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Braves hit three homers in win over Marlins

Jul 25, 2012 - 9:59 PM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Juan Francisco smoked a two-run home run and finished with three RBI as the Atlanta Braves thumped the Miami Marlins, 7-1, in the finale of a three-game series Wednesday.

Michael Bourn clubbed a two-run home run and Jason Heyward added a solo shot for the Braves, who took two of three in this series. Freddie Freeman contributed an RBI single in the win.

"That's what we got him for," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Francisco. "To give Chipper (Jones) a day off every once in a while. I think between both of them they're in the high teens in home runs. That's a nice number to get from the corner spot."

Tommy Hanson (11-5) struggled with his control, walking seven hitters, but allowed just one run on three hits over five innings to pick up the victory. Kris Medlen and Jonny Venters finished off the rout for Atlanta.

Justin Ruggiano knocked in the only run of the day for a Marlins team that continued to shakeup their roster on Wednesday morning by trading star infielder Hanley Ramirez and reliever Randy Choate to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough.

With Ramirez headed to the West Coast, Donovan Solano got the start at third base and went 0-for-1 with a run scored and three walks.

Ricky Nolasco (8-9) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 5 1/3 frames.

"I made a few mistakes and gave up two-run homers," Nolasco said. "That was the game. Two balls that came back over the plate. Obviously I didn't want to do that, they just cut on me."

After stranding runners in scoring position in each of their first two at- bats, the Marlins finally cracked the scoreboard in the third to grab an early lead. Solano drew a one-out walk and swiped second before scoring on a double down the left-field line by Ruggiano.

Atlanta went ahead for good with three runs in the fourth. Heyward smoked a one-out double over the head of Ruggiano in center and scored on a single by Freeman. Francisco then waited on a changeup from Nolasco and yanked it into the right-field seats for his eighth long ball of the season.

Paul Janish began the Braves fifth with a base hit and Bourn got a middle-in fastball two batters later and turned on it, sending it deep into the seats in right, extending the lead to 5-1.

Brian McCann opened the sixth with a single into right, moved to second on a groundout by Freeman and scored via a Francisco base hit back through the box to make it 6-1.

Facing Marlins reliever Wade LeBlanc in the eighth, Heyward capped the scoring when he got a high fastball and muscled it the other way over the wall in left field.

Game Notes

While with the Marlins, Ramirez was the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year and 2009 NL batting champion but has fallen on hard times this season, batting .246 with 14 homers and 48 RBI while playing third base...Atlanta leads the season series between the teams, 6-2..Nolasco has lost his last three starts...Jones and second baseman Dan Uggla were both given the day off...Miami stole seven bases, which was the most in a single game by any team this season and the most by the Marlins since 2002.