• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Jair Jurrjens, Braves beat Dodgers, 13-1

Aug 16, 2010 - 12:39 AM By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA(AP) -- A healthy Jair Jurrjens is giving the Braves a lift in their attempt to hold off the Phillies in the NL East.

It always helps when Jurrjens and the Braves are playing at Turner Field.

Jurrjens remained unbeaten at home, getting a three-run homer and four RBIs from Troy Glaus and four more RBIs from Alex Gonzalez in a 13-1 romp over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

The Braves improved the majors' best home record to 41-16 while Jurrjens (5-4) gave up six hits and one run in seven stellar innings. He's 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA at home and 0-4 with a 6.39 ERA on the road.

Jurrjens called the contrast in his home and road results "just crazy."

"It's just at home I think you're more confident, more relaxed," Jurrjens said.

Jurrjens missed May and June with a hamstring injury and is 5-1 in nine starts since coming off the disabled list.

"When you're healthy, you're not worried about anything else but throwing strikes and keeping your team in the game," he said. "I'm feeling stronger every time I go out there."

The Braves, who began the day two games ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East, have won two of the first three in the four-game series with the Dodgers. Assured of at least a split in the series, the Braves have lost only one of 19 home series this season.

They matched their season high with 16 hits and scored their most runs since a 13-1 win over Arizona on May 16. The Braves had three four-run innings.

"It got uglier and uglier," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, after his team failed to maintain momentum gained by Saturday night's 2-1 win.

The Dodgers have lost four of five and 12 of 18.

"I don't sense anyone throwing up his hands," Torre said. "There is no give-up out there. We have to pick ourselves up."

Jurrjens stranded runners on third base in the first, fourth and seventh innings. He loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh before giving up his only run when Brad Ausmus hit into a double-play grounder. Jurrjens struck out pinch-hitter Casey Blake to end that inning.

"He's a good pitcher," said Dodgers shortstop Ryan Theriot. "He commands the strike zone. He pitches well off his fastball. That makes all his other pitches more effective."

Vicente Padilla (6-4) gave up eight hits and a season-high eight earned runs in 4 1-3 innings. His ERA rose from 3.32 to 3.96.

The Braves were held to one run in each of the first two games of the series before breaking out with two four-run innings against Padilla and four more in the eighth off Ronald Belisario.

It was an impressive showing after the Braves on Friday learned Friday Chipper Jones would require season-ending knee surgery.

"We've all got to step up," said Brian McCann. "We know that. Chipper's a guy that can't be replaced."

Added Glaus: "It's one game, but it was a good team effort. Nobody's going to feel sorry for us."

Glaus was the NL player of the month for May, when he hit .330 with six homers and 28 RBIs. He has hit under .240 in every month since May, including his .206 mark in his first 12 games in August before Sunday.

Despite his struggles, Glaus has 16 homers and leads the Braves with 68 RBIs.

Melky Cabrera had a run-scoring double and scored on Omar Infante's single before Gonzalez added a two-run triple for a 4-0 lead in the third. The Braves had five hits in the inning.

The Braves loaded the bases in the fifth. Following Infante's single and Rick Ankiel's walk, Padilla hit Gonzalez with a pitch. McCann's fly ball to left drove in Infante before Glaus knocked Padilla out of the game with his three-run homer to left-center.

Los Angeles right-hander Carlos Monasterios gave up a run in the seventh on a bases-loaded fly ball to center by Gonzalez.

Belisario gave up four runs in the eighth. One run scored when right fielder Jay Gibbons lost Glaus' fly ball in the sun for a single. Gonzalez, Eric Hinske and Brooks Conrad also had RBI singles in the inning.

NOTES: Braves RF Jason Heyward had swelling in his right knee and did not start. He said he may be able to play on Monday. ... Dodgers manager Joe Torre said SS Rafael Furcal (back) should be ready for a rehab assignment in a few days. ... Jones was back in the clubhouse one day after Saturday's surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee. ... Ankiel threw out Theriot at third from center field in the sixth as Theriot tried to advance from first on Andre Ethier's single. ... OF Scott Podsednik led off the game with a double to stretch his hitting streak to 12 games. ... 2B Martin Prado (finger) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.