Final: Phillies 4, Braves 0
WP: Luis Garcia (3-3, 3.32) LP: Nick Masset (2-2, 4.68)
Atlanta, GA- Cole Hamels would like some run support. It's not every day when he pitches seven scoreless innings in a duel with Braves' star Shelby Miller, but it's a more and more common occurrence that the Phillies' impotent offense gives him little room to work with, producing today no runs until the tenth, where they erupted for a 4-0 lead, avoiding a sweep by beating Atlanta in extra innings.
Though both teams threatened in the first, neither could push across a run, as Miller struck out Cody Asche with the bases loaded and Hamels induced a Pedro Ciriaco flyout with the sacks also full.
Hamels popped out in the fourth to end a Phillies threat with runners on second and third, certainly a future reference for advocates of implementing the DH into the NL.
Odubel Herrera, having doubled in the fifth, would have scored on Cesar Hernandez's single…had Herrera not been caught stealing at third, a questionable move with the runner already in scoring position.
Shelby Miller, having neutralized several possible scoring opportunities, made it through 6.1 innings scattering seven hits and striking out eight. He was relieved by Luis Avilan, who finished the seventh and stranded Hamels on first.
Hamels threw seven innings for the Phils, allowing no runs and six hits, and striking out six. His strong showing merited no offensive support, as the Phillies were held scoreless throughout the game. Ken Giles, relieving Hamels, promptly struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth.
Jim Johnson and closer Jason Grilli of the Braves combined to allow no runs in two innings, keeping the score at 0-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth as Grilli too struck out the side in the eighth.
Luis Garcia held the Braves in the bottom of the ninth. After walking Kelly Johnson, Garcia gave up a single to A.J. Pierzynski that put runners on the corners with one out. Pedro Ciriaco flew out to center, not deep enough to score the runner from third on a sac fly. Juan Uribe, pinch-hitting, struck out on three pitches to send the game into extras.
The Phillies offense finally broke through in the tenth, as two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no one out. Ryan Howard, facing Dana Eveland, brought home a run with a sac fly scoring Odubel Herrera and giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. Jake Brigham of the Braves relieved Eveland, coming in against Carlos Ruiz with runners on the corners. A wild pitch moved Maikel Franco from first to second, putting two RISP on for Ruiz, who hit a two-run double for a 3-0 Phillies lead. After Cody Asche's groundout moved Ruiz to third, a Freddy Galvis RBI single scored Ruiz to make it 4-0. Domonic Brown's groundout ended a big inning for the Phillies, as they headed into the bottom of the tenth determined to avoid a sweep.
Jonathan Papelbon took over in the bottom of the inning, aiming to close the game out. He got Andrelton Simmons to ground out, Eury Perez to pop out, and Jace Peterson to ground out, pitching a seamless tenth to get the Phillies the 4-0 win.
The Phillies head out west, playing the Dodgers tomorrow with the late start of 10:10 pm from Chavez Ravine, where they will meet old pal Jimmy Rollins, now playing for the first-place LA club.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Hamels | 7.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3.02 |
| Shelby Miller | 6.1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2.07 |
- Hamels: No-decision; 109 pitches, 69 strikes; 6 groundouts, 5 flyouts; 26 faced batters
- Miller: No-decision; 106 pitches, 69 strikes; 5 groundouts, 0 flyouts; 27 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Phillies
- Ken Giles (8th): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 2.00 ERA
- Luis Garcia (9th): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 3.32 ERA
- Jonathan Papelbon (10th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 1.65 ERA
Braves
- Luis Avilan (7th): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.06 ERA
- Jim Johnson (8th) : 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 2.20 ERA
- Jason Grilli (9th) : 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 2.84 ERA
- Nick Masset (10th) : 0.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 4.68 ERA
- Dana Eveland (10th) : 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 5.40 ERA
- Jake Brigham (10th): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 1.93 ERA
At the Plate:
Phillies
- Cesar Hernandez: 3-4, BB, .295 AVG
- Odubel Herrera: 2-5, R, .264 AVG
- Carlos Ruiz: 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, .223 AVG
Braves
- A.J. Pierzynski: 3-4, 2B, .267 AVG
- Chris Johnson: 1-2, SB, .232 AVG
- Jonny Gomes: 1-3, .199 AVG
What's Next
- Monday, July 6, 2015: at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10:10 pm
- (Dodgers) TBD vs. RHP Sean O'Sullivan (1-6, 5.76 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
Theo DeRosa (@Derosatheo11) is a contributor to Philliedelphia.com.
