Freeman’s two homers key in win

Freddie an unintended this past

ATLANTA

Freeman took break weekend.

He was back Tuesday night.

The Atlanta slugger homered twice and drove in four runs, leading the Braves past the Miami Marlins 5-1 in another testy game between the NL East rivals.

After going 0-for-12 with five strikeouts during a three-game series against the Dodgers, this was more line with what the Braves expect from Freeman.

“You knew somebody was going to pay,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “It was inevitable. You’re not going to keep that guy down.”

Freeman sent one went the opposite way into the Marlins bullpen against Elieser Hernandez in the fourth. The next inning, he went deep again with two

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work outs to break a 1-1 tie, launching a pitch from Tyler Kinley (1-1) into the rightfield seats for his 33rd homer of the season.

The third Miami pitcher, Austin Brice, didn’t fare any better against Freeman, giving up a two-run single in the seventh.

Freeman now has 102 RBIs — the second 100-RBI season of his career. He had 109 in 2013.

“That was a long three days,” Freeman said, referring to his struggles against the Dodgers. “I took the weekend off.”

Dallas Keuchel (4-5) went six innings, limiting the Marlins to Jon Berti’s third-inning homer — quite an improvement from the eight runs and 10 hits he surrendered in 3 2⁄3 innings at Miami on Aug. 8. The lefthander benefited from a pair of double plays and stranded six runners, four of them in scoring position.