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Gonzalez, Freeman power Braves past Marlins

Sep 21, 2011 - 4:22 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Alex Gonzalez and Freddie Freeman each homered and Martin Prado went 3-for-5 with an RBI, powering the NL wild card-leading Atlanta Braves to a 4-0 victory over the Florida Marlins.

The Braves watched their wild-card lead dwindle to 2 1/2 games over the St. Louis Cardinals during a recent 3-7 skid, but a rookie hurler and their vaunted bullpen got them back on track.

Randall Delgado (1-1) turned in five scoreless frames while giving up five hits and two walks en route to his first major league win.

"If we take care of business, we don't have to worry about [who's] behind us," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of the Cardinals, who also won on Tuesday to stay 2 1/2 games back.

Anibal Sanchez (8-9) lasted just five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and a pair of walks for Florida, which had won three of four coming in, including a 6-5 walkoff win in Monday's opener of this three-game series.

There was no comeback for the hosts 24 hours later though, as Cristhian Martinez and Anthony Varvaro each threw two perfect innings of relief to complete the shutout and the much-needed win.

Gonzalez led off the second with his 15th home run of the season, and Michael Bourn doubled in a run and scored on Prado's base hit later in the frame.

Logan Morrison lined into a double play to spoil a bases-loaded chance in the home third, one of only three opportunities the Marlins had with runners in scoring position.

"I saw some good pitches to hit and I didn't capitalize on them," Morrison said.

Freeman took Brian Sanches deep to straightaway center in the sixth to cap the scoring.

Game Notes

Gonzalez left the game in the sixth inning due to an injured leg...This was Delgado's sixth career outing...Atlanta is 40-1 when allowing one run or less this season...The Braves won despite going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position while stranding 11...Omar Infante, who hit Monday's game-winning home run, had two of Florida's five hits...Sanchez fell to 4-10 lifetime against the Braves.