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McCann slam, Teixeira homers lift Braves over Reds

Aug 21, 2007 - 3:40 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Brian McCann's grand slam highlighted a five-run first inning as the Atlanta Braves routed the Cincinnati Reds, 14-4, on Monday.

Tim Hudson won his ninth consecutive game and Mark Teixeira added six RBI on a pair of three-run home runs as the Braves won back-to-back games after losing three in a row.

Hudson (15-5) allowed just three runs on seven hits over six innings. The righthander struck out four and walked three in becoming the National League's first 15-game winner.

"After last year, if you told me that I'd have 15 wins in the season, I'd have taken it," Hudson said. "But to have 15 with a month and a half to go is great."

Hudson finished 13-12 a year ago.

"Huddy for six innings held them, that team, to one (actually three) run in this ballpark," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "That was real good."

The Braves gave Hudson all the run support he needed before he stepped on the mound, scoring all the runs with two out.

"I've been pretty fortunate all year," Hudson said. "The guys have played great behind me and given me good run support. I was trying to get quick outs after we jumped out in front. I was rushing a little bit. They (the Reds) had a chance to put up some serious crooked numbers up but we held them to one run.

"By the sixth inning I was just trying to stay back and not rush my pitches."

After Yunel Escobar grounded out to begin the game, Reds center fielder Josh Hamilton misplayed a routine fly ball off the bat of Matt Diaz, allowing the Atlanta left fielder to glide into second with a double. Chipper Jones followed with a sacrifice fly ball to right, advancing Diaz to third with two outs in the inning.

Teixeira, who homered twice despite a case of the flu on Sunday, walked before Jeff Francoeur singled to left field, scoring Diaz for the first run of the game.

Andruw Jones kept the inning alive by drawing a walk to load the bases before McCann launched his 13th home run of the season, and third grand slam of his career, off Reds starter Phil Dumatrait for a 5-0 lead.

"This park is conducive to home runs and the ball was flying out of here," Cox said. "We weren't sure Teixeira could play yesterday but he hit two home runs."

Teixeira hit his first three-run blast in the second inning off Dumatrait, giving the Braves an 8-1 lead. The 27-year-old first baseman hit his second blast of the game in the fourth inning off reliever Mike Gosling as the Braves lead grew to 11-2.

"You play with the flu a lot in this game," Teixeira said. "It seems when you do you focus more because you know you can't do the things you normally can. I feel a lot better than I did yesterday at this time. Everything that matters is winning. Whether it is me stepping up or someone else."

Teixeira is 5-for-7 with four home runs and 10 RBI in his past two games. Since being acquired from the Texas Rangers on August 1, he leads the NL with nine homers and 25 RBI this month.

Dumatrait (0-2) lasted just two innings, surrendering eight runs on seven hits. The lefthander walked two and didn't strike out a batter as his already dismal 10.32 ERA swelled to 14.18.

"He didn't have very good command. We had to go to the bullpen quick. We'll evaluate the situation. Wayne (Krivsky general manager) and I will talk and see what our options are," Cincinnati manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's not pitching well. The stuff's there but when you fall behind every hitter, you can't get away with that at this level. We haven't been beaten like that in a while, where somebody just comes in and crushes you."

Dumatrait was the first selection in the 2000 draft by the Boston Red Sox. The Reds acquired him in a trade for Scott Williamson late in the 2003 season.

"That's not the way you want to get things started off in your first four starts," Dumatrait said. "Other than the Dodger game, I've been getting the ball up."

He earned the spot in the rotation that opened when Kyle Lohse was traded to Philadelphia.

"I made a couple of pitches, I wouldn't say they were great but they weren't too bad, but I wasn't fooling anybody," Dumatrait said. "I threw a first-pitch changeup to Francoeur, and he wasn't out on his front foot at all. He was right on it."

After going 10-5 with a 3.49 ERA at Class AAA Louisville, Dumatrait has made four starts, but hasn't finished the fourth inning in three of them. His spot may be in jeopardy.

"Tomorrow's another day. I'll look at more video, see what's going on," Dumatrait said. "I'm not too concerned about that. It's only four starts."

Despite the run support, Hudson worked around trouble in the early innings.

Cincinnati picked up a run in the first inning when Brandon Phillips plated Jeff Keppinger with a sacrifice fly. Keppinger had singled and advanced to third on a base hit by Ken Griffey Jr. Hudson struck out Adam Dunn to end the threat as the Reds stranded runners at first and second.

Scott Hatteberg plated Keppinger with a single after the Reds loaded the bases with two outs in the third. But Hudson got Jose Valentin to fly out to avert more damage.

Hudson surrendered his final run in the fifth inning when Dunn singled to plate Keppinger, who led off the inning with a double.

The Braves added three runs in the eighth, highlighted by a two-run shot by Andruw Jones, his 23rd home run of the season.

Atlanta moved into a tie with the Philadelphia Phillies (65-58) for second place in the NL East, five games behind the New York Mets (70-53).