MLB

• Braves play middle tilt with Dodgers in Dixie

  
  

  (Sports Network) - Atlanta showed Los Angeles on Friday that having one Jones is just as good as having two. Chipper Jones will try to maintain his torrid home run pace this afternoon, as the Braves host the Dodgers for the second test of a three-game series at Turner Field.

  Behind the bats of both Chipper and Andruw Jones, the Braves dominated the National League East, winning the division for 11 straight seasons from 1995-2005, but two straight third-place finishes proceeded Atlanta breaking up the Jones duo.

  Andruw Jones helped Atlanta reach the World Series as a rookie in 1996 and racked up 368 home runs and 1,117 RBI -- ranking fifth in franchise history in both categories -- while winning a Gold Glove in each of his last 10 seasons with the team.

  However, he landed in Los Angeles this past offseason after signing a two-year deal worth over $36 million despite batting only .222 in 2007. Jones returned to Turner Field for the first time in yesterday's series opener and went 1- for-3 with a run scored, upping his average to just .167, though he has hit safely in his last four games.

  Instead, it was Chipper Jones who stole the show on Friday, belting a pair of homers for the second straight day in a 6-1 Atlanta victory over LA. Jones finished 3-for-5, drove in four runs and recorded his 38th career multi-homer game for the Braves, who have won two straight games after losing the previous three.

  The third baseman, who also hit two homers against Florida on Thursday, was 4- for-4 at the plate and is hitting .455 on the season with six homers and 18 RBI. Jones has hit safely in 10 straight games and in 15 of the 16 games he has played in this year.

  Jeff Bennett started and allowed just two hits in 4 2/3 innings but was removed with runners on first and second in the fifth. Will Ohman (1-0) got the win after getting the final out in the fifth and hurling a scoreless sixth.

  Juan Pierre drove in the only run for the Dodgers, who have dropped three of their past five games. James Loney was 0-for-4 and snapped a 15-game hitting streak, which was the third-longest in LA Dodgers history. Derek Lowe (1-1) was touched for five runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings en route to the loss.

  Andruw Jones won't have to face former teammate Tom Glavine today, after the 42-year-old left-hander landed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on Friday. Glavine failed to record an out on Sunday in Washington, allowing three hits and two runs before exiting due to a strained right hamstring.

  Chuck James was recalled from Triple-A Richmond to make the start for Atlanta today instead. James started the Braves' April 9 test with Colorado and was dealt a loss after getting tagged for six runs on five hits and a walk in only three innings. The left-hander came off the DL to make that start after being sidelined due to left shoulder soreness and was optioned to Richmond the following day.

  James, 26, is 1-0 with a 1.29 earned run average in two games (1 start) against the Dodgers in his career.

  Though he didn't earn a win, Chad Billingsley looked much sharper in his second start of the year on Sunday and will try to carry that improvement over today for LA. The right-hander yielded just one run on four hits five innings while striking out eight, but got no support in a 1-0 loss to San Diego.

  The outing dropped Billingsley's ERA from 9.64 to 5.59 after he gave up five runs (4 earned) in just 2 1/3 innings versus Arizona on April 8.

  The 23-year-old, who has also made two relief appearances this year, has never started against Atlanta but has thrown 3 1/3 scoreless innings against them over two relief outings.

  Atlanta took four of the seven meetings with LA last season. It was 2-1 against the Dodgers at Turner Field.

  04/19 10:47:44 ET