Hanson pitches 7 innings, Braves beat Rays 5-3

[May 19, 2012]  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Tommy Hanson pitched seven effective innings, Freddie Freeman drove in two runs and the Atlanta Braves beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Friday night.

Hanson (5-3) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. Freeman had a run-scoring double and Brian McCann hit an RBI single that put the Braves up 4-2 in the fifth.

Chipper Jones left after seven innings because of a bruised left calf. The Braves' third baseman stayed in the game after B.J. Upton's hard one-hop infield single hit his leg in the third. Juan Francisco pinch-hit for Jones in the eighth.

James Shields (6-2) gave up four runs and seven hits over six innings for Tampa Bay. Luke Scott had two RBIs.

Jones, who is retiring after this season, received a partial standing ovation before his first at-bat leading off the second. After he tipped his helmet to the crowd, Jones singled to center. The Florida native later scored from third to make it 2-0 on a wild pitch by Shields.

Jonny Venters gave up Scott's RBI single in the eighth before Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 12th save.

Martin Prado doubled and scored on Freeman's single as the Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first. Prado extended Atlanta's advantage to 5-2 on a solo homer off J.P. Howell in the seventh.

Tampa Bay got within 2-1 on Elliot Johnson's RBI bunt single in the second. Scott tied it 2-all on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the third, when right fielder Jason Heyward made a nice running catch.

NOTES: Jones, who went 1 for 3, enjoys playing in domed stadiums like Tropicana Field. "You don't have wind, you don't have rain," Jones said. "Most baseball players like the conditions perfect." ... The Rays plan to recall RHP Alex Cobb from Triple-A Durham to start Saturday's game. He is taking the spot of RHP Jeff Niemann, who is on the 60-day DL with a right leg injury. ... Hanson struck out Rays 1B Carlos Pena on a 14-pitch at-bat in the sixth.

[Associated Press]

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