Norton's pinch-hit single sparks Braves past Padres 5-2

Atlanta Braves' Tim Hudson pitches in the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Wednesday, May 7, 2008 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA—Pinch-hitter Greg Norton broke a seventh-inning tie with a bases-loaded single and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight win.

With the game tied 2-2, Padres starter Randy Wolf was lifted after loading the bases in the seventh on Brian McCann's double, Matt Diaz's single and Mark Kotsay's walk.

As a frustrated Wolf (2-2) threw his glove into the Padres' dugout, manager Bud Black brought in Joe Thatcher. Norton, obtained by the Braves from Seattle on Monday, drove in McCann with a single up the middle.

Kelly Johnson's fly ball to center drove in Diaz, and Yunel Escobar added a run-scoring single to left for a 5-2 lead. Wolf gave up eight hits and five runs with four walks and one strikeout.

Tim Hudson (5-2) gave up six hits and two runs in seven innings. He walked three and struck out three. Manny Acosta recorded the final two outs for his third save.

The Braves (17-15) are two games over .500 for the first time this season. With five straight wins -- all at home -- Atlanta improved to 13-4 at Turner Field.

The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the second on a balk call on Hudson that led to Bobby Cox's ejection by third-base umpire Wally Bell. It was Cox's 137th career ejection, extending his major league record, and his second this season.

Cox and Hudson argued that Hudson stepped toward home plate on a fake pickoff throw to third with San Diego's Kevin Kouzmanoff on third base. Both Hudson and Cox pointed to the spot on the mound where they said Hudson's foot landed.

Kouzmanoff, who opened the inning with a double to left and moved to third on Paul McAnulty's single, scored on the balk.

Wolf walked Mark Teixeira and Jeff Francoeur to open the bottom of the second. A single by McCann loaded the bases with no outs. Teixeira scored when Diaz grounded into a double play. Francoeur scored on Mark Kotsay's single to left for a 2-1 lead.

The Padres tied the game in the sixth. Tadahito Iguchi led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on an infield hit by Adrian Gonzalez and scored on Kouzmanoff's double-play grounder.

Notes: The Padres fell to 6-13 in road games. ... The Braves hit into four double plays in the first six innings. Francoeur hit into double plays in the third and sixth. ... The Braves also won five straight from April 17-21. ... McCann was 3-for-4 with his 10th double. ... Chipper Jones was 2-for-4 to improve the majors' best batting average to .429.