MLB: Atlanta 9, Milwaukee 4

MILWAUKEE, July 25 (UPI) -- Chipper Jones hit one of Atlanta's three home runs to snap a tie in the sixth inning Friday and the Braves pounded out 17 hits in downing Milwaukee 9-4.

Milwaukee dropped its second straight, slipped back to the .500 mark and fell 3 ½ games behind St. Louis in the tightly-packed National League Central race.

Jones had three hits, one of them a solo shot that gave Atlanta a 5-4 lead in the sixth. Martin Prado hit a three-run homer in the third and Nate McLouth added a two-run blast in the eighth. McLouth scored three times, drew two walks and stole a base.

Atlanta won for the fifth time in six games.

Javier Vazquez (8-7) struck out nine and gave up four runs on seven hits in seven innings to get the victory.

Carlos Villanueva (2-7) allowed the homer by Jones and suffered the loss in relief of Manny Parra.