NATIONAL LEAGUE Hampton, Braves topple Pirates

Atlanta produced just enough offense for their starter in a 2-1 win.
ATLANTA (AP) -- Once again, Mike Hampton didn't get a lot of run support.
He made do.
Hampton pitched four-hit ball over eight innings for the Atlanta Braves, who produced just enough offense to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Sunday.
Javy Lopez drove in both Atlanta runs, including a tie-breaking homer in the seventh.
Hampton (13-7) had lost his last two starts, though he pitched well a pair of 3-1 setbacks to the New York Mets.
"I've got my confidence rolling," said Hampton, whose only run allowed to the Pirates was unearned. "I don't think anything changed. I lost a couple of games to the Mets, but I've still got confidence in my stuff."
Lopez the difference
Lopez tied the game at 1 with a two-out double in the fourth. Three innings later, he led off by driving an 0-1 fastball over the center-field wall for the 37th homer of his comeback season. For good measure, he also threw out Tike Redman attempting to steal third.
Will Cunnane, filling in for injured closer John Smoltz, pitched a perfect ninth for his first career save.
"I'd rather have John come back, to tell you the truth," Cunnane said. "He's one of the best closers in the game. Be my guest."
Hampton outdueled Pittsburgh's Kip Wells (7-8), who surrendered eight hits in the second complete game of his career.
"It was a well-pitched game by Hampton," Wells said. "I was trying to feed off the good things he was doing, trying to keep our guys off the field as much as possible."
Hampton has won six straight over Pittsburgh, his last loss coming on May 30, 1999, while pitching for the Houston Astros. Overall, he's 10-3 in 22 career games against the Pirates.
The Pirates took advantage of an error by first baseman Robert Fick to score their only run.
Lone Pirates run
Leadoff hitter Redman reached when Fick bobbled a grounder down the line, the first of his two errors. Jason Kendall singled with one out, and Reggie Sanders followed with an infield single to drive in Redman.
Hampton escaped the jam by getting Craig Wilson to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Pittsburgh has scored just 14 runs in its last seven games, losing three of four during a weekend series in Atlanta.
"I thought we played extremely well in these four games," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Instead of losing three of four, we could have won three of four."