MIAMI (Ticker) -- It did not take long for Jaret Wright to get back in the win column.

Wright rebounded from a rare loss by tossing 8 1/3 masterful innings as the Atlanta Braves reduced their magic number for clinching their 13th straight division title to six with a 4-2 victory over the Florida Marlins .

After four seasons filled with injuries and unfulfilled expectations, Wright was thrust into the Braves' starting rotation this year and has flourished. The righthander followed a four-game losing streak in May with a career-best nine straight victories before being tagged with a loss at San Diego on August 17.

Wright bounced back from the setback with three consecutive wins before losing to the New York Mets on Monday. But once again, he answered the call, keeping every Marlin off the basepaths through eight innings except for Mike Lowell , who singled twice and walked once but either was stranded or erased on double plays.

"Two little soft serves," Lowell said of his hits. "I got the bat out and was fortunate to make contact. He was hitting his spots better than he ever has, a totally different pitcher than in the past. Very much in command out there."

"As far as my stuff goes, that was one of my better games," Wright said. "It was pretty close to the best I've felt all year out there. ... I wanted to keep the pressure on them and when I did get behind (in the count), I was able to throw strikes with something on it."

Attempting to record his first complete game since 2000, Wright (15-7) tired in the ninth, hitting leadoff hitter Alex Gonzalez and yielding a one-out single by Juan Pierre . Closer John Smoltz came on and surrendered an RBI groundout by Luis Castillo and Paul Lo Duca 's run-scoring double before retiring Miguel Cabrera for his 39th save.

"I've only had two shutouts (in my career) and I felt good going out there for the ninth," Wright said. "But that's just the way it works out sometimes."

"Nothing short of outstanding," Florida manager Jack McKeon said. "He kept hitting the black. He was changing speeds and getting the double-play ball, and when you do that, it makes it tough to beat him."

Wright allowed two runs and three hits, striking out five and walking one.

"He's had some beauties, but this one ranks right up there," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "He was dynamite out there. It was strike after strike, and he had something on it."

"That was World Series stuff he was throwing tonight," said Marcus Giles , who singled and scored in the Braves' four-run sixth inning. "He was locked in all night."

Florida starter Josh Beckett (7-9) again failed in his quest for a career-high third straight win, yielding four runs and seven hits in six innings. The 2003 World Series Most Valuable Player, who walked three and struck out four, has seven career two-game winning streaks but has yet to record the elusive third straight victory.

Andruw Jones capped the sixth-inning rally with an RBI single for the Braves, who lead Florida by 9 1/2 games in the National League East Division.

The Marlins remained 4 1/2 games behind San Francisco in the NL wild card race and have three other teams between them with 16 contests remaining.

"We're still alive, but we have to get our offense clicking again," McKeon said. "We have to get rolling quickly though, because we're running out of time."

"Everyone has been bringing their 'A' game to the park and it seems like every time we look at the results, those other teams are winning," Lowell added. "Those clubs can smell the playoffs and are totally focused in, and that makes it very hard."

Rafael Furcal opened the sixth for Atlanta with an infield single and Giles followed with a base hit before J.D. Drew ripped a double to right field to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. After Chipper Jones struck out, Johnny Estrada was walked intentionally and Julio Franco plated Giles with a groundout.

Drew made it 3-0 when he scored on a wild pitch by Beckett, and Andruw Jones concluded the outburst with an RBI single to left.