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'Back on that horse': Braves offense jolts back to life in Toronto

Home runs by Freddie Freeman and Matt Joyce paced a 9-4 win over the Blue Jays.

TORONTO, ON — Limited to a single run in each of their previous two games, the Atlanta Braves found the offense they've been looking for.

Freddie Freeman hit his 36th home run and drove in a pair of runs, Matt Joyce homered and had two RBIs and the Braves beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 on Wednesday night.

Ronald Acuña Jr. added a two-run double as the NL East-leading Braves snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the ninth time in 11 games.

"It was good," manager Brian Snitker said. "We needed that. We needed to come out and score some runs."

Pitching had carried Atlanta over its previous 11 games, helping the Braves go 8-3 despite a team batting average of .198 and an average of fewer than four runs per game.

"It was nice, as an offense, to finally get back on that horse," Freeman said. "(The pitchers) have been carrying us the last week and a half so it was nice to finally come through for them."

Freeman leads the majors with 107 RBI, one more than Pittsburgh's Josh Bell. Atlanta's first baseman went 2 for 4, his first multi-hit game since a three-hit performance against Miami on Aug. 20.

"I've been grinding for a couple of weeks," Freeman said. "Just when I thought I was going to get hot with the three hits against the Marlins, it didn't happen. Hopefully this is a jumpstart and I can finish strong throughout September."

Braves slugger Josh Donaldson went hitless against his former team for the second straight game. He walked twice and scored in Atlanta's three-run seventh.

Atlanta reliever Luke Jackson (8-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings to win his fifth straight decision. The right-hander has not lost since June 15 against Philadelphia.

After scoring four runs in their previous three games combined, the Braves jumped out to a lead with a five-run second inning, sending nine batters to the plate against Blue Jays right-hander Jacob Waguespack.

Joyce led off with his fifth home run, Rafael Ortega hit an RBI double, Acuña doubled home two and Freeman capped the rally with a two-out RBI double.

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