Padres 5, Braves 2
Tommy Medica had a career-high four hits and Jesse Hahn tossed six strong innings as visiting San Diego rolled past Atlanta in the opener of a four-game series.
Chris Denorfia added three hits and scored twice for the Padres, who have won five of their last six. Hahn (6-2) allowed one run on three hits in his first appearance since July 11, and Joaquin Benoit recorded the final four outs for his second save.
Denorfia and Yangervis Solarte opened the game with back-to-back singles before Denorfia scored on Medica’s one-out single off Alex Wood (7-8), who escaped further damage by inducing Chris Nelson to ground into a double play. Wood yielded five runs (four earned) on a career-high 12 hits over five innings for the Braves, who fell 2 1/2 games behind first-place Washington in the National League East.
San Diego led 2-0 before adding two runs in the fourth on Denorfia’s RBI single and Solarte’s sacrifice fly. Rene Rivera added a two-out RBI single in the fifth for the Padres, who have won eight of their last 10 meetings against Atlanta.
The Braves got on the board in the sixth as Freddie Freeman tripled with one out and scored on Justin Upton’s sacrifice fly. Evan Gattis drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk from Benoit in the eighth to cut the deficit to 5-2, but Chris Johnson flied out to center to end the inning.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Padres optioned INF Jace Peterson to Triple-A El Paso to make room for Hahn, who was recalled from the minors before the game. … Atlanta activated RHP Anthony Varvaro from the paternity leave list and optioned RHP Gus Schlosser to Triple-A Gwinnett. … Padres’ starters have surrendered three earned runs or fewer in 27 of the past 29 games since June 21.