Uggla lifts Braves past Brewers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dan Uggla went 3-for-5 with three RBI, and hit the tie-breaking two-run single in the eighth inning, as Atlanta won its home opener, 10-8, over Milwaukee.
Brian McCann had a three-run homer among his four hits and drove in four, as the Braves won their third in a row after opening the season 0-4.
They were victorious despite playing without third baseman Chipper Jones, who sat out due to excessive fluid and swelling in his left knee. He hopes to return Saturday for the middle portion of this three-game series.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Matt Diaz added a two-run homer in the win.
"We haven't been in one of these games in a long time," McCann said. "It was a slugfest. This team, honestly, hasn't been in one in a very long time."
Corey Hart homered and knocked in three for Milwaukee, which lost its second straight game. Alex Gonzalez and George Kottaras clubbed back-to-back homers in the second inning off Jair Jurrjens, but the Brewers faltered with a man in scoring position in the eighth.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That opened the door for the Braves to go in front.
Jurrjens gave up seven hits and five runs over five-plus innings, while Brewers starter Randy Wolf was touched for nine hits and eight runs over 4 1/3 frames.
"It was definitely the most uncomfortable I've felt in a long time," Wolf said. "I had ridiculously bad fastball command and my offspeed stuff was horrible."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gonzalez singled off Jonny Venters (1-0) to start the top of the eighth and advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Kottaras. After pinch-hitter Jonathan Lucroy fanned, Rickie Weeks nearly gave Milwaukee the lead when he sent a ball on a line to right field. Jason Heyward reached high in the air to rob Weeks of an extra-base hit.
Francisco Rodriguez (0-1) gave up a single to Martin Prado and a walk to Freddie Freeman. With two men in scoring position and one out, Uggla broke his bat on a grounder that got through the middle.
Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his third save of the year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Atlanta lost its final five games of last season and its 13-inning loss to the Phillies in its regular-season finale eliminated the club from playoff contention.
Right away, the Braves gave their fans something to cheer about when McCann doubled in Michael Bourn in the first inning.
After the Brewers went ahead with their three-run second, Uggla's two-bagger in the third made it a 3-2 contest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With men on the corners in the fifth, McCann homered to the right-field corner. Uggla then singled and Diaz crushed a ball over the wall in center for a 7-3 difference. Bourn capped the six-run frame with an RBI single.
Hart doubled in two in the sixth and Ryan Braun, who was booed throughout the night, singled in a pair in the seventh against Eric O'Flaherty. After Aramis Ramirez grounded into a double play, Hart tied it with a homer to left.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former President Jimmy Carter was in attendance...Atlanta has won four straight home openers...The Braves have gone just 13-for-58 (.224) with runners in scoring position in the first seven games of the season...The four hits tied a career-high for McCann. He's done it eight times.