ATLANTA - James Loney's three-run double was the key hit in a five-run seventh inning for Los Angeles and the streaking Dodgers rallied after trailing by five runs to beat the Atlanta Braves 8-6 on Friday night.
Andre Ethier added a two-run single in the seventh and Juan Rivera drove in three runs for the Dodgers, who have won five straight and 10 of 11. The Braves led 5-0 after three innings.
Rookie right-handed reliever Arodys Vizcaino gave up five runs, four hits and two walks while blowing a 5-3 lead in the seventh.
The Braves began the night leading St. Louis by 8 1/2 games in the NL wild-card race.
Javy Guerra earned his 14th save despite giving up a homer to Dan Uggla in the ninth.
Hong-Chih Kuo (1-2), who began the night with a 10.61 ERA, pitched two scoreless innings after Chad Billingsley was knocked out in the fifth.
Atlanta's Brandon Beachy gave up three runs, four hits and three walks in six innings and left with a 5-3 lead.
Beachy, pitching one day before his 25th birthday, had seven strikeouts - his fifth straight start with at least seven.
The Dodgers rallied against Vizcaino (1-1) in the seventh.
Three straight singles by Justin Sellers, pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. and Dee Gordon loaded the bases. Loney followed with his three-run double to right, giving the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.
Vizcaino issued an intentional walk to Matt Kemp before also walking Rivera, again loading the bases. Ethier added a two-run single off Cristhian Martinez.
Vizcaino was charged with five runs while retiring only one batter.
Including Beachy, the Braves will start rookies in each of the three games against Los Angeles.
Left-hander Mike Minor will start Saturday night, and right-hander Randall Delgado will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill in for Jair Jurrjens on Sunday.
Jurrjens is having his sore right knee examined by orthopedic specialist Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colo. The Braves' rotation is also missing right-hander Tommy Hanson, who is on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder.
According to STATS LLC, the last time the Braves started three straight rookie pitchers in one series was Sept. 9-11, 2008, when Jorge Campillo, James Parr and Jurrjens pitched against the Rockies.
Billingsley gave up five runs, three earned, nine hits and three walks. He was pulled after giving up a single to Jones on his 90th pitch to lead off the fifth.
The right-hander gave up three runs in the second on a walk and three hits, including run-scoring singles by Michael Bourn and Brian McCann.
Gordon mishandled Martin Prado's grounder at shortstop for an error, allowing another run to score.
Freeman doubled and scored on another double by Alex Gonzalez in the third for a 5-0 lead.
The Dodgers scored two runs in the fourth when Beachy hit Kemp with a pitch to load the bases and Rivera hit a two-run single to center.
Aaron Miles hit into a double play to end the inning.
Gordon singled and scored on another single by Rivera in the sixth.
NOTES: Gordon and Bourn each stole two bases. ... Minor and Los Angeles RHP Nathan Eovaldi, will pitch in Saturday night's game. Of the six starting pitchers in the three-game series, four are rookies, including all three for Atlanta. ... IF Jack Wilson, acquired by the Braves from Seattle on Wednesday, was activated from the 15-day DL and struck out as a pinch-hitter in the sixth. ... The Braves released SS Julio Lugo. ... Hanson threw two sets of 30 throws from 60 feet before the game and said he "definitely felt good."... Manager Don Mattingly said 3B Juan Uribe, on the 15-day DL since July 24 with a groin strain, is not expected to return this season.