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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ATLANTA (AP) -- It took four months for Wally Joyner to make an
impact on the Atlanta Braves.
Joyner hit his 200th career homer and drove in four runs, and
John Burkett pitched seven innings for the first time in over two
months to lead the Braves over the Houston Astros 13-5 Saturday.
|  | | Javy Lopez tags out the Astros' Jeff Bagwell at the plate in the third. Bagwell tried to score on Moises Alou 's grounder. |
"I'm happy with the longevity of my career and I'm happy to
help the team win," said Joyner, an Atlanta native whose 15th
major league season is his first with the Braves. "Who knows?
Maybe I'll get 201."
Joyner needs four hits to reach 2,000. A career .290 hitter
entering the season, Joyner struggled in his adjustment to backing
up Andres Galarraga at first base.
He batted .147 in May and only .133 in June. This month, though,
he is hitting .299 with three homers and 13 RBI.
With Galarraga nursing a sprained left thumb, Joyner has made
six straight starts.
"There's a place for personal achievements, but a very small
place," Joyner said. "When I get 2,000, I'll say the same
thing."
Javy Lopez also homered, a two-run shot off Shane Reynolds (7-8)
in the first, as the Braves took a 4-0 lead and went on to score
their most runs this season.
Burkett (8-4), who allowed four runs and nine hits, won for the
first time in four starts since beating the New York Mets on June
29. He had not finished the seventh inning in 11 appearances since
May 14.
He took some advice from teammate Greg Maddux on Friday night
and went home early. Burkett typically charts pitches the night
before a start, but a long rain delay Friday and a schedule that
called for a 1:10 p.m. start caused him to get to sleep by
midnight.
The Braves did not complete their 5-2 victory over Houston until
2:02 a.m.
"I wanted to come out early and throw strikes, keep it pretty
basic," Burkett said. "I got in a little bit of trouble in the
second, but I got a lot of run support. That always makes it
easy."
Houston made four errors that led to three unearned runs.
Reynolds left after one inning because of tightness in his back.
He gave up four runs -- three earned -- and four hits. Reliever Jason
Green was tagged for seven runs, just five earned, and three hits
in two innings.
"I'll be all right," Reynolds said. "I just need some rest."
Reynolds, 7-8 with a 5.22 ERA, is day to day. He has lost five
of his last six decisions.
Atlanta scored its opening run when first baseman Jeff Bagwell
misplayed Chipper Jones' grounder for an error. Joyner followed
with a sacrifice fly and Lopez hit his 18th homer.
Houston closed to 4-3 in the second on Tony Eusebio's homer and
RBI singles by Daryle Ward and Julio Lugo.
Atlanta made it 8-3 in the bottom half against Green on Andruw
Jones' RBI double, a run-scoring error by third baseman Chris Truby
on a pickoff throw and Joyner's two-run homer, his fourth of the
season.
Andruw Jones hit a two-run single in the third, which included a
run-scoring throwing error by Eusebio, Houston's catcher.
Keith Lockhart made it 12-3 with an RBI single in the fifth, and
Joyner added an RBI single in the sixth.
"You can't be down by nine runs after four innings and have
much of a chance to win," Bagwell said. "Both sides were tired,
but if both teams had made four errors, maybe I could blame it on
the late hours. But I can't say that had anything to do with it."
Lugo had run scoring singles off Burkett in the seventh and
Jason Marquis in the ninth.
Game notes
Atlanta scored 12 runs against San Diego on May 21. ... The
crowd of 47,889 gave the Braves their 15th sellout this season. ...
Houston had won five straight coming in to the series.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
Atlanta Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 14
Baltimore 3
Baltimore 4
Cleveland 0
(2nd game)
Seattle 6
Toronto 5
Anaheim 6
Chi. White Sox 5
Minnesota 6
NY Yankees 2
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 1
Detroit 10
Texas 2
Oakland 12
Boston 1
Atlanta 13
Houston 5
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 3
Chicago Cubs 8
San Francisco 1
Florida 4
Arizona 2
Cincinnati 4
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 3
Los Angeles 0
Pittsburgh 10
San Diego 2
Colorado 10
Milwaukee 2
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