ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Andruw Jones hit a three-run homer and Vinny Castilla added a solo shot in a seven-run seventh inning as the Atlanta Braves ended a season-opening losing streak with a 12-7 victory over the Florida Marlins.
After dropping three straight, the Braves halted their worst start in 15 years by overcoming a three-run deficit with their best inning of the young season.
"It was good for our confidence," left fielder Chipper Jones said. "It wasn't one big blow. When we fell down, 5-2, we said to ourselves, 'Here we go again.' To fall down, 5-2, and to answer with seven was big for everybody."
"We needed that," second baseman Marcus Giles added. "We haven't had any timely hits. We just relaxed and did our thing. We're going to be OK. There was no panic."
Andruw Jones' first homer of the year gave Atlanta a 7-5 lead that Castilla padded one out later.
The outburst made a winner of reliever Roberto Hernandez (1-0), who surrendered two runs and a hit in the top of the seventh.
Vladimir Nunez (0-1) served up both homers among his four hits allowed while retiring just one batter and took the loss.
In the seventh, the Braves sent 11 men to the plate, starting the inning with five consecutive hits.
"The perception for this club was that it needed to get off to a good start," Atlanta closer John Smoltz said. "It's just a three-game losing streak. This team will find its groove."
Gary Sheffield had a run-scoring single, Chipper Jones doubled to deep center and Andruw Jones sent a 3-0 pitch over the center field wall.
It was the first homer of the season by the Braves, who became the last team to go deep this season.
After Nunez retired Javy Lopez, Castilla's homer chased the reliever. Against former Brave Tim Spooneybarger, Matt Franco capped the outburst with an RBI single.
"He got the ball up," Florida manager Jeff Torborg said. "That's how the game works. We just couldn't get them stopped."
Following their best inning since a seven-run fourth in a 15-2 win over the Chicago White Sox last June 22, the Braves tacked on three more runs in the eighth.
After allowing 17 run in their series with Montreal, the Braves started well. They took their first lead of the season and ended a 20-inning scoreless slump on pitcher Jason Marquis' RBI double in the second.
Marquis cruised through five innings before allowing a solo homer to Juan Encarnacion and a base hit to Todd Hollandsworth. He was replaced by Kevin Grybowski, who served up Alex Gonzalez's two-run homer.
The Marlins increased their lead to 5-2 when Mike Lowell slugged a two-run shot off Hernandez. After Darren Holmes allowed Gonzalez's second homer in the eighth, Smoltz got the final four outs for his first save.
Florida starter Michael Tejera allowed two runs and four hits in five innings while Marquis gave up two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 frames.
