GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ATLANTA (65-59) at CINCINNATI (54-69)

McCann slam, Teixeira homers lift Braves over Reds

<h3>ATLANTA 14, CINCINNATI 4</h3>CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Brian McCann's grand slam highlighted afive-run first inning as the Atlanta Braves routed theCincinnati Reds, 14-4, on Monday.


Tim Hudson won his ninth consecutive game and Mark Teixeiraadded six RBI on a pair of three-run home runs as the Braves wonback-to-back games after losing three in a row.


Hudson (15-5) allowed just three runs on seven hits over sixinnings. The righthander struck out four and walked three inbecoming the National League's first 15-game winner.

"After last year, if you told me that I'd have 15 wins in theseason, I'd have taken it," Hudson said. "But to have 15 with amonth and a half to go is great."


Hudson finished 13-12 a year ago.


"Huddy for six innings held them, that team, to one (actuallythree) run in this ballpark," Braves manager Bobby Cox said."That was real good."


The Braves gave Hudson all the run support he needed before hestepped on the mound, scoring all the runs with two out.

"I've been pretty fortunate all year," Hudson said. "The guyshave played great behind me and given me good run support. Iwas trying to get quick outs after we jumped out in front. Iwas rushing a little bit. They (the Reds) had a chance to putup some serious crooked numbers up but we held them to one run.

"By the sixth inning I was just trying to stay back and not rushmy pitches."


After Yunel Escobar grounded out to begin the game, Reds centerfielder Josh Hamilton misplayed a routine fly ball off the batof Matt Diaz, allowing the Atlanta left fielder to glide intosecond with a double. Chipper Jones followed with a sacrificefly ball to right, advancing Diaz to third with two outs in theinning.


Teixeira, who homered twice despite a case of the flu on Sunday,walked before Jeff Francoeur singled to left field, scoringDiaz for the first run of the game.


Andruw Jones kept the inning alive by drawing a walk to load thebases before McCann launched his 13th home run of the season,and third grand slam of his career, off Reds starter PhilDumatrait for a 5-0 lead.


"This park is conducive to home runs and the ball was flying outof here," Cox said. "We weren't sure Teixeira could playyesterday but he hit two home runs."


Teixeira hit his first three-run blast in the second inning offDumatrait, giving the Braves an 8-1 lead. The 27-year-old firstbaseman hit his second blast of the game in the fourth inningoff reliever Mike Gosling as the Braves lead grew to 11-2.

"You play with the flu a lot in this game," Teixeira said. "Itseems when you do you focus more because you know you can't dothe things you normally can. I feel a lot better than I didyesterday at this time. Everything that matters is winning.Whether it is me stepping up or someone else."


Teixeira is 5-for-7 with four home runs and 10 RBI in his pasttwo games. Since being acquired from the Texas Rangers onAugust 1, he leads the NL with nine homers and 25 RBI thismonth.


Dumatrait (0-2) lasted just two innings, surrendering eight runson seven hits. The lefthander walked two and didn't strike outa batter as his already dismal 10.32 ERA swelled to 14.18.

"He didn't have very good command. We had to go to the bullpenquick. We'll evaluate the situation. Wayne (Krivsky generalmanager) and I will talk and see what our options are,"Cincinnati manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's not pitching well.The stuff's there but when you fall behind every hitter, youcan't get away with that at this level. We haven't been beatenlike that in a while, where somebody just comes in and crushesyou."


Dumatrait was the first selection in the 2000 draft by theBoston Red Sox. The Reds acquired him in a trade for ScottWilliamson late in the 2003 season.


"That's not the way you want to get things started off in yourfirst four starts," Dumatrait said. "Other than the Dodgergame, I've been getting the ball up."


He earned the spot in the rotation that opened when Kyle Lohsewas traded to Philadelphia.


"I made a couple of pitches, I wouldn't say they were great butthey weren't too bad, but I wasn't fooling anybody," Dumatraitsaid. "I threw a first-pitch changeup to Francoeur, and hewasn't out on his front foot at all. He was right on it."

After going 10-5 with a 3.49 ERA at Class AAA Louisville,Dumatrait has made four starts, but hasn't finished the fourthinning in three of them. His spot may be in jeopardy.

"Tomorrow's another day. I'll look at more video, see what'sgoing on," Dumatrait said. "I'm not too concerned about that.It's only four starts."


Despite the run support, Hudson worked around trouble in theearly innings.


Cincinnati picked up a run in the first inning when BrandonPhillips plated Jeff Keppinger with a sacrifice fly. Keppingerhad singled and advanced to third on a base hit by Ken GriffeyJr. Hudson struck out Adam Dunn to end the threat as the Redsstranded runners at first and second.


Scott Hatteberg plated Keppinger with a single after the Redsloaded the bases with two outs in the third. But Hudson gotJose Valentin to fly out to avert more damage.


Hudson surrendered his final run in the fifth inning when Dunnsingled to plate Keppinger, who led off the inning with adouble.


The Braves added three runs in the eighth, highlighted by atwo-run shot by Andruw Jones, his 23rd home run of the season.

Atlanta moved into a tie with the Philadelphia Phillies (65-58)for second place in the NL East, five games behind the New YorkMets (70-53).