(My Sportsbook) - Everything seems to be going right for the Atlanta Braves these days. After starting the season at 4-8, the Braves have won seven of eight and 16 of their last 19 games and are atop the NL East, 1 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia.

Yesterday, Bobby Cox's team beat Arizona in 11 innings, taking the lead essentially on a 130-foot sacrifice fly.

With the score tied 4-4 at Bank One Ballpark and the bases loaded in the 11th, Rafael Furcal came to the plate. He hit a foul popup beyond first base. Arizona second baseman Junior Spivey collided with first baseman Mark Grace, who made the catch, but Darren Bragg tagged from third and scored when Grace's errant throw bounced into the Diamondbacks dugout. Vinny Castilla also scored on the play and Marcus Giles followed with an RBI single to center field.

"It was an interesting play," Atlanta closer John Smoltz said. "Clipping on Spivey, but this is the type of baseball we've been playing. We probably should have won yesterday and we probably shouldn't have won today's game, so they even out. But it was a great road trip nonetheless."

Andruw Jones went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBI while Henry Blanco stroked two hits and drove in two runs for the streaking Braves, who also got two hits each from Robert Fick and Giles.

Atlanta won two of three games in Arizona over the weekend with both triumphs coming in the 11th inning. The Braves went 5-1 on their six-game road trip.

HAMPTON TO START AGAINST FORMER TEAM

Mike Hampton will take the hill for the Braves on Tuesday, when they open up a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies at Turner Field. Hampton, who spent the last two years with the Rockies before being traded to the Braves this season, is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three starts.

In his last outing, Hampton picked up his first win as a Brave, surrendering just one run and four hits in seven innings of an 11-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday. He also struck out two and walked one.

Hampton is 7-3 with a 4.99 ERA in 14 career starts against the Rockies.

WHO'S HOT

Jones leads the National League with 31 RBI and finished the Arizona series on a strong note, going 5-for-8 with two homers, five RBI and four runs scored over the final two games.

Furcal is hitting .333 and has reached base safely in his last 14 games. He is batting .400 (22-for-55) in that span.

Gary Sheffield, who missed the entire three-game series to attend the funeral of his wife's grandmother in Chicago, is hitting a team-best .353 with eight homers and 21 RBI.

WHO'S NOT

Vinny Castilla is 3-for-25 over his last seven games.

COMING UP

Following their three-game series against the Rockies, the Braves will welcome the Giants to Turner Field for three contests. Atlanta will then embark on a 10-game road trip with stops in Los Angeles, San Diego and Cincinnati.