ATLANTA, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Mark Texeira hit two two-run homers Sunday, powering the Atlanta Braves to a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The homers were his sixth and seventh since being dealt to Atlanta by the Texas Rangers at the July 31 trading deadline.
Winning pitcher John Smoltz (11-6) passed Phil Niekro to become the Braves' all-time strikeout leader with 2,913. In all, Smoltz gave up two earned runs and five hits in eight innings with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
Atlanta’s Yunel Escobar hit a solo homer in the fourth, when Kelly Johnson hit an RBI double.
Four players had two hits for the Braves, who averted a three-game sweep.
Arizona scored when Orland Hudson hit an RBI double in the first, and Chris B. Young swiped home on a double-steal in the third.
Young and Hudson had two hits each for the Diamondbacks, who had a four-game winning streak broken.
The loser was Yusmeiro Petit (2-4).
