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Hanson, Braves shut down Giants for win

Apr 23, 2011 - 7:04 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Tommy Hanson struck out seven batters over seven innings and Atlanta shut down the Giants, 4-1, in the opener of a three-game series.

Hanson (2-3) allowed three hits and walked just one batter. Jonny Venters threw a hitless eighth and Craig Kimbrel retired the side in order in the ninth for his fifth save.

Chipper Jones highlighted Atlanta's four-run third inning with a two-run double. Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman added RBI singles, as Atlanta snapped a two-game skid.

Madison Bumgarner (0-3) didn't make it out of the third inning. The lefty was lifted after surrendering four hits and four runs -- three earned -- over 2 2/3 frames. Ryan Vogelsong held Atlanta to a pair of hits over the next 3 1/3 innings, but the damage was already done when the Braves sent nine men to the plate in the third.

This was the first meeting between the teams since last year's National League Division Series, won by the Giants in four games.

"You gotta take advanatge of every single opportunity against that club because they come at you non-stop for nine innings," said Jones. "If you give them a break, they're going to capitalize on it."

However, the Giants, who were coming off a 10-2 loss in Colorado on Wednesday, could only muster singles from Miguel Tejada in the third and from Pat Burrell in the fifth, and a double off the bat of Pablo Sandoval in the seventh.

Nate McLouth and Martin Prado walked in the third, and with one out Heyward singled to right field. Jones followed with a two-run hit to right. Dan Uggla kept the inning alive thanks to Tejada's fielding error, and Freeman made the Giants pay with an RBI single to center. That marked the end of the night for Bumgarner, who was replaced by Vogelsong.

Burrell advanced to second on a Hanson wild pitch in the fifth, but Tejada flied out to end the inning.

Sandoval doubled with one out in the seventh, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Burrell's groundout.

Game Notes

The Giants have lost all four games Bumgarner has started this year. Before Friday, his only career start against the Braves came in Game 4 of the Division Series last season where he helped Giants defeat Atlanta 3-2 at Turner Field...The Giants came into this weekend winning their last four series...Hanson threw 105 pitches, 66 for strikes.