Infante has homer and four hits as Braves beat Mets

NEW YORK -- Omar Infante and Melky Cabrera each had logged more than 100 career at-bats against the Mets, and neither had hit a home run against them.

That changed quickly Friday night, when Cabrera and Infante hit back-to-back, two-out home runs in the seventh inning to lift the Braves to a 4-2 win against New York in a series opener at Citi Field.

Infante had four of the first nine hits for the Braves, who pushed their lead to four games over the second-place Mets in the National League East.

"That was awesome," catcher Brian McCann said of Infante's work. "He won us the game. Big performance, 4-for-4. He was the difference-maker tonight."

Tommy Hanson  allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, and the Braves overcame some shaky defense to pick up their league-leading 51st win in 86 games. The teams play two more games before the All-Star break.

"This game's huge," Hanson said. "To go out and win tonight, take the first one. It's always a good feeling, and we did it."

With the win, the Braves are assured of having sole possession of the division lead at the break.

"It's another series, and we want to win it," said manager Bobby Cox, whose Braves have lost one of their past 18 series. "We're off to a good start."

Cabrera, formerly of the New York Yankees, had 101 at-bats without a homer against the Mets before connecting on a 2-2 pitch from knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. He drove it to the right-field seats for a 3-2 lead.

Two pitches later, Infante drove another Dickey pitch to the left-field seats, his first homer in 110 at-bats against the Mets.

The back-to-back homers were the second of the season for the Braves, who got consecutive home runs from Troy Glaus and Jason Heyward on April 20 in the ninth inning against Philadelphia reliever Ryan Madson.

"Omar and Melky had great nights," Cox said. "Tommy Hanson had a good night, too. I thought he threw the ball excellent. And the bullpen. [Eric] O'Flaherty got a huge out, [Jonny] Venters was 1-2-3 [in the seventh] ... and Billy Wagner is a machine right now."

Wagner pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 20th save.

Five days after his surprising selection to the NL All-Star team, Infante came through with the sixth four-hit game of his career and second this season. The veteran utility man raised his average to .321.

"That's why he's on the All-Star team," Cox said of Infante, who has drawn some criticism for being selected as an All-Star utility player by Phillies (and NL) manager Charlie Manuel.

"I don't see how anybody could second-guess that one, to be honest with you," Cox said. "That's what the commissioner wanted, and they got a great one. He can play center, right, left, second, short and third."

Infante was in right field in the original lineup Friday, but switched to third base after Chipper Jones was scratched because of back spasms. Infante made a key defensive play in the sixth inning when he fielded a bunt with two runners on and rifled a throw to third base for the first out of the inning.

Hanson and left-hander O'Flaherty induced groundouts from the next two batters, working out of the jam unscathed to keep the score 2-2.

The inning began with a double on an Ike Davis bloop that shortstop Yunel Escobar called for, but let drop in front of him in the outfield grass. It wasn't clear whether Escobar lost the ball in the lights or thought another Braves fielder was approaching, though there was no one nearby.

"Just a popup," Cox said, without saying more.

With two on and one out in the inning, Escobar fielded Jeff Francoeur's soft grounder and made a lazy throw to first base that pulled Glaus off the bag, forcing Glaus to reach back to tag Francoeur awkwardly.

Trainer Jeff Porter came out to attend to Glaus, who stayed in the game. Cox said Glaus was hit above the left wrist.