ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Carl Pavano kept pace with Russ Ortiz, until things fell apart in the bottom of the sixth.
Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones hit consecutive home runs off Pavano to help Ortiz post his first win for the Atlanta Braves in a 3-0 victory over the Florida Marlins.
The Braves and Marlins combined for 54 runs in the first three games of the series before Pavano and Ortiz restored some order on Monday. Pavano (0-2) had allowed just two hits before he came unglued in the sixth and allowed the Braves to hit three straight homers for the first time since June 11, 2002 against Minnesota.
"They say solo home runs won't hurt you, but three in a row sure will," Pavano said. "I just left some pitches over the plate. What are you going to do? You can't take it back."
That would be more than enough for Ortiz (1-1), who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants over the winter and lost his Atlanta debut to Montreal last Thursday.
Pitching on three days rest for the first time in his career, Ortiz allowed just three hits, walked three and struck out three.
"It was nice. The key for me is to get into a good rhythm and stick with it," Ortiz said. "The key was making quality pitches. They key is getting ahead and keeping them off balance. That is what I did today."
His biggest challenge came in the second when the Marlins loaded the bases with one out on a bloop single and two walks. But Ortiz retired Alex Gonzalez on a popout and Pavano on a groundout.
Kevin Gryboski bailed Roberto Hernandez out of a jam in the eighth and John Smoltz worked the ninth for his second save despite allowing a two-out double to Juan Encarnacion, who had three hits.
Florida loaded the bases in the ninth off Hernandez with one out before Gryboski got Ivan Rodriguez to ground into a double play.
"It was the first time I faced him," Gryboski said. "In that situation, I needed to get the ground ball. The second pitch was right where I wanted it."
Pavano allowed five hits in six innings, struck out five and did not walk a batter.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sheffield hit his second homer in as many days, a 450-foot shot on the first pitch from Pavano.
"I stayed on my game plan," Sheffield said. "I wanted a fastball where I could drive it. Both pitchers were outstanding. I thought like one hit could win the game."
Chipper Jones went the opposite way to left field for his first homer of the season and Andruw Jones followed with his third of the year on an 0-2 pitch.
"I don't think (Pavano) hit the wall," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "Sometimes when you get a little tired, your command gets off. But I don't think his was off. We're going to win a lot of games if we pitch that way."
Andruw Jones, Vinny Castilla and Matt Franco hit three homers on June 11 against Florida.
