After showing some power, Chipper Jones showed some emotion.
"Sure, I try to stay cool, but this was an emotional win," Jones said after hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 6-3 victory over the Florida Marlins on Friday night."It really feels good. We beat an all-star pitcher (Al Leiter) after trailing 3-1. We gained a game on the Expos and we need all the cushion we can get with that 17-game road trip coming up."
Jones' 18th homer and 67th and 68th RBI of the season gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead and made Tom Glavine a 10-game winner. The Braves, who will be on the road from July 18 until August 6 because of the Olympics, lead Montreal by six games in the National League East.
"Florida has been kicking us. They'd beaten us four of the last five games and Leiter shut us out a couple of weeks ago," Jones said. "After he gave up the run in the first, he settled into a groove like he did against us in Miami. But you're asking for trouble when you walk the number 8 and 9 hitters. That was a big help."
Jeff Blauser and Mike Mordecai walked to start the seventh. Blauser eventually scored on Mark Lemke's sacrifice fly and Marquis Grissom reached on a fielder's choice in front of Jones' homer, a towering 362-footer to left.
"I thought I got under it too much," Jones said. "I usually drive them out, but that was a high one. I saw Jeff Conine give up on it at the fence, then I knew it was out. It was not one of my longer ones but it wasn't a wall scraper, either."
Blauser added a two-run single in the eighth.
Glavine replaced scheduled starter Greg Maddux, who has an injured toe. He gave up seven hits in seven innings to win for the third time in four decisions.
Mark Wohlers struck out the side in the ninth for his 19th save.
Cardinals 13, Cubs 3
At Chicago, Gary Gaetti and Ron Gant each hit two of St. Louis' seven home runs, and the Cardinals routed the Chicago Cubs for their eighth win in 11 games.
Brian Jordan, John Mabry and Ray Lankford also homered for the St. Louis, which sent Steve Trachsel (7-6) to his second straight loss. The seven homers tied a Cardinals record set on May 7, 1940, against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Reds 5, Pirates 2
At Cincinnati, Mark Portugal won his fifth consecutive start, and Eddie Taubensee and Reggie Sanders homered as Cincinnati snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Reds scored three runs in the first inning off Danny Darwin (7-9) and held on to snap the Pirates' five-game winning streak at Riverfront Stadium.
Portugal (6-5) gave up six hits over eight innings to remain unbeaten since June 14. Jeff Brantley, making his first appearance since back spasms sidelined him last weekend, got three outs for his 23rd save.
Astros 3, Mets 1
At New York, Shane Reynolds beat New York for the third time this season and Derrick May hit a two-run single in the first inning as Houston snapped a three-game losing streak and remained percentage points behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.
Reynolds (11-5), who won his third straight start, scattered seven hits, struck out five and allowed one walk in eight-plus innings. In 23 1-3 innings against the Mets, he has a 1.93 ERA.
Rookie Billy Wagner struck out two of three batters in the ninth for his third save.
Phillies 5, Expos 3
At Montreal, Terry Mulholland beat Montreal again with a complete game and improved to 12-2 lifetime in 18 appearances against the Expos as Philadelphia won for the fifth time in six games.
Mulholland (7-6), 3-0 this season against Montreal, allowed nine hits and three runs in pitching his second complete game this season, both against the Expos. He struck out six and walked none.
Todd Zeile, 4-for-20 with four homers and seven RBIs this season at Olympic Stadium, hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Pedro Martinez (7-4).
Martinez worked four innings, his shortest outing in 19 starts, allowing five runs - four earned - and seven hits.
Dodgers 6, Giants 1
At Los Angeles, Ismael Valdes allowed four hits in 82/3 innings and Raul Mondesi went 4-for-4 as Los Angeles sent San Francisco to its seventh straight defeat.
The Giants have lost 17 of their last 19 and have fallen 91/2 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.
Rockies 13, Padres 12
At Denver, Vinny Castilla's grand slam highlighted an 11-run seventh inning, and the Colorado Rockies rallied to beat San Diego in a game delayed twice by rain for a total of 2 hours and 22 minutes.