Braves 3, Astros 2
Eric Hinske had three hits, including a go-ahead single in the seventh inning, and Atlanta pitchers piled up 15 strikeouts to lead the Braves to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Monday.
Hinske, playing left field because of Martin Prado's shift to third base to fill in for the injured Chipper Jones, went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .356. His single off Fernando Abad (1-4) scored Nate McLouth with the go-ahead run.
Braves starter Tommy Hanson (5-3) lasted seven innings and allowed two runs - one earned - on three hits and one walk. He struck out 10, one short of his career-high.
Hanson's only foil was Matt Downs, who hit a solo home run in the fifth to give the Astros the lead and added an RBI double in the seventh to tie it at 2.
Eric O'Flaherty struck out two in a perfect eighth, and Craig Kimbrel worked around a one-out single to strike out the side in the ninth and earn his 11th save.
Joe Mather went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the sixth for the Braves, who pulled within 2 1/2 games of division-leading Philadelphia in the National League East.
Mather's two-run single was the only major mistake by Houston starter Brett Myers, who allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings and struck out six.