An eight-run barrage in the fourth inning allowed the Braves to enjoy an easy win — for once — over the Phillies, 12-2, at Truist Park on Saturday.
After winning 6-5 in 11 innings Saturday, and after the previous four games before that between the two sides were decided by a total of seven runs, the Braves won a laugher on this night, thanks to the big inning. It shrank their magic number to win the National League East to seven with 13 games to play.
“I don’t know the last time we had, I guess, a comfortable win against them like this,” said Braves outfielder Michael Harris II, who went 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs. “But yeah, it was huge. Their bullpen threw a lot (Friday), and they had another bullpen day (Saturday), so it was kind of good to attack them again and put them in a tough situation for (Sunday) to try to close it out.”
The Braves (88-61) sent 12 batters to the plate in the decisive fourth, scoring on six hits, a walk and an error. Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin and Mauricio Dubón combined for six RBIs. Seven of the eight runs came with two outs.
Saturday’s eight runs in the fourth inning tied a season high for the Braves. They scored eight runs in the fifth inning of a 17-2 win over the Diamondbacks in Phoenix on April 2.
“Yeah, that was electric,” Harris said of the eight-run frame. “Crowd was in it, and we were just feeding off of it. We’re just passing the baton, and next man getting the job done, and just doing the little things to keep the inning going. So, yeah, it was pretty fun.”
Acuña poked a pin in the dam in the fourth inning with his one-out homer that tied the game at 1-1. Acuña’s 17th long ball of the season was skied 353 feet to left and landed in the Phillies’ bullpen — and runs came flooding in after that.
With runners on the corners and two outs later in the inning, Phillies reliever Grant Holman was summoned to face Dubón. Harris stole second before Dubón rolled a two-run single into left, making it 3-1. It was Dubón’s 31st and 32nd RBIs this season when batting with two outs and runners in scoring position.
After Austin Riley ripped a single to left, Sean Murphy hit a routine chopper to Bryson Stott at third — but Stott couldn’t decide whether to throw to second or first, and his hurried toss across the diamond skipped in the dirt, allowing Dubón to score from second.
Ha-Seong Kim walked to load the bases, Riley scored on a wild pitch, Baldwin cranked a two-run double to the gap in right to make it 7-1 and Acuña shot an RBI single to center for good measure.
“I love it, man,” Acuña said. “We enjoy the game every single day. We have fun.”
All those runs were plenty for Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle (6-10), who went seven innings and scattered six hits with no walks. In seven starts since being acquired via trade from the Giants, Mahle has a 1.25 ERA.
The right-hander hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any start with his new team. And he’s doing it all in the thick of a pennant race.
“It’s special. It gives you a little extra drive,” Mahle said. “It’s just fun. Everyone’s having fun. Everyone’s playing well. Everyone’s out there competing. I’ve never pitched in ballgames like this. It’s just a lot of fun.”
Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly to center field — his 14th sac fly of the season — extended the Braves’ lead to 9-1 in the sixth.
The Phillies waved the white flag in the late innings by sending catcher Garrett Stubbs to the mound. Harris, in the eighth, hit a three-run homer off a 38 mph curveball that clanged off the pole in right field.
Tim Mayza started the game on the mound for the Phillies after scheduled starter Jesús Luzardo was scratched before the contest. Mayza threw three scoreless innings, getting inning-ending double plays in the first and second and striking out the side in the third.
Bryce Harper had put the Phillies up 1-0 in the first inning, belting a two-out, two-strike home run to center field. It was Harper’s 28th homer of the season and 48th all-time against the Braves.
The Phillies (82-67) did little offensively after that until Justin Crawford hit a solo home run in the eighth off Braves reliever Brent Suter.
Saturday’s win made the Braves 9-3 against the Phillies this season and upped the division lead to six games.
“Obviously, we have, what, two weeks left against a team that’s right behind us and that’s hungry to get into a position to win the division,” Harris said. “It’s kind of huge to take those two games today, and it’d be even better to get the third one (Sunday).”
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
