(Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves were winners at the trade deadline yesterday and then went on to defeat the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series. The two clubs will continue the set this evening at Turner Field.

Atlanta bolstered their lineup by acquiring coveted first baseman Mark Teixeira from the Texas Rangers as part of a seven-player deal. Teixeira and lefty reliever Ron Mahay joined the Braves in exchange for heralded rookie catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, minor league infielder Elvis Andrus and minor league pitchers Matt Harrison, Beau Jones and Neftali Feliz.

The Braves also traded for right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel from the Kansas City Royals for righty Kyle Davies.

In Tuesday's series-opening 12-4 pounding of the Astros, Kelly Johnson finished 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI to lead the way. Brian McCann homered and knocked in four runs, while Jeff Francoeur went deep and scored three times for the Braves, who have won two in a row after a four-game skid.

Atlanta starter Chuck James picked up the win despite being shaky through five innings. The left-hander gave up four runs on six hits before relievers Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Rafael Soriano and Jose Ascanio each tossed a hitless frame to close out the win.

The Braves are 1 1/2 games out of the NL wild card race and sit 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for the top spot in the National League East division.

Atlanta will send Buddy Carlyle to the mound tonight and he is 5-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) this season. Carlyle had won his previous four decisions before losing to San Francisco on Thursday. He was reached for four runs over 5 2/3 innings of a 4-2 loss at AT&T Park.

Carlyle, a right-hander, has never faced the Astros in his career.

Houston has dropped three of its last four games. In last night's setback at Turner Field, Lance Berkman homered and Craig Biggio knocked in a pair of runs. Starting pitcher Chris Sampson was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits in just four innings of work.

The Astros are 11 games off the pace in the NL wild card standings and 11 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the National League Central.

Wandy Rodriguez will get the nod for Houston tonight and owns a 7-9 record with a 4.28 ERA in 20 starts this season.

Rodriguez is 3-2 in his past five outings and beat San Diego his last time out on Thursday, hurling seven innings of one-run ball in a 7-1 victory.

The lefty, who is just 1-7 in 10 road starts in 2007, will face the Braves for the third time in his career tonight. Rodriguez is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two career games (one start) against Atlanta.

Atlanta and Houston are meeting for the first time since the Astros went 4-3 in the 2006 season series.