Teixeira, Braves Pound Astros, 12-3

ATLANTA (AP) _ Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs in his Atlanta debut Wednesday night, leading the Braves to a 12-3 victory over the Houston Astros. <br/><br/>Teixeira, acquired

Wednesday, August 1st 2007, 9:44 pm

By: News On 6

ATLANTA (AP) _ Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs in his Atlanta debut Wednesday night, leading the Braves to a 12-3 victory over the Houston Astros.

Teixeira, acquired from Texas in Tuesday's seven-player trade, drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning to drive in a run in his first plate appearance.

After Houston reliever Matt Albers walked Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones in the sixth inning, Teixeira hit a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left-center for his first homer with the Braves and his 14th overall. Teixeira was greeted with high-fives from Jones and Renteria and slaps on his helmet in the dugout, but the fans were not satisfied until he bounced back up the dugout steps and lifted his helmet high in response to the cheers.

The Braves scored a combined 38 runs in three straight wins, including 24 in winning two straight over the Astros.

Houston has given up 42 runs in three straight losses. On Sunday, Jason Jennings gave up 11 runs in the first inning of an 18-11 loss to San Diego.

Buddy Carlyle (6-3) gave up five hits and two runs in five innings and left the game before suffering a hyperextended elbow. He left when experience apparent discomfort while warming up in the sixth. Carlyle, who appeared to wince in pain while swinging and missing a pitch in the bottom of the fifth, is listed as day to day.

For the second straight night, Houston's starting pitcher lasted only four innings. One night after Chris Sampson gave up nine hits and five runs, Wandy Rodriguez (7-10) gave up eight runs and six hits. He walked four batters and threw 55 pitches in Atlanta's seven-run first inning.

After Yunel Escobar's leadoff double, Rodriguez walked Renteria and Jones to load the bases for Teixeira's first trip to the plate. Fans greeted Teixeira with a standing ovation, but the first baseman didn't swing while taking the walk to drive in the Braves' first run.

Andruw Jones drove in Renteria with a single to left before Francoeur walked, forcing in another run. Matt Diaz hit a two-run double to center and Escobar capped the big inning with a two run single.

Jason Lane singled in the third and scored on Chris Burke's sacrifice fly. Lance Berkman led off the fourth with his 18th homer, and Ty Wigginton drove in Berkman with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Renteria hit his 11th homer in the fourth, and Kelly Johnson hit a run-scoring single off Jennings in the seventh.

Left-hander Ron Mahay, also acquired in the trade with Texas, and Octavio Dotel both made their Atlanta debuts by pitching a scoreless inning apiece to close the game.

Notes: Jennings made his first relief appearance in his 171st career game. ... The Astros fell to 18-36 in road games _ the worst road mark in the NL. ... Teixeira is the first player to hit a homer in his first game with Atlanta since Francoeur hit a homer in his major league debut July 7, 2005.