The Atlanta Braves secured a series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies with a 5-4 victory Saturday night at Truist Park.
It was a tough start for Ian Anderson who needed 30 spots to escape the first innings. Anderson walked Andrew McCutchen to lead the game. After a flight through Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm picked up rugby teams to load the base. Didi Gregorius then fought off a 2-2 field goal and dumped a single into the right center that McCutchen and Harper scored to put the Phillies ahead. Anderson recovered and beat Jean Segura and Andrew Knapp to end the innings.
Despite the early deficit, the Braves responded quickly. Ronald Acuña Jr. put a double over the first base bag to get things going against Zach Eflin. Ozzie Albies then hit a 1-2 pitch in the right corner of the field to reduce the lead to 2-1. Freddie Freeman follows with a double bomb to the right to put Atlanta ahead.
Anderson retired after that rocky first place and retired 13 straight before McCutchen competed for a solo home game twice in the fifth game. He returned for the sixth time and allowed a forerunner in Harper to represent the Phillies 4-3. Anderson would get Bohm on a pitch before Brian Snitker stepped out of the creek and summoned Sean Newcomb out of the bullpen. Newcomb beat Gregorius before allowing a single to Segura and a walk to Knapp. However, he recovered and hit Roman Quinn with the pinch to end the innings.
Anderson hit better after the rocky first innings, but the two home runs hurt. He allowed five shots, four runs and struck six over 5 1/3 overs. The allowed four runs were a career highlight.
The Braves drew the game again in the sixth. Marcell Ozuna opted with one out and then moved on to the second on a slow roll from Travis d’Arnaud, who almost beat the innings except for a great play by Segura. Ozuna moves to third place on a wild pitch and then comes in to sign on a doubles through Dansby Swanson.
Eflin will leave after the sixth after allowing seven shots and four runs. He walks one and hits two.
Atlanta regained the lead in seventh place against the Bulls of the Phillies. Ehire Adrianza started the innings with a pinch-double to get things going. Acuña follows with a single cut to place runners on the corners without anyone being out. Archie Bradley then let Albies fly in the dirty area on a play where Bohm and McCutchen clashed for the first time.
Joe Girardi would then bring in Jose Alvarado to face Freeman who typed a 0-1 pitch back up the hill. Alvarado turns to throw to second, but no one covers. He turned around and threw home, but is not in time to get Adrianza scoring to leave the Braves at 5-4.
Tyler Matzek worked a pointless eighth and Will Smith tipped the Phillies into ninth place to clinch the win.
Atlanta is going to make a comeback when they end the series for three games Sunday on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. Drew Smyly will make his second start of the season for the Braves, while Philadelphia will play left-hander Matt Moore.