Burnett pitches well in loss

ATLANTA -- Former Yankee A.J. Burnett hasn't won at Turner Field in more than a decade. That streak remained intact, thanks to a couple of untimely walks and some timely hits by the Atlanta Braves.

Tommy Hanson allowed one run in six innings, Dan Uggla and Chipper Jones came through in a four-run seventh that broke open a close game, and the streaking Braves defeated Burnett and the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-1, Friday night.

Burnett (1-1) went six innings for the Pirates, allowing just two runs but losing for the eighth time in nine career decisions at the Ted. "You're always one pitch away from getting out of jams," he said.

Burnett matched Hanson's line as far as hits (six) and walks (three). But the Braves manufactured a couple of runs against the Pittsburgh righthander, who hasn't won at Turner Field since Oct. 7, 2001, with the Marlins.

"It was an alright game, a few pitches here and there," Burnett said. "But the walks. The walks killed me."

Hanson (3-2) worked around six hits and three walks, his only blemish an RBI single by Garrett Jones in the fourth. Kris Medlen worked the final three innings, earning his first career save. Uggla and Jones drove in two runs apiece in the seventh -- and both contributed stellar defensive plays as well.

"The biggest thing right now is our starting pitching," Uggla said. "If we've got a lead in the sixth or seventh inning, we'll always have a pretty good chance. We're getting some timely hitting, too, some good at-bats, picking each other up. That's the goal every day."

Atlanta won for the 13th time in 16 games after an 0-4 start.

The Braves were clinging to a 2-1 lead when they broke it open against the Pittsburgh bullpen in the seventh. After Tony Watson gave up a single and walked consecutive batters to load the bases, the Pirates brought in righthander Evan Meek to face Uggla. Bad move. Uggla lined a double to right-centerfield, two runs coming home to make it 4-1. Jones followed with a hit past the drawn-in third baseman, driving in two more runs.