Phillies pull out win in extra innings to take series against Braves

By: Rebecca Serad, contributor

Final: Phillies 7, Braves 4 ❖ Attendance: 15,643

ATLANTA — Through the first six and a half innings of tonight's game, it seemed like the Philadelphia Phillies (20-15) were easily going to beat the Atlanta Braves (8-25). Vince Velasquez had cruised through the first six innings and the offense had given him four runs of support. That lead fell apart in the seventh inning.

Velasquez loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and then allowed a bases-clearing double to Gordon Beckham. David Hernandez, who entered the game in relief of Velasquez, allowed Beckham to score on a single. Just like that, the game was tied. The tie continued to extra innings, but that's where it ended. In the top of the tenth inning, Cameron Rupp hit a bases-clearing double to give the Phillies a 7-4 lead, and that proved to be all the Phillies needed to pull out a win.

With tonight's extra inning win, the Phillies finished their ten game road trip with a 5-5 record and improved their road record to 12-10. Closer Jeanmar Gomez got his major league leading thirteenth save of the year, passing Mets closer Jeurys Familia, who has twelve saves.

WP: Andrew Bailey (2-0, 2.35 ERA) ❖ LP: Jason Grilli (1-2, 6.35 ERA) ❖ SV: Jeanmar Gomez (13)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
PHI	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	7	10	1
ATL	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	4	7	1

Odubel Herrera led off the game with a walk for the Phillies and then stole second base. Andres Blanco followed with a single to put runners on first and third with no outs. Maikel Franco hit a fly ball to center for a sacrifice fly to give the Phils an early lead. Ryan Howard hit into a fielder's choice. Blanco originally moved up to second on the play, but then noticed no one was covering third and advanced another base. However, he was stranded at third, as Freddy Galvis flied out to end the inning.

Howard led off the fourth inning with a walk. Galvis immediately followed with a home run just over the right field wall to increase the Phillies' lead. Two outs later, Vince Velasquez got his second infield single of the day. Peter Bourjos followed with an infield single of his own, putting runners on first and second. Herrera came to the plate against new pitcher Eric O'Flaherty and hit the third infield single of the inning. A throwing error by Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson allowed Velasquez to score and Bourjos to advance to third. Blanco struck out to end the inning.

The Braves got a runner in scoring position for the first time in the game in the bottom of the sixth. Mallex Smith hit a one out single. After a fly out by Nick Markakis, he stole second to put a runner in scoring position. However, Ender Inciarte lined out to end the threat.

Freddie Freeman led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and Johnson followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. A.J. Pierzynski hit a single to right field to load the bases. A meeting at the mound with the pitching coach seemed to not help Velasquez, as he allowed a bases-clearing double to Gordon Beckham to make the score 4-3, Phillies. It was at this point that Velasquez was taken out and reliever David Hernandez entered the game. He promptly let up a single to former Phillie Jeff Francoeur that allowed Beckham to score from second to tie the game. Hernandez got a strike-out and a double play to end the inning.

Herrera got a triple off of Braves reliever Jason Grilli to lead off the top of the tenth inning. Blanco was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third with no outs. Franco struck out and the Braves then made a pitching change. Darin Ruf came in to pinch-hit for Howard and struck out on three pitches. Galvis worked a two out walk to bring Cameron Rupp to the plate. Rupp hit a bases-clearing double into the left-center field gap to give the Phillies a 7-4 lead. David Lough struck out to end the inning, but the damage had already been done.

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Starting Pitchers