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Lowe leads Braves over Mariners

Jun 29, 2011 - 11:27 PM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - It took nearly two months, but Derek Lowe has once again found the win column.

The veteran right-hander tossed six effective innings, and the Atlanta Braves completed a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 5-3 victory at Safeco Field.

Lowe (4-6) gave up one run, four hits and three walks to notch his first win since beating Philadelphia on May 6. He had gone 0-3 with a 5.29 ERA in his previous nine starts.

"Derek Lowe was outstanding. I know he hasn't gotten a win in a long time, and he was terrific," said Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Freddie Freeman drove in two runs as part of a three-hit performance for the Braves, who have won eight of their last 10 games.

Felix Hernandez (8-7) allowed five runs on 10 hits and walked three in 7 2/3 innings for Seattle, which has dropped seven of nine.

"We just weren't able to get anything going offensively," said Seattle manager Eric Wedge.

Atlanta, which entered play boasting a 33-8 record when opening the scoring this season, jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Wednesday.

Three straight two-out hits by Freeman, Dan Uggla and Brooks Conrad produced the game's first run in the fourth. Conrad's ground ball up the middle came after Uggla had beaten out an infield single.

The Braves put up a three-spot in the next inning. Nate McLouth walked to begin the fifth. A fly out moved McLouth to third and he scored on the second wild pitch uncorked by Hernandez in the frame.

Jordan Schafer singled and Jason Heyward walked before a groundout moved both men into scoring position. Freeman then delivered with a two-run single to center field.

Recalled from Triple-A Tacoma earlier Wednesday, catcher Josh Bard put the Mariners on the board in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single.

A run-scoring single by Brian McCann gave Atlanta a 5-1 lead in the seventh.

Rookie Dustin Ackley trimmed Seattle's deficit to 5-3 with a two-run homer in the eighth off Jonny Venters. It was the first home run of the season off the Atlanta reliever, and just the second surrendered by the left-hander in 125 career appearances.

Braves rookie closer Craig Kimbrel picked up his third save of the series and 23rd of the year with a 1-2-3 ninth. He retired the Mariners seven out of nine times by strikeout.

Game Notes

Lowe was drafted by the Mariners in 1991...Wedge was ejected by home plate umpire Paul Emmel in the bottom of the second...Ackley has reached base safely in each of his first 12 major league games, the second-longest streak by a Mariner to begin a career. Alvin Davis holds the record, reaching base safely in the first 47 games of his career in 1984...Atlanta is now 6-3 all-time against Seattle...The Mariners placed both starting pitcher Erik Bedard (sprained left knee) and catcher Chris Gimenez (strained left oblique) on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.