Alex Wood got hit – early and often.
The Braves left-hander allowed a career-high 12 hits in his five innings as the Padres recorded a 5-2 victory Friday night at Turner Field.
The Padres had a leadoff hit in each of those first five innings. They had at least two in each inning and scored in all but the second with Wood on the mound. When he left for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth, the Padres led 5-0 and had left six men on base.
The Braves (55-48) are slipping farther back in the N.L. East race. They are now 2-1/2 games behind the Nationals, who defeated the host Reds.
The Braves have lost two straight and four of their last five games. They are 3-5 since returning from the All-Star break.
Wood (7-8) entered with a 2-1 record and 2.87 ERA in five starts since returning to the starting rotation on June 25 following the injury to Gavin Floyd. His ERA jumped to 3.46 after his sixth start back.
Braves relievers David Hale, Chasen Shreve and Shae Simmons followed Wood and allowed just one hit and one walk in the final four innings.
The Padres scored once in the first inning despite three singles and a walk. Tommy Medica brought home the run with a single. Wood escaped further damage when Chris Nelson grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Wood gave up three more hits in the second inning but the Padres failed to score in part because Alexi Amarista hit into a double play.
The Padres added a run in the third when a Chris Nelson sacrifice fly scored Carlos Quentin, who had doubled. Two more runs came in the fourth inning on a Chris Denorfia single, aided by a throwing error by Justin Upton, and a Yangervis Solarte sacrifice fly. Another run came in the fifth on a Rene Rivera single.
The Braves got on the scoreboard with a run in the sixth inning. Freddie Freeman hit a one-out triple off the left-centerfield wall and Justin Upton followed with an RBI sacrifice fly. Freeman had two of the Braves’ four hits.
The Braves rallied in the eighth. With two outs they loaded the bases on a Freeman single and walks to Justin Upton and Jason Heyward. Evan Gattis, representing the tying run, drew the third straight walk to force in a run. Chris Johnson ended the threat by flying out.
The Padres (46-56) have won two straight and five of their past six games. Jesse Hahn (6-2) earned the win as he allowed just three hits in six innings. Medica had a career-best four hits and Denorfia had three hits for the Padres.
The four-game series continues Saturday.
