwise they are going to separate themselves from you. We have to win. We have to win now and get this turned around. If we wait any longer we could see ourselves out of this thing."

Game Notes

Justin Upton left the game after his eighth-inning double with a left hamstring strain. He is listed as day-to-day ... The Dodgers won six of seven games against the Braves this season ... Prior to the game, the Braves recalled pitcher Luis Avilan from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned pitcher Juan Jaime to Gwinnett ... Butera has three HRs this season ... Gordon now has 54 stolen bases for the year.