ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman is a big reason why the Atlanta Braves always believe they can score runs. "It seems like we always get a couple of guys on, and were one swing away," he said. "Theres nine innings, so were not ever going to get down. Weve done that this year." Freeman hit two homers, Brian McCann added a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves won their fifth straight game with an 11-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. The Braves, who scored 10 unanswered runs, moved 10 games ahead of second-place Washington in the NL East. They lead the majors with a 36-15 home record. Freeman had four RBIs with his first multihomer game this season and fourth of his career. His three-run shot in the seventh gave the Braves an 11-3 lead. Atlanta scored six runs with two out in the fourth inning to make it 8-3 on Jason Heywards RBI single, Evan Gattis two-run double and McCanns 14th homer. Rookie Alex Wood (1-2) earned his first career victory, allowing six hits, three runs and one walk while striking out seven in seven innings. Wood overcame a couple of obstacles. First was a blister on his left index finger that began to bleed and hindered his location. Second was relying too much on his curveball early in the game and not as much on his changeup. But visiting in the dugout pitching coach Roger McDowell and the team trainer corrected both issues. "I dont think it really had an effect," Wood said. "We had a game plan going in. That was just a small hiccup. I couldve been anything out there." Juan Nicasio (6-5) gave up 10 hits and a season-high eight runs, walking four and striking out four in four innings. The Rockies led 1-0 in the first on Carlos Gonzalezs sacrifice fly and went ahead 3-1 in the second on Nolan Arenados ninth homer, but Nicasio couldnt hold the leads. Since getting recalled July 12 from Triple-A Colorado Springs, Nicasio had gone 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in three starts, but the right-hander was finished after making 31 pitches in the fourth. Nicasio dropped to 0-3 and has a 9.82 ERA in four career starts against Atlanta. "Weve had a tough time staying away from the big inning first two games of this series," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said after watching his team give up a six-run inning for the second straight night. "Weve got to put innings away, weve got to put games away." Freemans 13th homer, a three-run shot off Edgmer Escalona, put the Braves up 11-3. In 67 games since May 15, Freeman is hitting .311 with 11 homers and 50 RBIs. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez can sense other players feeding off Freemans success. "When you keep the line moving and keep having good, quality at-bats, we can do that," Gonzalez said. "We can do that people. Weve got that kind of offence." Colorados Michael Cuddyer singled in the seventh and tried to score from first on Wilin Rosarios double, but was tagged out at the plate. Heyward overran the ball in left-centre after it took a bad hop and had to turn back two steps to pick it up, but his relay to Andrelton Simmons was on time, and Cuddyer was cut down on McCanns tag. "I knew I didnt have a lot of time," Simmons said. "I didnt want to overthrow him and cause all that, so just tried to keep it low and get as much as I could on it." NOTES: Rookie OF Todd Cunningham, a top Braves prospect, was cheered loudly after singling in the seventh in his first major league at-bat. Cunninghams contract was purchased earlier in the day from Triple-A Gwinnett when OF Reed Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left heel tendinitis. Cunningham stayed in the game and replaced Gattis in left field. ... Colorado LHP Jeff Francis allowed three hits and two runs in 2 1-3 innings. It was Francis second relief appearance in 217 career games and first since Oct. 3, 2010 against St. Louis. ... Rockies manager Walt Weiss said he still hasnt decided who will start the series finale on Thursday opposite Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran. ... RHP Brandon Beachy told Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez that he felt normal soreness after Mondays start, his first in returning from elbow ligament replacement surgery in June 2012. Beachy allowed eight hits, a career-high seven runs and one walk with five strikeouts in 3 2-3 innings.Stitched Tigers Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Detroit Tigers Shirts .ca NFL Power Rankings, overtaking the Denver Broncos and remaining ahead of NFC competition San Francisco, Carolina and New Orleans. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Detroit Tigers Gear . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. Fake Tigers Jerseys . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed.Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton will undergo surgery next week after suffering a torn left hamstring in a preseason workout on Tuesday, the team announced Wednesday.?He is expected to be sidelined for six months.?Were obviously disappointed for Khris and our team, but injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, Bucks general manager John Hammond said in a statement. Well rely on our overall roster depth to help us while Khris is out for a significant period of the season.Middleton, 25, averaged a career-high 18.2 points, 4.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 79 games last season for the Bucks, who finished 33-49 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.Drafted by the Pistons with the 39th overall pick in 2012, Middleton was part of the trade that sent Brandon Jennings to Detroit the following year.?Middleton has blossomed with the Bucks, turning into a key player for a franchise on the rise that was hoping to return to the playoffs this season.?Training camp starts next week in Madison, Wisconsin. The estimated six-month timeline for Middletons recovery means that he could return in mid-to-late March, with about a month left in the regular season.Middleton apparently hurt the hamstring after attending a team news conference on Tuesday announcing a four-year, $100 million contract extension for forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.dddddddddddd Last summer, Middleton signed a five-year, $70 million extension.Antetokounmpo, Middleton and forward Jabari Parker are considered building blocks for a young team. The plan is for the Bucks to turn into a playoff contender by the time a new arena opens in downtown Milwaukee in 2018, with the trio leading the way.For the 2016-17 campaign, Milwaukee might need last years first-round draft pick, guard Rashad Vaughn, to help replace Middleton, a career 40 percent shooter from 3-point range. The Bucks also drafted guard Malcolm Brogdon from?Virginia, who shot 39 percent from behind the arc as a?senior, in the second round this year.Milwaukee re-signed veteran forward Steve Novak, a 3-point specialist, in the offseason, as well.The Bucks last qualified for the playoffs in 2014-15, making a surprise run in spite of a left knee injury that sidelined Parker for the final four months of that season.The Associated Press contributed to this report.? ' ' '