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Loney, Dodgers earn comeback win over Braves

Sep 3, 2011 - 5:50 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - James Loney highlighted a five-run seventh inning with a three-run double, as the surging Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from an early deficit to beat the Atlanta Braves, 8-6, in the opener of a three-game series at Turner Field.

Juan Rivera recorded three RBI and Andre Ethier added a two-run single for Los Angeles, which has won 10 of its last 11 games.

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley surrendered five runs -- three earned -- on nine hits and walked three in four-plus innings. Hong-Chih Kuo (1-2) tossed two innings of relief to pick up the win.

Michael Bourn and Alex Gonzalez both had two hits and knocked in a run for the Braves, who led 5-0 after three frames. Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy gave up three runs on four hits, walked three and struck out seven in six innings.

"We're looking to finish strong down the stretch," Beachy said. "Unfortunately this one got away from us tonight, but we're going to come back out tomorrow and go right back at them."

Arodys Vizcaino (1-1) was on the mound to begin the seventh for Atlanta, which was clinging to a two-run advantage.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles before Loney put the visitors in front 6-5 by slapping a double into the right-field corner.

Cristhian Martinez relieved Vizcaino after the latter walked Matt Kemp and Rivera. Two more runners came home on Ethier's soft liner to center field.

"Beachy pitched a really good game, we just stayed on him," Kemp said. "We drew walks and got timely hitting. That's what you have to do to inch your way back into games and we came out with the win."

Freddie Freeman grounded into a double play to end the bottom of the seventh, and Martin Prado grounded out to third with men on the corners in the Braves' eighth.

Javy Guerra pitched the ninth and recorded his 14th save despite allowing his first home run in the majors, a one-out blast to left field by Dan Uggla.

Atlanta pushed three runs across in the second inning. Freeman led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch. After Gonzalez drew a one-out walk, Beachy advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Bourn then drove in a run with a single to left field and a second run came home when Los Angeles shortstop Dee Gordon botched a ground ball off the bat of Prado. Brian McCann smacked an RBI single to center to score the speedy Bourn.

The Braves extended their lead in the next frame when Chipper Jones scored on a Jason Heyward groundout and Gonzalez doubled home Freeman.

Los Angeles loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth, but Beachy limited the damage to two runs on a single by Rivera.

The Dodgers trailed 5-3 after another Rivera single plated Gordon in the sixth.

Game Notes

Before Friday's game, the Braves activated recently-acquired infielder Jack Wilson from the 15-day disabled list and released infielder Julio Lugo...Atlanta right-hander Jair Jurrjens has been scratched from Sunday's scheduled start due to a sore right knee. Randall Delgado will pitch in Jurrjens' place...Beachy turns 25 on Saturday...The Dodgers took three of four from the Braves at home in April.