MILWAUKEE — Martin Prado hit a grand slam, Tommy Hanson got plenty of run support in eight scoreless innings and the scuffling Atlanta Braves snapped a power drought in an 8-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.
Atlanta had gone 253 games without a grand slam before Prado's in the sixth. The Braves had also gone four days without a homer before Troy Glaus led off the inning with a shot off Brewers starter Doug Davis (1-4).
The Braves also scored on an error by second baseman Rickie Weeks in the sixth to make it 3-0 before Davis walked Omar Infante to load the bases with two outs. Prado, who had a career-high five RBIs, then hit reliever Manny Parra's fastball into the left-field bleachers.
Hanson (3-2) struck out eight and held the Brewers to four hits.
Atlanta led 7-0 despite just five hits through the sixth and finished with seven hits, but it qualified as an offensive outburst for the Braves, who featured seven hitters in their lineup batting .252 or lower entering the night and three regulars at .192 or less.
Glaus' homer to start the sixth was Atlanta's first in a span of 169 at-bats. It would get even better with Prado's first career slam and the Braves' first since July 25, 2008.
That was more than enough for Hanson.
The promising right-hander mixed his mid-90s fastball with a sharp slider that kept the majors' highest-scoring team coming into Monday quiet until Casey McGehee's two-run homer off reliever Jesse Chavez in the ninth.
Hanson's biggest trouble came in the fourth after he hit Ryan Braun with a fastball with one out and Prince Fielder's pop up to shallow left field dropped between three Braves.
But Hanson froze McGehee on an 84 mph breaking ball that buckled the third baseman's knees and left fielder Matt Diaz made a nice leaping grab of Jim Edmonds' drive to the warning track that saved at least a run. Braun left before the seventh with a bruised left elbow and is day-to-day.
Davis was wild, walking six batters and hitting another. Prado's RBI single in the fifth was the first hit Davis allowed after a leadoff walk in the inning came back to haunt the left-hander.
Atlanta is still missing regulars Jason Heyward (groin) and shortstop Yunel Escobar (groin). Chipper Jones (groin) returned to the lineup, going 1 for 3 with a walk before leaving for a pinch runner in the sixth.
Jones had hustled down the line for an infield single before exiting, but the team didn't say if he re-aggravated the injury.
NOTES: Heyward is expected to return Tuesday. ... Braves RHP Jair Jurrjens (hamstring) said he heard a pop while sprinting and will have an MRI back in Atlanta when the Braves return after this series. ... Brewers CF Carlos Gomez (strained left rotator cuff) did not play. He's still listed as day-to-day. ... Brewers RHP David Riske will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Brevard County on Tuesday.
Atlanta had gone 253 games without a grand slam before Prado's in the sixth. The Braves had also gone four days without a homer before Troy Glaus led off the inning with a shot off Brewers starter Doug Davis (1-4).
The Braves also scored on an error by second baseman Rickie Weeks in the sixth to make it 3-0 before Davis walked Omar Infante to load the bases with two outs. Prado, who had a career-high five RBIs, then hit reliever Manny Parra's fastball into the left-field bleachers.
Hanson (3-2) struck out eight and held the Brewers to four hits.
Atlanta led 7-0 despite just five hits through the sixth and finished with seven hits, but it qualified as an offensive outburst for the Braves, who featured seven hitters in their lineup batting .252 or lower entering the night and three regulars at .192 or less.
Glaus' homer to start the sixth was Atlanta's first in a span of 169 at-bats. It would get even better with Prado's first career slam and the Braves' first since July 25, 2008.
That was more than enough for Hanson.
The promising right-hander mixed his mid-90s fastball with a sharp slider that kept the majors' highest-scoring team coming into Monday quiet until Casey McGehee's two-run homer off reliever Jesse Chavez in the ninth.
Hanson's biggest trouble came in the fourth after he hit Ryan Braun with a fastball with one out and Prince Fielder's pop up to shallow left field dropped between three Braves.
But Hanson froze McGehee on an 84 mph breaking ball that buckled the third baseman's knees and left fielder Matt Diaz made a nice leaping grab of Jim Edmonds' drive to the warning track that saved at least a run. Braun left before the seventh with a bruised left elbow and is day-to-day.
Davis was wild, walking six batters and hitting another. Prado's RBI single in the fifth was the first hit Davis allowed after a leadoff walk in the inning came back to haunt the left-hander.
Atlanta is still missing regulars Jason Heyward (groin) and shortstop Yunel Escobar (groin). Chipper Jones (groin) returned to the lineup, going 1 for 3 with a walk before leaving for a pinch runner in the sixth.
Jones had hustled down the line for an infield single before exiting, but the team didn't say if he re-aggravated the injury.
NOTES: Heyward is expected to return Tuesday. ... Braves RHP Jair Jurrjens (hamstring) said he heard a pop while sprinting and will have an MRI back in Atlanta when the Braves return after this series. ... Brewers CF Carlos Gomez (strained left rotator cuff) did not play. He's still listed as day-to-day. ... Brewers RHP David Riske will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Brevard County on Tuesday.