Associated Press
SAN DIEGO ó Chipper Jones didnít stay tied with Mickey Mantle for long.
ěI put him in the rearview mirror,î Jones quipped after hitting a two-run triple and finishing with three RBIs as the Atlanta Braves beat San Diego 7-0 Wednesday, leaving Padres ace Mat Latos winless since September.
Jones moved out of a tie with Mantle and into sole possession of second place among switch-hitters with 1,512 RBIs. Hall of Famer Eddie Murray tops the list at 1,917.
Jones moved into a tie with the Mick by hitting a two-run homer on Tuesday night. He passed him with an RBI groundout in the first inning, then added the two-run triple in the five-run second.
Jones, whose parents idolized Mantle, said his father texted him both Tuesday night and on Wednesday.
ěIíve been in the shadow of Mickey Mantle my whole youth. I could sense he and mom were welling up last night when I tied him, so I canít imagine what it was like today,î Jones said.
ěItís gratifying,î he added. ěI look at the numbers as me just going out and doing my job. Thatís the way Iíve always approached it. I never really thought about my place or anything like that. When you grew up hearing about Mickey the way I did, and with the reverence that I heard, to pass him in career RBIs, thatís quite a feat.î
Braves starter Tommy Hanson (3-3) struck out 10 and walked only one in seven innings and combined with two relievers on a four-hitter. The Padres were shut out for the major league-leading seventh time in 25 games.
Hanson ěhas an electric fastball,î San Diegoís Orlando Hudson said.
After losing three of four games in Los Angeles, the Braves swept a three-game series at San Francisco and took two of three from the Padres.
ěGetting that lead always helps, and it was just one of those days where all four of my pitches were working,î Hanson said. ěI was getting outs with all four of my pitches. I kept them off balance pretty good.î