Well, well, well it looks like the Philadelphia Phillies are human after all. The team lost its first series since losing three of four to the Cardinals in the beginning of the month. This one stings a little more because it was suffered at the hands of one of Major League Baseball’s worst teams, the Atlanta Braves.
Game one’s 7-1 loss was horrific as Aaron Nola gave up a pair of 2-run home runs. One to Freddie Freeman and the other to Nick Markakis. The effort was unlike Nola, but interesting at the same time. It is a mystery as to why the Phillies would be pitching to the most dangerous hitter in the Braves line up, Freeman, when he has zero protection. The same thing happened the last time they played the Braves in Atlanta where he tagged them for two homers.
The offense did not show up in the game one loss or the game two 2-0 shutout on Saturday. Maikel Franco continued to slump, going a combined 1-for-6 in those games. Adam Morgan improved from his last outing against the Reds (9-4 loss last Sunday). He went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks in the loss, as the offense could only muster two hits.
On Sunday the Phillies surged in a 5-0 win. Franco busted through his slump going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Cameron Rupp provided the early spark, blasting a two-run bomb in the second inning. He added two more hits on the day.
Odubel Herrera went 2-for-3, with one run and one walk in Sunday’s victory. He has raised his average to .325, which ties him for 13th in the MLB. Both Tyler Goeddel and Freddy Galvis each legged out a triple. The team as a whole had 13 hits and only struck out three times.
The win was the Phils’ largest margin of victory this season. Getting out of the series on a winning note is something the team can benefit from when heading into their three-game series with the Tigers starting Monday night at 7:05 pm.
Vincent Velasquez (5-1, 2.42 ERA) is slated to pitch game one against Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 5.49 ERA).
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