Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - Mike Hampton tossed seven strong innings to win his third straight start, as Atlanta knocked Philadelphia out of first place in the NL East for the first time since June 28 with a 4-2 win in the opener of a two-game series.

The victory gave the Braves a 49-43 record, which includes a 12-3 mark in July. Atlanta has lost just twice in its last 11 games.

"They have better team than anyone expected coming out of spring training," Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal said of the first-place Braves.

Hampton (5-8) yielded two runs on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. His last two wins have come against the Phillies.

John Smoltz pitched a perfect eighth inning and worked out of a jam in the ninth to pick up his 18 save of the season.

Four Braves had one RBI apiece in the win.

Phillies starter Paul Abbott (0-4) took the loss, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks in just 4 2/3 innings. Abbott has lost four of his six starts with the Phillies since being picked up in early June.

Jim Thome homered in the loss, Philadelphia's fifth in seven games.

The Phillies grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jimmy Rollins led off with a double and came around to score on consecutive ground outs.

But Atlanta took a lead it would not relinquish with a pair of runs in the second inning. Former Phillie Johnny Estrada led off with a four-pitch walk, moved to second base on a wild pitch and scored on Adam LaRoche's double for the first run. Andruw Jones followed with a single to plate LaRoche for a one- run edge.

Andruw Jones scored Atlanta's third run in the fourth inning after blooping a one-out double down the right field line that fell between three defenders. Charles Thomas followed with a single to make it 3-1.

In the fifth inning, Atlanta went ahead 4-1 after J.D. Drew singled with one out and scored on Chipper Jones' double. Abbott was later relieved by Ryan Madson with two outs.

Thome led off the seventh inning with his major league-leading 31st homer of the season to pull Philadelphia within 4-2. But the Phillies blew a one-out, first-and-second opportunity when Lieberthal grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Phillies were retired in order in the eighth inning by Smoltz, who then got into trouble after a pair of miscues in the ninth.

The Braves looked to be out of a one-out jam when Pat Burrell grounded to shortstop after Bobby Abreu's leadoff single, but Atlanta second baseman Marcus Giles botched the double play opportunity with an errant throw to first base.

Smoltz then struck out pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee swinging for what should have been the third out, but Ledee reached base on a passed ball to put the tying run on.

David Bell followed with a sharp line drive to shortstop, where Rafael Furcal made a leaping catch to save a run and end the game.

"It was a big win, but we gotta come back and do it again tomorrow," Thomas said. "It's just important to stay close [with the Phillies]."