SAN DIEGO -- Rookie Colin Rea won his second straight start and Will Venable hit a two-run single to help the San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Monday night.
Rea became the seventh starter in Padres history to begin his big league career 2-0. Odrisamer Despaigne did it last season.
Rea allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings while striking out four and walking one. His only big mistake was allowing a home run to former Padres outfielder Cameron Maybin leading off the fourth, his 10th.
Rea was lifted after allowing A.J. Pierzynski's RBI single with two outs in the sixth. He pitched five innings for a 1-0 victory against Cincinnati on Tuesday.
Craig Kimbrel, obtained from the Braves the day before the season started, pitched a shaky ninth for his 34th save. He allowed one run on two hits and a walk.
Rea got all the backing he needed when the Padres scored three runs on four hits off William Perez (4-4) in the second inning. Derek Norris hit an RBI single with one out and Venable followed with a two-run single to right.
Matt Kemp homered to right for San Diego in the fifth, his 14th. Yonder Alonso homered to right with two outs in the eighth, his fifth.
Perez allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, struck out two and walked four.
Jedd Gyorko became the fourth Padre to start at shortstop this season. Gyorko last played there in college at West Virginia. He's made 63 starts at second base this season.
The Braves lost for the 16th time in 24 games.