Braves 3 - 5 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

Chavez leads Diamondbacks over Braves

May 16, 2013 - 12:35 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Eric Chavez went 2-for-3 and recorded two of his three RBI during a four-run fifth inning that paved the way for the Arizona Diamondbacks' 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the finale of a three-game set.

Didi Gregorius and Cody Ross each drove in a run during the rally, which made a winner out of Ian Kennedy (2-3), who had given up two runs in his fifth and final inning.

He struck out seven and allowed three runs in all on five hits. It's Kennedy's first victory since defeating the St. Louis Cardinals on Opening Day.

Heath Bell worked around a one-out double in the ninth to notch his sixth save and give the D'backs the series victory. Arizona has won seven of its last 10 games.

Tim Hudson (4-3) couldn't stop the bleeding for Atlanta, which is just 10-17 since its 12-1 start to the season. The righty was tagged for all five runs on eight hits over five frames.

"Just losing two out of three, you feel like we won a couple of those games because of the way we hit the ball," said Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 and plated all three runs for the Braves.

The Diamondbacks had just five hits in their last 56 tries with runners in scoring position coming into the contest, but matched that hit total during Wednesday's performance on eight chances.

"We just try and get good at-bats, for some reason we're not pushing a lot of runs across the board right now," said Chavez. "But that's going to change, just keep swinging the bats, have good approaches and put some runs on the board."

After putting Arizona in a two-run hole in the fifth, Kennedy was pinch-hit for in the bottom half by Jason Kubel, whose one-out walk sparked a four-run inning.

Gerardo Parra followed with a single and Gregorius pounded one up the middle to plate a run. Two batters later, Chavez ripped a double to center to put the D'backs back in front before Ross made it 5-3 with an RBI single into right.

Paul Goldschmidt ripped his first of three doubles on the day in the first inning and Chavez gave the D'backs a 1-0 lead when he grounded a base hit past the diving reach of shortstop Andrelton Simmons.

Kennedy was cruising along until he surrendered a pair of two out singles in the third and then threw eight straight balls in walking Justin Upton and Freeman to force in a run.

Freeman came to bat again in the fifth, and with runners on first and second, sent a double in the gap in center field to clear the bags and stake Atlanta to a 3-1 edge.

Hudson, though, couldn't hold the lead. He gave it right back in the bottom half as eight Diamondbacks came to plate before getting out of the frame behind by two runs.

Game Notes

Hudson suffered his career defeat to the Diamondbacks. He was 7-0 in nine career outings coming in ... The Braves have lost five of their last six games ... Atlanta was just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position ... Arizona had 10 hits and scored more than three runs for the first time in five games.






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