Braves' offense helps Glavine earn 17th victory

MIAMI (AP) -- The win goes to Tom Glavine, with a collective save going to the bullpen.

Glavine, who had lost a career-high four straight starts, hung

on with help from four relievers and the Atlanta Braves beat the

Florida Marlins 10-5 Saturday night.

Glavine (17-10) pitched five-plus innings for his first win in

his last six starts.

Given a 5-0 lead, he was chased in the sixth when the Marlins

scored four runs.

Glavine was rescued by the bullpen, as Tim Spooneybarger, Darren

Holmes, Mike Remlinger and Kerry Ligtenberg combined to allow just one run over the final four innings.

"It's nice to finally get to 17, and I hope to get a few more

before the end of the season,'' Glavine said.

"I lost four games coming into this one, but I didn't feel like

I was pitching badly, and that's frustrating. When you're not

pitching well and losing games, there isn't much you can say. But

when you're pitching well and losing, it's frustrating.''

The Braves, playing without regulars Andruw Jones and Rafael

Furcal because of minor ailments, were coming off a lopsided 13-3

loss Friday, their worst defeat since a 12-1 loss to Florida in

June 2001.

Javy Lopez hit a three-run homer and Gary Sheffield hit his 25th homer for the Braves.

"We definitely had to help out Glavine. It's good for the team

and it's good for him,'' Lopez said.

Florida's Kevin Millar extending his hitting streak to 20 games.

He finished 4-for-5 and helped spark the Marlins' four-run rally in

the sixth.

Derrek Lee homered in the eighth for Florida, his team-leading

26th of the year.

Atlanta scored four runs in the first three innings against Josh

Beckett (5-7) and A.J. Burnett, both of whom were limited to pitch

counts due to recent injuries.

Beckett, who has battled blister problems much of the year,

worked two innings in his first start since Aug. 22. He absorbed

the loss after giving up a run in the first.

"The finger felt fine. That's the good news,'' said Beckett,

who is slated to return to his rotation spot on Thursday. "The bad

news is that we lost.''

Burnett, activated from the disabled list before the game,

worked one inning in his first career relief appearance. Burnett,

who has 27 starts this year, last pitched Aug. 18 and was placed on

the DL the next day with a bone bruise to his elbow.

The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by

Chipper Jones.

Burnett struck out the side in the third, but not before

allowing three runs in his 38-pitch stint.

"I gave up three runs, so I can't feel good about that,''

Burnett said. "I'll keep airing it out, since they'll probably

keep using me out of the bullpen. Hopefully, I'll be a little

sharper next time.''

Sheffield drew a one-out walk and Julio Franco walked with two

outs. Lopez hit an RBI single and Vinny Castilla lined a two-run

single as the NL East champions built a 4-0 lead.

The Braves made it 5-0 in the sixth on an RBI single by Franco.

The Marlins chased Glavine in the sixth. Luis Castillo led off

the sixth and singles by Juan Encarnacion and Millar drove in a

run.

Encarnacion scored on a wild pitch, and Millar came across when

Preston Wilson hit into a double play against Spooneybarger. Mike

Redmond's two-out single capped the inning.

"I still felt strong, but I didn't get much right that

inning,'' Glavine said. "Fortunately, 'Spooney' came in and did a

good job. The offense just came back and got the lead back to four

runs, which made it easier for everyone.''

Lopez hit his ninth homer in the eighth off Vladimir Nunez,

making it 9-4.

After shutting the Braves down the night before, the Marlins

knew it wouldn't be easy to duplicate, especially against a

patchwork pitching crew.

"They banged us around pretty good,'' Florida manager Jeff

Torborg said. "That's three times this year that they've put up at

least 10 runs on us.

"You had better make your pitches against them. You say that

about anybody, but it's especially true against those guys.''

Game notes

Beckett threw 41 pitches, including 24 in the first inning.

... The Marlins had their five-game home winning streak snapped.

... Florida's Mike Lowell extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

... Florida worked the bases loaded in the fourth, but Glavine

escaped damage when Wilson lined into an inning-ending double play.

... Andruw Jones (wrist) and Furcal (dizziness) left Friday's game

and were not used on Saturday. ... Glavine last won on Aug. 14,

beating the Giants 1-0.