Braves 3, Tigers 1

ATLANTA -- Turner Field was just as Javier Vazquez remembered: a nice park for pitchers.

Vazquez pitched four perfect innings to continue a strong spring showing by Atlanta's starters and Omar Infante hit a two-run homer to lead the Braves to a 3-1 exhibition win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

Vazquez needed only 40 pitches, including 30 strikes, to retire each of the 12 batters he faced. He had four strikeouts.

Vazquez, acquired in an offseason trade with the Chicago White Sox, and five relievers combined for a five-hitter.

"I've always loved pitching here," said Vazquez, who was 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 11 career starts at Turner Field with Montreal and Arizona.

"I love the stadium," he said. "I've always loved the stadium. I'm very happy to be here."

Braves manager Bobby Cox said he also remembers Vazquez pitching well in Atlanta.

"He looked just as I remember him when he was at Montreal," Cox said. "I can't say enough good things about him."

Cox said Vazquez "has been ready since Day 1. He's really had a terrific spring."

Atlanta starters have a 2.38 ERA and 13-5 record with only Saturday's exhibition against the Tigers remaining before Sunday's opener at Philadelphia.

Vazquez is scheduled to be Atlanta's No. 3 starter, behind Derek Lowe and Jair Jurrjens. Kenshin Kawakami and Tom Glavine complete the rotation.

Vazquez lowered his spring ERA to 2.66.

"Obviously, the first couple starts in spring training I always work on mechanics," he said. "The last few starts, I told myself to try to throw the best I can. I know the season's coming up. I need to get ready for the season.

"My arm feels good, that's the main thing."

Detroit's Zach Miner gave up four hits and three runs in 4 2-3 innings. He walked four.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Miner "did a good job" but added the right-hander "strayed a little bit."

"Both teams pitched very well," Leyland said. "I was very happy with our pitching."

Four Detroit relievers -- Bobby Seay, Ryan Perry, Brandon Lyon and Juan Rincon -- combined for 3 1-3 perfect innings.

Leyland said he wasn't worried about his team's lack of offense. The Tigers are hitting only .239 for the spring.

"We're going to hit," he said.

Infante's fourth-inning homer to left drove in Kelly Johnson, who walked. Garret Anderson singled, moved to third on Jeff Francoeur's double and scored on Casey Kotchman's groundout.

Detroit's first hit was Curtis Granderson's two-out double off Jeff Bennett in the sixth.

The Tigers scored one run in the seventh off Buddy Carlyle. Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera had back-to-back singles and pinch-runner Josh Anderson scored when Carlos Guillen hit into a double play.

Game notes
Braves SS Yunel Escobar led off the first inning with a single, but left when Miner's pickoff throw hit Escobar's right arm as he was diving back to first base. He suffered only a bruised right arm and will play Saturday, according to Cox. ... The Tigers set their 25-man roster by assigning INF Mike Hessman and OF Brent Clevlen outright to Triple-A Toledo. ... The Braves named rookie Jordan Schafer the starting center fielder while announcing cuts, including OFs Gregor Blanco and Brandon Jones.