ATLANTA -- Gavin Floyd was impressive in his first start in a year, giving the Braves a chance to end their longest losing streak in two years. Jacoby Ellsbury Jersey . Justin Upton homered and scored the tiebreaking run on Chris Johnsons eighth-inning single, and the Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Tuesday night to end their seven-game skid. "That felt good," Johnson said. "Its big. We werent panicking too much. We were relaxed, even though we lost seven in a row." Floyd allowed one run on six hits in seven innings. He made his first major league start since April 27, 2013, for the White Sox against Tampa Bay. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery 10 days later, and his comeback included six minor league rehab starts this year. "It felt good," Floyd said. "There were a lot of emotions, a lot of excitement through this process leading up to it and getting back out there ... not only starting for the first time but trying to get us back on the winning side." Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez had modest expectations for Floyds return. "I didnt expect that really," Gonzalez said. "I expected a guy who was going to scuffle through five, six innings for the first time out. He hadnt been in competition in a year but he sure came out with flying colours. You couldnt ask for anything more. "He was really, really good for the first time in a year." David Carpenter (2-0) had two strikeouts in the eighth. Craig Kimbrel added two more strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his ninth save. With one out in the eighth, Upton singled to centre. Freddie Freeman followed with a liner that bounced off the leg of Randy Choate (0-1) and bounced to third baseman Matt Carpenter for an infield hit. Right-hander Pat Neshek gave up Johnsons single to right field that drove in Upton and allowed Freeman to advance to third. Johnson called the at-bat against Nesheks side-arm delivery "a grind." "It wasnt easy," Johnson said. "That guy is funky. Hes nasty. ... That was just a battle between me and him and me trying to get something in play. I was able to finally stay on the ball and kind of go the other way a little bit." Choate was left to bemoan Freemans shot that hit his leg, setting up Johnsons run-scoring hit. "If it misses me its a groundball to (shortstop) Jhonny (Peralta), probably a double play," Choate said. "I didnt feel it. I didnt even see it. It just somehow found me and ricochets off me. Thats the way it bounces sometimes and it stinks but what are you going to do?" St. Louis left-hander Tyler Lyons allowed only one run on four hits, including Uptons homer, in six innings. "Great start," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. "Its a shame we havent been able to score that guy any runs. ... He had everything working today." Lyons retired the first 10 Braves before Upton snapped a 0-for-12 streak with his team-leading ninth homer in the fourth. The Cardinals tied it in the sixth. Matt Hollidays single to right-centre drove in Carpenter, who led off with a walk. Floyd made the start originally planned for Ervin Santana, whose spot was skipped due to his swollen right thumb. Santana is listed as the probable starter against the Cubs on Saturday. Gonzalez stayed with the structure of the revamped lineup he unveiled on Monday in an attempt to snap the losing streak and hitting slump. For the second straight game, shortstop Andrelton Simmons hit ninth, one spot behind the pitcher. NOTES: Atlantas last win was a 1-0 decision in 10 innings over the Reds on April 27. ... The losing streak was the Braves longest since eight straight losses from May 21-28, 2012. ... Matheny said 2B Mark Ellis was held out for a normal day of rest. Daniel Descalso filled in. ... The series ends on Wednesday night when Braves LHP Mike Minor looks for his first win of 2014 against Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright. ... A scoring change gave Floyd an infield single on his grounder in the fifth originally ruled as an error on Carpenter. C.C. Sabathia Jersey . "Last year didnt go the way we wanted it to, but we need to look at what went well and what didnt go so well. Hopefully this year we will be better," Brendan Gallagher said after practice. This year, the Canadiens have a little more depth to work with by adding players like Daniel Briere, Dale Weise, Mike Weaver, Douglas Murray and arguably, the biggest addition to this playoff roster, Thomas Vanek, who the Canadiens were able to land at the trade deadline. Brett Gardner Jersey . TSN was honoured with several awards, with Rod Smith and James Duthie sharing the win for Best Sports Host for SportsCentre and the NHL: Season On The Brink coverage, respectively. http://www.yankeesrookiestore.com/Yankees-Johnny-Damon-Kids-Jersey/ . Nothing pretty. But this is 1/4 World Cup. Usually plays out this way. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- George Springer has more home runs in the past four games than any Kansas City player does this season. Springer homered in his fourth straight game and went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and five runs scored in the Houston Astros 9-2 victory over the Royals on Monday night. "Springer was absolutely tremendous, just line drive after line drive," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "He was special. The two doubles and the home run, the great catch in right field and scoring from second base on a bloop single that not many guys would have been able to score on. He impacted the game in every phase tonight. "This guy is a three-way player. He can impact the game when hes in the batters box. He can impact the game on defence. He can impact the game on the basepaths. He brings it every day, is what I love about him." The Astros have won three straight, matching their longest winning streak this season, and they snapped a six-game losing streak to the Royals. Springer led off the eighth with a home run against Louis Coleman, his fifth homer in four games. The Royals home run leader has four. Springer is the first Houston rookie to homer in four straight games. Lance Berkman was the previous Astros player to do it, in July 2010. "Hes impressive," said Eric Hosmer, robbed by Springer of an extra-base hit with a superb catch to end the seventh inning. "He plays hard and doesnt get cheated at the plate. He drives the ball." Springer also had two doubles and became the first Astros player to score five runs in a game since Cody Ransom on Sept. 24, 2007, against St. Louis. Springer extended his hitting streak to eight games, and is 8 for 16 with 11 RBIs and 10 runs in the past five. It was a magical night for him. "I guess," Springer said. "But at the same time, Im just trying to help the team win and whatever way I can do it, Im happy to help." Scott Feldman (3-2) held the Royals to two runs and eight hits over six innings. "I thought Scott did a tremendous job with his secondary stuff," Porter said. Clint Frazier Jersey. "His curveball had a really good bite and he did a good job for six strong innings." Royals rookie starter Yordano Ventura was led off the field by a trainer in the third inning after experiencing discomfort in his elbow. The hard-throwing right-hander is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. "He was getting under pitches and his velocity dropped in the third inning," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I came out and decided to check it. I talked to him in the second inning and he said, Yeah, its good. I went out and he told me he was feeling a little something in the back of his elbow, but its on the outside, not on the inside." Ventura (2-5) went 2 2-3 innings, yielding five runs on seven hits and three walks before being replaced by Michael Mariot. "In the third inning, I threw a few pitches and it started to feel a little weird," Ventura said. "I felt something unnatural. It was a little uncomfortable, unnatural, and I decided to say something." The Astros had a season-high 16 hits, including a career-high four from Marwin Gonzalez, who had a double, an RBI and a run scored. Alex Presley added three hits and Dexter Fowler reached base five times with two hits and three walks. The nine runs matched an Astros season high. Lorenzo Cain had four hits, equaling his career high, and drove in a run for the Royals, who have lost five of seven. NOTES: Royals 2B Omar Infante (lower back) was activated from the disabled list and doubled in the first inning. RHP Casey Coleman was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. ... Astros RHP Brad Peacock, scratched from Fridays scheduled outing with forearm stiffness, threw a bullpen session and was given the OK to start Thursday against Baltimore. ... Royals LHP Bruce Chen, on the disabled list with a bulging disk, threw a 25-pitch simulated game. Chen could soon go on a minor league rehab assignment. ... The Astros recalled OF Robbie Grossman from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ' ' '