The Phillies’ offense was alive and well late Friday night in rainy Atlanta.
After scoring a single run over three games and being swept by the Astros, the Phillies began their series against the Braves by tallying a season-high 13 runs. They moved to 48-34 on the year with a 13-0 win. Every member of the Phillies’ starting lineup recorded a hit.
The downpour at Truist Park delayed proceedings over two hours and the game did not finish until after midnight. Atlanta’s pitchers obviously had a tougher time than the Phillies’ with the wet weather.
Mick Abel was supposed to start, but the delay caused Phillies manager Rob Thomson to opt for a bullpen game instead. Tanner Banks opened and threw two clean innings.
The Braves stuck with their starter and he had a dreadful outing. Bryce Elder only managed six outs and allowed 10 runs (nine earned), eight hits and four walks.
Trea Turner led off the evening with a double and Kyle Schwarber walked. A bases-loaded, two-out J.T. Realmuto free pass eventually brought home the Phils’ first run.
Turner ripped another shot to deep left field in the second inning, nailing a solo home run. Three batters later, Nick Castellanos blasted the Phillies to a 5-0 lead by lacing a juicy first-pitch sinker 445 feet to dead center.
Elder’s misery continued in the third. After Realmuto and Bryson Stott singled, Otto Kemp slammed a hanging slider for his first big-league home run.
The Phils didn’t mind seeing a new pitcher. The first batter Michael Petersen faced was Schwarber and the Phils’ slugger hammered his 25th homer of the season.
The remainder of the game contained zero drama and the Phillies had no need to use high-leverage bullpen arms. Taijuan Walker and Alan Rangel combined for seven scoreless innings out of the ‘pen. Turner bashed his second homer on a 52.4 mph offering from position player Luke Williams in the ninth inning.
The Phillies will search for a series win on Saturday night. The scheduled starters are the Phils’ Jesus Luzardo (7-3, 4.08 ERA) and the Braves’ Spencer Schwellenbach (6-4, 3.21 ERA).
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