Braves turn Lowe into a target

ATLANTA -- Derek Lowe had an odd night Friday and Manager Joe Torre guessed that the resulting frustration led to the three-run home run by Chipper Jones in the fifth inning that put the game out of the Dodgers’ grasp.

Lowe was drilled by three comebackers in the Dodgers’ 6-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves, including one in the fourth inning by Mark Kotsay that hit him in his right ankle and warranted a visit to the mound by trainer Stan Conte. A throwing error by Jeff Kent in the second inning led to two unearned runs that put the Dodgers in a 2-0 hole, the first run scoring on a dribbler down the third-base line by Jeff Francoeur. And the Dodgers failed to put a run on the board until the seventh inning, by which time Lowe’s evening was long over.

“They were taking target practice at Derek all night, banging him all over the place,” Torre said. “I think he just got frustrated at the end, just tried to overthrow the ball.”

Lowe walked the first two batters of the fifth inning and promptly served up a three-run shot to center by Jones.

Lowe (1-1), who gave up five runs (three earned) and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings, left the clubhouse without talking to reporters.

“He might’ve got a little frustrated,” catcher Russell Martin said. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get enough run support for him today.”

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Calamity was avoided in the fifth inning, when Andruw Jones and Rafael Furcal emerged unscathed from a collision in shallow center field as they pursued a fly ball hit by Brian McCann. Jones said he was about to dive but put on the breaks at the last instant, as he saw Furcal out of the corner of his eye.

“I probably would’ve been in the hospital,” Jones said.

Furcal, whose chin hit Jones’ left shoulder, thought he would’ve been the one worse off.

“I’m glad he stopped because if he kept running, I don’t know what would’ve happened,” Furcal said of the 240-plus pound Jones. “He’s way bigger. Stay away from the big man.”

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Andy LaRoche will report to extended spring training Sunday in Vero Beach, Fla. The plan is for LaRoche, who is recovering from surgery on his right thumb, to play two games in Dodgertown before starting a minor league rehabilitation assignment.

The assignment probably will be with double-A Jacksonville, which on Wednesday plays at Montgomery, Ala.. Because Montgomery is the affiliate of Tampa Bay, an American League club, LaRoche could be the designated hitter in that game. LaRoche could start playing third base in Jacksonville’s next game, the first of a three-game series in Huntsville, Ala.

“You don’t know how miserable it is not being able to play in games,” LaRoche said.

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Hong-Chih Kuo was chosen over Esteban Loaiza to be on the mound again the next time the Dodgers’ need a fifth starter, which will be Tuesday in Cincinnati. Kuo pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief Friday and struck out one. . . . Special assignment coach Don Mattingly joined the Dodgers and will remain with them through Tuesday.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com