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Braves claim series win over Astros

Apr 12, 2012 - 5:53 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Jason Hayward blasted a solo home run, part of a 3-for-4 night with two RBI and two runs scored as the Braves earned their first series win of the season with a 6-3 decision over the Astros.

David Ross hit a two-run double and Chipper Jones had two hits for Atlanta, which has won back-to-back games after dropping four in a row to open the season.

Randall Delgado (1-0) picked up the win by tossing five innings in the start, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out six. Craig Kimbrel notched his second save in as many nights, striking out three in a scoreless ninth.

"I thought he gave us everything we were looking for," said Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez about his starter. "He hadn't pitched in over a week so we didn't want to leave him out there all night, but he did his job great."

Wandy Rodriguez (0-1) also pitched five innings but gave up four runs -- three earned -- on six hits. He struck out five and issued one walk in a losing effort, while J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer and recorded two RBI.

"I threw some bad changeups tonight," said Rodriguez. "I wanted to get them down low, but a bunch of times they sat there in the middle and that's not good."

Martinez opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on his second homer of the season, a solo shot to center field.

But Heyward got it right back in the second with a single that went just past the glove of a diving Jose Altuve and into center field, scoring Dan Uggla from second.

Uggla touched home plate again in the fourth, along with Jones, when Ross lifted Rodriguez's changeup in front of the warning track in center field for a bases-loaded two-run double. Heyward went to third on the play and scored on a suicide squeeze by Jack Wilson.

Martinez cut Houston's deficit to 4-2 in the fifth on an RBI groundout off the foot of Delgado, and the hosts had a big opportunity to take the lead two innings later.

Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty sandwiched a walk and a strikeout between two singles to load the bases, and after getting Martinez to make the second out, walked in Houston's third run with a free pass to Carlos Lee.

O'Flaherty got the next batter, pinch-hitter Matt Downs, to ground out on his first offering, however, to end the threat.

Heyward led off the next half-inning by crushing Fernando Rodriguez's 1-1 changeup into the right-field seats to restore Atlanta's two-run lead. The visitors posted another run in the ninth when Jones' line-drive single to center was misplayed by Jordan Schafer, allowing Martin Prado to score from first.

Game Notes

O'Flaherty had 26 scoreless appearances last season...The Astros have committed eight errors in Rodriguez's two starts, including four tonight. He has personally committed two...Atlanta has an off-day Thursday before playing its home opener against Milwaukee on Friday. Houston begins its first road trip of the season on Friday at Miami.