Cincinnati, OH (My Sportsbook) - Jeff Francoeur hit a solo home run to help the Atlanta Braves edge the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3, to open a three-game set at Great American Ball Park.

Kelly Johnson and Matt Diaz each drove in a run for the Braves, who have won their past two games. Javier Vazquez (2-1) got the win as he gave up just two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits with a walk and nine strikeouts over six innings of work and also drove in a run.

Alex Gonzalez drove in two runs and Joey Votto had two hits and an RBI for the Reds, who had won four of five coming into the game. Edinson Volquez (2-2) gave up three runs on just one hit with a career-high seven walks in five innings of work.

"We got to go back to the drawing board and figure out why (so many walks)," said Reds manager Dusty Baker.

The Reds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Willy Taveras led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and crossed the plate courtesy of a Votto single.

Atlanta, though, took the lead in the fourth without getting a hit. Casey Kotchman led off with a walk and, after the next two batters recorded outs, Jordan Schafer and David Ross drew walks to load the bases. Vazquez then forced home a run with a walk and Johnson followed suit with a run-scoring free pass to make it a 2-1 game.

Cincinnati answered in the bottom of the fourth as a single from Gonzalez plated Brandon Phillips to make it a 2-2 contest.

However, Atlanta regained the lead in the fifth as Francoeur hit a two-out, solo home run over the center field wall for a 3-2 lead.

"I was just looking for something out over the plate and off-speed because he likes to throw the changeup and slider," said Francoeur. "He threw that slider right over the plate."

The Reds got a run back in the eighth. With Rafael Soriano on the mound, Jay Bruce led off the frame with a double. Edwin Encarnacion then walked and Ramon Hernandez moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Gonzalez chased home Bruce with a sacrifice fly to right to make it a 4-3 game, but pinch- hitter Laynce Nix hit into a sharp groundout to shortstop to end the frame.

Mike Gonzalez came on in the ninth to close things out and worked a 1-2-3 frame to pick up his second save of the season.

Game Notes

Before the game, the Braves placed outfielder Garret Anderson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 20, with a strained left thigh. The team recalled outfielder Brandon Jones from Triple-A Gwinnett to take the roster spot...Atlanta catcher Brian McCann sat out the game with a left eye problem...These teams split six games last season...Alex Gonzalez's RBI single in the fourth was the 1,000th hit of his career.