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Jurrjens, Teixeira lead Braves to first win

Apr 3, 2008 - 4:18 AM By Guy Curtright PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Rookie Jair Jurrjens grew up in Curacao watching games from Atlanta on television and rooting for the Braves. On Wednesday night, he made his first start at Turner Field a winning one.

Jurrjens blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates until the sixth inning and the Braves scored seven times in the eighth en route to a 10-2 victory, their first win after two one-run losses to begin the season.

Mark Teixeira had a two-run homer in the big inning and Yunel Escobar capped the rally with a three-run blast.

Jurrjens (1-0) worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. He struck out five and walked one.

"I was trying to impress the fans," Jurrjens said. "I wanted to get a win in my first start."

Jurrjens also had his family and friends watching back home.

"They have the baseball package," he said. "My dad is the biggest Braves fan there is. He'll be as happy that the Braves won as I did."

The Braves acquired the 22-year-old from Detroit in the trade for Edgar Renteria during the offseason, and the righthander won a spot in the rotation with an impressive spring. Jurrjens went 3-1 in seven starts with the Tigers last season.

"Jurrjens pitched a great game," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He was sensational. A very, very impressive job."

Trailing, 3-0, the Pirates finally got to Jurrjens in the sixth inning. After a single and walk, Xavier Nady stroked a two-run base hit, and Jurrjens was lifted after Ryan Doumit also singled.

Jeff Bennett replaced Jurrjens and got Jose Bautista to hit into a double play started by Chipper Jones at third base. Martin Prado made a quick turn at second base in order to throw out Bautista at first.

"That was the play of the game," Cox said. "The bat almost hit Chipper in the foot."

Six relievers held the Pirates to two walks and no hits over the final 3 2/3 innings in a bounce-back performance.

The Braves' bullpen badly needed a good outing after giving up 11 runs and four homers in its first nine innings of the season. Chris Resop got out of a jam in the top of the eighth, when it still was a one-run game.

"We have a good bullpen," Cox said.

With second baseman Kelly Johnson nursing a sore right knee, Prado got the start and quickly took advantage of the opportunity. He lined Tom Gorzelanny's third pitch of the game to right-center field for a triple and scored on a single by Jones.

Prado and Jones also combined for Atlanta's second run in the third inning. Prado walked, moved to third on Escobar's hit-and-run single and came home on Jones' sacrifice fly.

Matt Diaz gave Jurrjens a three-run lead in the fourth inning, slicing a home run down the right-field line. The ball went into the stands just inside the foul pole.

Gorzelanny (0-1), a 14-game winner last season for the Pirates, worked six innings. He allowed six hits, walked three and struck out one.

Jones, who - like Escobar and Nady - already has six RBI, was 2-for-3 with a walk, raising his average to .385.

Escobar went 5-for-8 in the two games against the Pirates. His homer came off rookie Evan Meek, who was making his major league debut.

Teixeira was just 1-for-13 before smashing his blast off Damaso Marte to deep center field.

"We needed this after two close losses," Teixeira said. "But this is what our offense can do."

Teixeira also had plenty of praise for Jurrjens.

"He showed how good he is," he said. "He's a competitor and he has good stuff. He's not afraid. He goes right at hitters."