Chuck James became the first Braves rookie in 26 years to win his first three starts on the mound. He didn’t do it alone. The Braves offense gave him plenty of support, rocking Cardinals starter Jeff Suppan for 10 runs – nine earned – in 3.1 innings on their way to a 14-4 victory Wednesday.

James received about nine runs more than he needed. He allowed four runs on eight hits, including home runs to Scott Rolen and Hector Luna, in six innings.

Former Cardinal, Edgar Renteria, joined teammate Adam LaRoche with three hits in the game. Chipper Jones returned to the Braves lineup and had two hits and three RBIs.

The Cardinals dominance at home, combined with the second-place Reds having a tough stretch, keeps them with the best record in the National League Central. Away from Busch Stadium, St. Louis is 19-21. They haven’t finished the season with a losing record on the road since 2003. Coincidentally, that’s the last season the team missed the postseason.

Related web sites:
Cardinals Official Website