How long he avoids the bullpen is anyone's guess, but the Braves know this much: Jeff Francoeur looks ready to carry the offense as long as necessary.

"I never thought I'd be where I am," Francoeur said. "I'm not saying it won't go bad again. In fact, I know it will, but the thing now is that you want to ride it out as long as you possibly can."

With Francoeur homering twice and Chipper Jones driving in three runs, Sosa had the run support Thursday he needed for his first win of 2006.

The 9-1 victory completed a four-game sweep of the Marlins and moved Atlanta over .500 for the first time since April 7. The Braves have won four straight, seven of eight and nine of 11 to move within 3 1/2 games of the Mets in the National League East.

Second-place Philadelphia, which lost at Milwaukee, is 1 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta, but the Braves have taken 4 1/2 games off their deficit against the Mets since May 10.

Until Thursday, Sosa had created far more problems than he had solved. Lowering his ERA nearly an entire run to 5.55, Sosa allowed six hits and no walks in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander had a season-high eight strikeouts to tie a career-high total set last Aug. 5.

Despite trailing 1-0 on Reggie Abercrombie's first-inning homer, Sosa settled down and gave a performance reminiscent of the 10-3 record and 2.62 ERA he posted in a career-high 20 starts last year.

"I feel very relaxed now that I've won my first game," Sosa, a native of the Dominican Republic, said through an interpreter. "Now it will be easier for me to concentrate better."

Manager Bobby Cox, who has unfailingly supported his players throughout a career that includes the seventh-most victories in history, deflected any suggestions that Sosa might serve the team better in the bullpen.

"He's in it," Cox said of Sosa's spot in the rotation. "He's been in it, and that's where he's going to stay."

Sosa's timing was impeccable. Atlanta relievers had earned each of the last four victories, including two straight 11-inning decisions Tuesday and Wednesday night.

"Sosa gave us a great game today," Cox said. "Our bullpen was completely exhausted. They needed a day off."

Chad Paronto and Macay McBride combined to pitch the last 2 1/3 innings.

Matt Diaz's solo shot in the fifth chased Marlins starter Scott Olsen (2-3). His second homer of the season, a line drive inside the left-field foul pole, followed Francoeur's two-run shot into the second level of seats in left-center.

Facing Todd Wellemeyer in the seventh, Francoeur hit his 10th homer. He now has three multi-homer games in his brief career and two this season.

The 22-year-old Atlanta native extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Since beginning the season in a 2-for-36 slump, Francoeur has hit .324 (45-for-139). His 37 RBIs are second only to Andruw Jones' 39 for Atlanta and have him ranked in the NL's top 10.

"A month ago, I didn't feel like I was part of the team," Francoeur said. "But Bobby told us to just keep grinding, and it would turn around. After last night's game, we were able to put a dagger in early."

Chipper Jones' bases-loaded sacrifice fly and a wild pitch by Olsen, which allowed Marcus Giles to score from third, gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in the third.

Francoeur led off the fourth with a double and scored to make it 3-1 on Brian Jordan's sacrifice fly.

"I thought that was big for us," Francoeur said. "If we keep doing stuff like that, we'll be tough to beat."

Diaz, starting in left field for the 10th time this season, recorded his third assist, throwing out Mike Jacobs at second as the Marlins rookie tried to extend a single.

The back-to-back homers by Francoeur and Diaz were the Braves' third set this season.

Diaz tripled off Wellemeyer to finish 2-for-4 and improve his average to .386. In five games against Florida, Diaz is 12-for-15. In his last 11 games overall, Diaz is 16-for-26.

"We knew we had to have a big homestand," said Francoeur, whose club begins a nine-game, 10-day road trip Friday night at Arizona. "Look at it now, and we're right back in this thing."