Braves score early to down Mets

Flushing, NY – Freddie Freeman clubbed a three-run home run as part of a seven-run second inning, and knocked in five runs overall to help the Braves take a 9-3 victory over the Mets in the middle contest of a three- game set at Citi Field.

Kris Medlen (3-1) allowed just one run on five hits and one walk while striking out seven over 6 1/3 innings to earn the victory.

Medlen helped his own cause with an RBI single and a run scored, while Michael Bourn registered three hits, two runs scored and an RBI as the Braves won for the fifth time in their last six games.

Andres Torres, Ruben Tejada and David Wright each plated a run for the Mets, who dropped their seventh straight meeting with Atlanta.

Johan Santana (6-8) was shelled for eight runs on eight hits and a walk over 1 1/3 innings in his first start since July 20 after landing on the disabled list with a sprained right ankle.

"It's just one of those nights where I didn't execute pitches the way they're supposed to be executed," admitted Santana. "But overall I felt fine. I didn't feel anything in my ankle or my shoulder. I felt good."

The left-hander's return from the DL got off to a rocky start as Bourn and Reed Johnson stroked consecutive singles to get things started, but Santana battled back by fanning the next two hitters.

He was unable to make it three in a row, however, as Freeman ripped a first- pitch fastball down the first-base line to plate Bourn and Johnson for an early 2-0 lead.

The Braves blew the game open in the second, as Dan Uggla worked a leadoff walk and then went first-to-third on Paul Janish's single. Janish moved to second on the play before Medlen slapped a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield.

Bourn then ripped a base hit to center to plate Janish and after Johnson popped out, Jason Heyward and Chipper Jones smacked back-to-back RBI singles to chase Santana from the game with the Braves leading 6-0.

"He had trouble with his change-up tonight early, and we got into some counts and got some pitches in the middle of the plate to hit," said Jones of Santana. "We bled a few in, but it was not typical Johan."

Jeremy Hefner entered from the bullpen, but the runs kept pouring in as Freeman crushed Hefner's fifth offering deep over the wall in center field to make it 9-0 and close the book on Santana.

The Mets responded with a run in the bottom half on Torres' RBI single, but they failed to move a runner into scoring position until Tejada's RBI double in the eighth, which scored Ronny Cedeno.

Wright then added a run-scoring single to center to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

Medlen has allowed just six runs in 33 2/3 innings against the Mets in his career...Santana fell to 3-9 in 16 career starts against the Braves. Over his last four starts, Santana has given up 27 runs on 36 hits in 14.0 innings...Atlanta's seven-run second inning marks the most runs scored by the Braves in any inning this season.