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Braves use homers to down Astros

Jun 11, 2011 - 4:58 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Freddie Freeman and Alex Gonzalez each had a home run and three RBI to lead Atlanta to an 11-4 victory over Houston in the first of a four-game series.

Tim Hudson (5-5) allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out four through six innings to earn the win, snapping an 0-3 streak over his previous five starts.

Eric Hinske and Chipper Jones also homered for the Braves, who won their fourth straight game and sixth in their last eight tries.

"It was nice to see the guys put together some good at-bats and get some crooked numbers on the board," Hudson said.

Aneury Rodriguez (0-4) went four-plus innings, allowing six runs on six hits and a walk.

Michael Bourn tied his career high with four hits and was a home run short of the cycle in the Astros' sixth loss in seven games.

"We'll come out tomorrow and try to look much better," Bourn said.

Atlanta took an early one-run lead in the first after Jordan Schafer walked to lead off the game, stole second and came around to score on a Freeman single into right field.

Dan Uggla doubled with two down in the third and scored on an infield single by Jones to first that included a throwing error by Brett Wallace. Freeman followed with a homer to right, and on the next pitch, Gonzalez placed a ball into the left-field bleachers to give Atlanta a five-run advantage.

Houston got on the board in the third after Bourn hit a one-out triple and came home on Angel Sanchez's groundout.

But the Braves put the game away in the fifth with their second four-run inning of the night. After Schafer singled to lead off the frame, Rodriguez was removed from the mound.

Enerio Del Rosario took the bump next and, after Schafer stole second, Jones singled off the left-field wall to plate Schafer. Freeman singled before a Gonzalez double to right brought home Freeman and Jones. Gonzalez then advanced to third on a wild pitch before being knocked in on a Matt Young single to make it a 9-1 game.

Houston added another run in the bottom of the fifth after Bourn doubled, advanced to third on a groundout by Sanchez and scored on a wild pitch by Hudson.

Hinske's solo shot in the seventh and Jones' bomb in the eighth finalized the scoring for the Braves.

Matt Downs added a two-run home run in the ninth for Houston.

Game Notes

Hunter Pence extended his career-best hit streak to 21 games with a single in the third inning and then left the game with lower back tightness...Bourn extended his hit streak to 11 games...Atlanta has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the teams...The Braves finished with 14 hits and the Astros ended with 10...Houston went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight.