Phillies Win Again by One
By Matt Veasey
3. 6. Final. 2. 17
The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three game series at Turner Field.
The Phillies downed the host Atlanta Braves by a 3-2 score on Tuesday night at Turner Field. It was the club’s 12th one-run victory of the season, and their 7th such win in succession. This marks the first time since 1942 that the Phils have won seven straight by a single run.
In gaining the victory, the Phillies utilized their now familiar 2016 formula of strong pitching and minimal but timely hitting. Adam Morgan got the start, and the lefty delivered seven solid innings over which he allowed just one earned run on four hits. He struck out four and walked just one batter.
The Phils gave Morgan a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th when Maikel Franco led off with a sharp single, moved to 3rd base on a one-out base hit from Carlos Ruiz, and scored on a Freddy Galvis sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Braves tied it right up with their lone run off Morgan. Ender Inciarte led off with a single and went to 3rd when Freddie Freeman followed with a single of his own. Tyler Flowers then grounded into a doubleplay, which ultimately helped Morgan escape further trouble, but did allow Inciarte to score the tying run.
The Phils recaptured the lead in the top of the 5th when Peter Bourjos lined a one-out double to left and came around to score on a two-out RBI single to right by Cesar Hernandez off Atlanta starter Matt Wisler.
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Wisler would last eight full innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits to the Phils. He struck out two and walked two. The game would remain 2-1 into the top of the 8th, where Franco delivered with his 7th homer of the season, a no-doubter out over the left center wall that made it a 3-1 game.
Hector Neris had yet another shutdown frame in the 8th out of the Phillies bullpen, and Jeanmar Gomez came on in the 9th to record his NL-leading 12th Save of the season.
But Gomez didn’t notch this one without a bit of drama, yielding Freeman’s 5th homer to lead things off. The Phils’ surprise closer then allowed a two-out single to Kelly Johnson, but finished out the one-run victory with an easy fly ball to end it.