ATLANTA - Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer, Ervin Santana won his second straight start and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Wednesday night.
The victory pulled Atlanta within one game of first-place Washington in the NL East.
Third-place Miami snapped a three-game winning streak to stay 8½ games back.
Freeman, an All-Star first baseman, broke out of a slump in the season series against the Marlins, ending a 2 for 44 stretch by hitting his 14th homer as the Braves took a 5-0 lead in the four-run third inning.
Santana (9-6) won for third time in four starts, giving up six hits and one run with three walks and 10 strikeouts in 7 1-3 innings.