LaRoche powers Braves

ATLANTA --- The Atlanta Braves hoped to benefit from a typical second-half surge by Adam LaRoche when they acquired the first baseman on July 31.

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Associated Press

Washington's Elijah Dukes scores the tying run in the top of the seventh on a single by Ronnie Belliard before Atlanta catcher Brian McCann can apply the tag.

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Associated Press

Atlanta's Adam LaRoche celebrates with his teammates after hitting the first of his two home runs Wednesday night in the second inning. LaRoche's seventh-inning blast off former Brave Jorge Sosa helped Atlanta win its fifth consecutive game.

Right on cue, LaRoche is gaining momentum as the Braves move back into playoff contention.

LaRoche gave the Braves the lead with a seventh-inning homer, his second of the game, and Atlanta beat Washington Nationals 6-2 on Wednesday night for its fifth consecutive victory.

The Nationals had runners on first and second when Nyjer Morgan was picked off first by Brian McCann to end the game.

LaRoche is hitting .371 with three homers and seven RBI in 10 games with the Braves, who set a season high with four home runs.

"It feels like I haven't left," said LaRoche, who played for manager Bobby Cox and the Braves from 2004-06. "Stepping back on the field, there's no pressure to impress Bobby or the front office or my new teammates. I can go out and play my game."

Atlanta's 17-9 record since the All-Star break is the best in the National League.

The Braves traded first baseman Casey Kotchman, who had only six homers, to Boston for LaRoche. When making the deal, general manager Frank Wren said LaRoche's history showed he was a good bet to provide a second-half lift.

LaRoche has a career .295 average after the All-Star break, compared with .252 before the break, according to STATS.

"He's been great," said Derek Lowe, who gave up two runs in seven innings. "I think this is what people expected when we got him, some power in the middle of the lineup."

LaRoche snapped a 2-2 tie with his seventh-inning homer off former Brave Jorge Sosa (1-1). He had a second-inning homer off Craig Stammen and drove in a third run with a bases-loaded walk in Atlanta's three-run eighth.

"It feels good," LaRoche said of his swing. "It's starting to come together."

Garret Anderson and Martin Prado also hit homers for the Braves, who moved into a second-place tie with Florida in the NL East. The Braves (60-54) are six games over .500 for the first time since finishing 84-78 two years ago.

They are off today before playing host to first-place Philadelphia beginning Friday.