Braves top Padres 4-2 as Dickey pitches in 3rd Atlanta park

By CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) – Winless at Turner Field, R.A. Dickey got a victory in his first appearance at SunTrust Park as the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 Saturday night behind home runs from Brandon Phillips and Adonis Garcia.

Atlanta has won three straight following a five-game losing streak, including its first two games at SunTrust Park.

Dickey (1-1), who left Toronto to sign an $8 million, one-year contract with the Braves, gave up two runs and seven hits in six-plus innings with six strikeouts. He allowed consecutive home runs in the second to Hunter Renfroe and Austin Hedges

The 42-year-old knuckleballer was pitching in his third Atlanta ballpark. He got two victories for the U.S. team that won the 1996 Olympic bronze medal at Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium but was 0-3 against the Braves at Turner Field in six starts and three relief appearances for Texas, Seattle, the New York Mets and Toronto.

Jim Johnson pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

Phillips and Garcia homered in the sixth off Clayton Richard (1-2), who allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. Dansby Swanson and Nick Markakis had run-scoring singles off Richard that tied the score in the third.

Dickey had a fourth-inning single but drew a few boos in the sixth when he failed to run out a grounder that was bobbled and then recovered by Will Myers at first base.

Fans applauded when Dickey was lifted after allowing infield hits to Allen Cordoba and pinch-hitter Christian Bethancourt in the seventh. Jose Ramirez retired Manuel Margot on a flyout, then got Will Myers to ground into a double play.

Cordobo, taken in the winter-meeting draft, had a walk and an infield hit in his first start in left field.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: RHP Luis Perdomo (right shoulder inflammation) threw from 120 feet and is expected to soon throw off a mound. Manager Andy Green said he is encouraged Perdomo should miss only two starts and get activated from the DL.

Braves: OF Matt Kemp (right hamstring strain) had a more strenuous run on the bases before the game. Manager Brian Snitker said Kemp, eligible to return from the DL on Tuesday, remains "day to day.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Trevor Cahill (back) is expected to return from the DL Sunday to make his second start this season.

Braves: RHP Bartolo Colon (0-1) is 3-3 with a 4.12 ERA in seven starts against the Padres.