After last night’s 14-1 drubbing, it sure looked as if the Phils were heading down that same path. Ben Lively, who made his second career start, had a rough first inning. He walked Ender Inciarte and allowed a double to Brandon Phillips right out of the gate. A Nick Markakis groundout and a Matt Kemp double put the Braves up 2-0 after one. “Here we go again,” we said.
But Lively was able to minimize the damage in the first and danced in and out of trouble all night. The youngster was able to pitch seven strong, despite allowing nine hits and striking out just three batters (three more than his debut) in 95 pitches. Lively kept the Phils in the game, and pitched well enough to win it.
However, there was no offense to be found.
The Phils posed no threat to knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey, as he surrendered just three hits in seven innings. Maikel Franco logged the only run of the game for the Phils with an RBI single in the seventh inning making it 3-1 — which is how the game ended.
The Phils will now travel to St. Louis for a three-game weekend series with Jeremy Hellickson taking the ball tomorrow night.
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