Braves clinch at least share of NL East title

The Associated Press

ATLANTA -- Chipper Jones drove in a pair of runs in a three-run first inning and Brian Jordan added a two-run homer in the seventh as the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 Thursday night to clinch a tie for the NL East title.

The Braves, seeking a 10th consecutive division championship, lead the Phillies by three games with three left -- all at home against Florida. The Phillies close out the regular season with three games at Cincinnati.

Jones, who had only one RBI in his previous 15 games, followed a leadoff walk by Brian Giles and single by Julio Franco in the first with a two-run double off rookie Brandon Duckworth (3-2).

B.J. Surhoff added an RBI single, giving Atlanta a 3-0 first-inning lead, enough for John Burkett (12-12) and four Braves relievers.

Atlanta added a run in the second on Giles' RBI single.

Jordan clinched the win in the seventh after Jones' two-out infield single, hitting Rheal Cormier's first pitch 415 feet over the center-field fence for his 25th homer and a 6-2 lead.

It gave Jordan three homers and 10 RBIs in the past six games.