Chipper's Two Homers Lift Braves Over Rays

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St. Petersburg, Florida -- Chipper Jones' second homer of the game -- a two-run, two-out shot off Roberto Hernandez in the ninth inning -- gave the Atlanta Braves a 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Wednesday night.

Jones lined a 1-1 pitch over the right-field wall after Walt Weiss singled off Hernandez (0-3), who was trying to protect a 5-4 lead the Devil Rays took with two runs in the eighth.

The homer was the 20th of the season for Jones, who hit a solo shot off Julio Santana in the first inning.

Tampa Bay took a 5-4 lead in the eighth on an RBI single by Dave Martinez and Rich Butler's sacrifice fly off Russ Springer (5-3), who got the win despite allowing two runs in his only inning.

Kerry Lightenberg pitched the ninth for his eighth save.

The Devil Rays went ahead of John Smoltz 3-1 in the bottom of the first, only to fall behind again when the Braves rallied for three runs in the third.

Andres Galarraga, who homered twice Tuesday night, got his 71st RBI when he was hit by a pitch in the left arm with the bases loaded. The next batter, Javy Lopez, singled off Santana to drive in two runs to put the Braves up 4-3.

Paul Sorrento had an RBI single for Tampa Bay, and John Flaherty drove in two more with another first-inning single off Smoltz, who settled down after that.

The Atlanta starter worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth when former teammate Fred McGriff lined to third base before Smoltz struck out Sorrento to end the threat.

McGriff, who was 0-for-4, also failed to produce with the tying run in scoring position in the seventh inning when Braves reliever John Rocker got him to tap back to the right of the mound to strand Quinton McCracken at second.

Santana allowed four runs and four hits in six innings for Tampa Bay. He walked three and struck out before being replaced by Albie Lopez.

Smoltz scattered seven hits over six innings, struck out six and walked two.

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