Max Fried threw six shutout innings as the visiting Atlanta Braves defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 Tuesday night in the opener of their three-game series.
Jorge Soler hit a two-run homer and Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored for the Braves, who moved within 2 1/2 games of the first-place New York Mets in the National League East.
The Braves have won four of five games against the Cardinals this season.
Fried (8-7) struck out seven batters and allowed just four hits while beating the Cardinals for the second time this year.