ATLANTA (AP) - San Diego's Chris Young seems to have figured out the Atlanta Braves.

Young struck out eight Atlanta batters in six innings as the Padres beat the Atlanta 4-to-2 last night for their fifth win in six games. In two games last year, Young gave up 13 runs and 15 Atlanta hits in six innings.

This time, the right-hander improved his record to 4-and-2 while allowing just two hits and two runs. Scott Linebrink, Heath Bell and Trevor Hoffman completed the three-hitter, with Hoffman getting his ninth save in 11 chances.

Atlanta's Chuck James (3-3) last just three and two-thirds innings. Adrian Gonzalez homered in the second and Kevin Kouzmanoff made it 2-nothing with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fourth.

After James reloaded the bases with a walk to Young, Oscar Villarreal relieved and got Marcus Giles to ground into a forceout.

San Diego made it 3-nothing in the fifth when Brian Giles scored from second on an error.

Atlanta closed within a run in the bottom half after a walk, hit batter and balk, getting Scott Thorman's R-B-I grounder and Chris Woodward's run-scoring triple.

Chad Paronto forced in a run in the sixth with a bases-loaded walk to Jose Cruz Junior.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)