Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - Marcus Giles singled home the go-ahead run in a seven-run ninth inning, as the Atlanta Braves pulled away for an 11-4 victory over Los Angeles in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Gary Sheffield added a two-run double in the ninth and finished with three runs batted in for the Braves, who have won three straight and seven of their last eight. Javy Lopez drilled a three-run homer to cap the big inning for Atlanta and Vinny Castilla also homered in the victory.

The Braves have won 22 of 26 games since opening the season at 4-8.

Mike Kinkade homered for the Dodgers, who lost for only the second time in their last six games.

The game was tied at 4-4 heading to the ninth. Castilla started the inning with a single off Dodger closer Eric Gagne and pinch-runner Mark DeRosa advanced to second on a bunt by pitcher Jung Bong. Rafael Furcal drew a walk and Giles followed with a single under a diving Cora at second base to score DeRosa with the go-ahead run. Sheffield then drilled a pitch off the wall in left field to chase home Furcal and Giles to make it 7-4.

Troy Brohawn replaced Gagne and walked Chipper Jones before Andruw Jones ripped an RBI single into left field. After Robert Fick popped out, Lopez blasted his seventh homer of the season into the seats in left field to cap the uprising.

Bong (4-0) earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief.

Gagne (0-1), who entered the game with just one run allowed in 18 2/3 innings this season, was roughed up for four runs on three hits and one walk in just one-third of an inning. His earned run average rose from 0.48 to 2.37.

The Braves grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, as Giles walked with one out, stole second and scored on a base hit by Sheffield.

The Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the inning when Shawn Green drew a two- out walk and raced home on a double to right field by Fred McGriff.

Atlanta went back in front with a run in the second. Fick reached on an infield single and raced to second on the play when third baseman Adrian Beltre threw the ball away for an error. A fly ball moved Fick to third and Castilla drew a walk to bring up pitcher Shane Reynolds, who laid down a bunt to score Fick for a 2-1 lead.

The Braves loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, but scored just one run on a sacrifice fly by Chipper Jones. Dodger starter Hideo Nomo pitched out of the jam by striking out Andruw Jones and getting Fick on a pop up behind second base.

The Dodgers got one back in the fifth to make it 3-2 when Kinkade led off with his second homer of the season, but Castilla connected for his third homer in the sixth to restore Atlanta's two-run cushion.

Los Angeles loaded the bases in the home sixth on a double by Cora and one-out walks to Green and McGriff. Ray King, who issued the second walk after relieving Reynolds, uncorked a wild pitch to score Cora. After an intentional walk to Brian Jordan to reload the bases, Trey Hodges got Kinkade to hit into an inning-ending double play.

The Dodgers then tied it in the seventh. Cesar Izturis hustled a base hit to right-center field into a double, then scored on a base hit by pinch-hitter Ron Coomer off Bong.

Reynolds, pitching on three days' rest, was in line for the win after giving up three runs on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Nomo went the first seven innings for Los Angeles and yielded four runs -- three earned -- on four hits with seven walks and five strikeouts.

Atlanta's seven-run ninth matched its biggest inning of the season. The Braves also scored seven in an April 4 game against Florida. Sheffield finished 2- for-2 with three walks.

The Braves are 5-1 in Reynolds' starts this season. Atlanta is 19-3 when Furcal scores a run.