ATLANTA --- Chipper Jones discovered a tiny problem during a stint in the batting cage, the sort of thing only a hitter of his caliber would notice.
Then he went out and hit his first homer in nearly three weeks.
Jones' opposite-field shot in the first inning helped the Atlanta Braves snap a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. Rookie Tommy Hanson threw six scoreless innings and Garret Anderson also homered, but it was Jones' drive that might have been most heartening for the home team.
The offense-challenged Braves need big numbers from the reigning NL batting champ, but Jones came into the game mired in a 10-for-60 slump.
"I figured out a little something in the cage this morning," he said. "Hopefully I'll have some better swings. I got the bat head where it needed to be."
When Boston starter Brad Penny hung a breaking ball, Jones drove it into the left-field seats for his first homer since June 8.
SITTING OUT: The Braves were again missing two regular members of the lineup: center fielder Nate McLouth and shortstop Yunel Escobar .
McLouth missed his second game in a row after straining a hamstring running out a grounder Friday night.
Escobar's injury is a little more intriguing. Though he's been bothered by a hip flexor, the shortstop has also run afoul of manager Bobby Cox for his attitude and lackadaisical play.
Escobar was yanked from a game at Baltimore, and he sat out the entire weekend series against the Red Sox after mouthing an expletive toward the official scorer who charged him with an error Thursday in a loss to the New York Yankees. The incident was picked up by television cameras.
Cox stuck with the company line -- Escobar is hurt -- and said he hopes both injured players will be back in the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies.
no decision: Atlanta hasn't decided on its rotation for the Phillies series, wanting to make sure Kenshin Kawakami can go to the mound after being struck on the neck by a line drive in his last start. Atlanta could skip the right-hander's spot Tuesday and not have to alter its rotation because of the off day.
SWITCH-PITCHER PROMOTED
Reliever Pat Venditte is bringing his two-armed skills to Tampa, Fla.
The Charleston RiverDogs said Saturday their switch-pitching closer was promoted to the Yankees' advanced Class A team. Venditte uses a six-fingered glove with two thumbs so he can face batters as a righty or a lefty.
Venditte led the South Atlantic League with 20 saves. He had a 2-2 record with a 1.47 ERA over 30w innings. He finished with 73 strikeouts and nine walks.
-- Associated Press
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