Glavine Kicks It Up a Notch as Braves Win

Tom Glavine knew that once the Braves got the lead back from the San Francisco Giants, it was going to be up to him to make sure Atlanta didn’t get swept.

“I kicked it into another gear and got more aggressive,” Glavine said. “It was like, I’ve got the lead, I’m not going to give it back.”

Glavine gave up only three hits to win his 16th game, tying him with Arizona’s Randy Johnson for the National League lead, and the Braves defeated the Giants, 8-5, on Sunday, snapping San Francisco’s six-game winning streak and avoiding a three-game sweep.

Chipper Jones had two home runs for the Braves.

Glavine joins Arizona’s Randy Johnson with 16 victories.

Glavine, 5-1 in his last six starts, sent the Giants to only their 19th loss in 60 games at Pacific Bell Park. Glavine is 3-0 against the Giants this year. He gave up four runs--three earned--and three hits in seven innings.

“We only had four hits today,” Giant second baseman Jeff Kent said, “and that’s not enough to beat the Braves.”

Ellis Burks homered twice for the second consecutive game for the Giants.

With the Giants leading 4-3, Jones led off the fifth inning with his 27th home run to tie the score. Jones went four for four.

Andres Galarraga reached on shortstop Rich Aurilia’s throwing error, then scored on Brian Jordan’s double off Kirk Rueter (8-8) to put the Braves ahead. Walt Weiss added an RBI single later in the inning.

Jones also led off the third with a solo shot. It was the fifth time he has homered twice in one game, the 17th time in his career.

“We’d held Chipper in check pretty well until today,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said. “We were hoping they’d get out of town before he found his stroke.”

Burks gave San Francisco the lead in the third with a three-run homer off Glavine (16-6) over the right-field wall. He also hit a solo shot in the ninth off John Rocker.