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Norton helps Braves defeat Cardinals

Aug 24, 2008 - 12:26 AM By Thad Kemlage PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Pinch hitter Greg Norton laced a two-run, go-ahead single in the top of the eighth inning to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 8-4 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

Mark Kotsay led off the frame with a double but was thrown out at third on Martin Prado's grounder. Kelly Johnson followed with a walk and, after Jeff Francoeur struck out, Kyle McLellan (2-6) uncorked a wild pitch to set the stage for Norton's decisive hit.

Buddy Carlyle (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings of relief to notch the victory.

Felipe Lopez delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to pull the Cardinals within 5-4, but the Braves added three insurance runs in the ninth after a 49-minute rain delay.

Braves closer Mike Gonzalez then picked up his sixth save after getting four outs to secure the win.

Atlanta came back from a 3-1 deficit when Prado singled off Kyle Lohse with the bases loaded in the sixth inning to tie the score.

Lohse didn't factor in the decision, throwing six innings and giving up three runs and eight hits. The righthander has lost four of his last five decisions and has not won since August 1.

Albert Pujols hit his 27th home run of the year in the fifth off Braves starter Jorge Campillo to give the Cardinals a 3-1 bulge. Pujols collected three hits and three RBI, improving his batting average to .356.

Chipper Jones gave the Braves a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the first inning. Jones finished 2-for-5 and is now batting .360, four points above Pujols in the batting title race. The third basemen has now hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games with nine RBI over that span.

St. Louis stranded seven men, but six of those runners were in scoring position. This came just one day after the Cardinals pounded out 26 hits and scored 18 runs against the Braves on Friday night.