ATLANTA, May 11 (UPI) -- Javy Lopez hit a grand slam and matched a career high with five RBI and Jason Marquis made a successful return from the disabled list as the Atlanta Braves posted a 6-1 victory Saturday night over the San Diego Padres.
Mired in a 3-for-36 slide, Lopez delivered an RBI double in the second inning and hit his fifth career grand slam off Brian Lawrence in a five-run fourth. Marquis, who had been sidelined with tendinitis in his right elbow, made it back-to-back blasts with his first career homer.
Marquis (2-2) equally was effective on the mound, allowing one run and three hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Kevin Gryboski pitched one inning, Chris Hammond worked two and Mike Remlinger recorded the final three outs to complete the win.
The Braves have won their last three games, hitting eight homers in the process.
The Padres have lost a season-high five straight games and have been outscored 33-12 in that span.
Lawrence (4-2) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, yielding six runs -- five earned -- and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He had allowed just two homers all season before doubling that total on Saturday. The home run to Lopez was the first he allowed to a righthanded batter all season.
Andruw Jones, who drove in five runs in Friday's opener of the three-game series, started the fourth-inning rally with a one-out single. Vinny Castilla doubled to put runners on second and third and Keith Lockhart was walked intentionally.
Lopez was equal to the challenge, sending an 0-2 slider over the left field fence for his second homer of the season.
Lawrence drove in the lone San Diego run with an RBI single in the second.
San Diego's Jason Middlebrook was exceptional in relief, pitching 4 1/3 perfect innings.
