KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Chipper Jones hit his third homer, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman also connected and Tim Hudson pitched five scoreless innings Thursday night as the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 7-6.
Jones, coming back from major knee surgery last August, also had a run-scoring double to give him 11 RBIs this spring. He was 2 for 4 and raised his average to .386.
Freeman followed Jones’ leadoff homer in the fourth inning with a two-run drive off Nationals starter Yunesky Maya. Heyward homered with a man on in the sixth.
Hudson, who stranded five runners in the first two innings, walked four, but allowed just two hits and struck out five while lowering his ERA to 1.29.
Adam LaRoche had a two-run double for Washington.
