Atlanta Braves second baseman Phil Gosselin, right, falls onto Oakland Athletics' Jonny Gomes (15) after the pickoff at second base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Friday in Atlanta. The play was reviewed a
ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer, one of four by Atlanta, and the Braves beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Friday night in the opening game of the interleague series.<br />
<br />
Justin Upton and Evan Gattis hit homers off Jason Hammel (1-5) in the second inning. Rookie Phil Gosselin hit a two-run homer, the first of his career, off Jesse Chavez in the sixth.<br />
<br />
It was a rare power surge for the Braves, who had not scored more than four runs in any of their past six games.<br />
<br />
The Braves entered the game having lost 12 of 15.<br />
<br />
Alex Wood (9-9) allowed only two runs in six innings - a two-run homer by Nate Freiman in the fourth.<br />
<br />
The A's have lost three straight and five of six.<br />
<br />
Wood allowed four hits in six innings. Relievers David Carpenter, Jordan Walden and James Russell combined for three hitless scoreless innings.<br />
<br />
Atlanta is six games behind first-place Washington in the NL East.<br />
<br />
Hammel allowed five runs and six hits, including three homers, in three innings. He was pulled after walking B.J. Upton to open the fourth.<br />
<br />
Gosselin's homer followed a two-out fielding error by Freiman, the first baseman, on Jason Heyward's grounder.<br />
<br />
The Braves had their second four-homer game of the homestand and only their fourth game with four or more homers this season. They also hit four homers in a 7-6 win over Washington on Aug. 8.<br />
<br />
Before that, the Braves hadn't hit four homers in a game since May 25 against Colorado. Their high mark was five homers at Philadelphia on April 14.<br />
<br />
Freeman's homer, his 17th, drove in Heyward and Gosselin, who reached on singles. Justin Upton leads Atlanta with 22 homers.<br />
<br />
TRAINER'S ROOM<br />
<br />
Athletics: CF Craig Gentry, on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right hand, will take batting practice with Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday.<br />
<br />
Braves: LF Justin Upton started after leaving Thursday night's game with a mild left hamstring strain. ... SS Andrelton Simmons was held out following a dental appointment. Gosselin made his first start at shortstop.<br />
<br />
UP NEXT<br />
<br />
Athletics: RHP Sonny Gray will try to snap a streak of losses in three straight starts in Saturday night's game. The three-game skid is the longest of his career.<br />
<br />
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran will try to improve his 2-3 career interleague record in his first appearance against Oakland. He is 1-2 with a 2.41 ERA in two starts against AL teams this season.
