By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Having won four of their last six games — with a plus-13 run differential, 10 home runs and 21 extra-base hits — the Philadelphia Phillies (78-73) will begin a crucial, eight-game road trip Thursday evening, starting with a four-game set against the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves (84-68) at SunTrust Park. Right-handers Vince Velasquez and Kevin Gausman will square off.
The Phillies won back-to-back series — for the first time since their first two series after the All-Star break — in their 4-0 victory Wednesday evening against the New York Mets. Rhys Hoskins' first inning home run was the 50th of his career, making him the second-fastest Phillie to reach the milestone (192 games) — bested only by Ryan Howard (182) — and the seventh-fastest all-time, per Elias. Odubel Herrera launched his 22nd home run in the fourth, while Jose Bautista hit a RBI double in the fifth. Carlos Santana walked for multiple times for his third straight game. Starter Zach Eflin tossed five scoreless frames while punching out a career-tying-best nine batters, matched two other times at home this season: May 7 against the San Francisco Giants, and June 10 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Phillies are in the midst of consecutive four-game road series for the first time since July 2010 — away against the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals — and a 17-game stretch to end the season with no off days since 2000. A Phillies win in Thursday's opener would put them 4 1/2 games back in both the National League East and Wild Card postseason races, with 10 games remaining.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Philadelphia Phillies (78-73) | Atlanta Braves (84-68) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | Vince Velasquez | RHP | Kevin Gausman | ||
| (9-11, 4.50 ERA) | (10-10, 3.92 ERA) | ||||
RHP Vince Velasquez, Age: 24
- 2018 vs. ATL: 0-4, 7.41 ERA, 4 G, 4 GS, 17 IP, 29 H, 18 R, 14 ER, 4 HR, 8 BB, 24 SO, 2.176 WHIP
- Career vs. ATL: 0-5, 4.60 ERA, 8 G, 8 GS, 43 IP, 53 H, 27 R, 22 ER, 6 HR, 14 BB, 48 SO, 1.558 WHIP
- Career at SunTrust Park: 0-2, 7.27 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 8 2/3 IP, 16 H, 10 R, 7 ER, HR, 3 BB, 11 SO, 2.192 WHIP
Velasquez has surrendered just two home runs over his last 54 2/3 innings. Since June 26, the Phillies right-hander has the lowest HR/9.0 IP in the majors (0.34) among starters with at least 10 starts, MLB.com notes. Velasquez has allowed 1 run or none is six of his last nine starts against National League East opponents, posting a combined 3.72 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings.
RHP Kevin Gausman, Age: 24
- 2018 vs. PHI: 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 5 ER, HR, BB, 2 SO, 2.600 WHIP
- Career vs. PHI: 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 5 ER, HR, BB, 2 SO, 2.600 WHIP
- Career at SunTrust Park: 3-0, 2.45 ERA, 4 G, 4 GS, 25 2/3 IP, 22 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 3 HR, 4 BB, 15 SO, 1.013 WHIP
Gausman's first and only career appearance against the Phillies occurred this season while a member of the Baltimore Orioles, home on July 12. Gausman suffered the losing decision while surrendering a double to Scott Kingery, along with a double and solo home run to Jorge Alfaro. In eight starts since debuting with the Braves on August 4, Gausman is 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA, 31-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .226/.285/.339 opposing slash over 48 1/3 innings.
Starting Lineups:
| Philadelphia Phillies (78-73) | Atlanta Braves (84-68) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | TBA | 1 | TBA | ||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | ||||||
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 7:35 p.m.
- TV: NBCSP
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes:
- The Phillies have 11 games remaining, seven of which are against the Braves (four away, Sept. 20-23, and three at home, Sept. 28-30). The fellow Wild Card-contending Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks are all off on Thursday.
- National League Postseason Contenders' Remaining Opponents:
- Atlanta Braves: 4 vs. PHI, 3 @ NYM, 3 @ PHI
- Arizona Diamondbacks: 3 vs. COL, 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ SDP
- Chicago Cubs: 3 @ CWS, 4 vs. PIT, 3 vs. STL
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 vs. SDP, 3 @ ARI, 3 @ SFG
- Milwaukee Brewers: 3 @ PIT, 3 @ STL, 3 vs. DET
- Philadelphia Phillies: 4 @ ATL, 4 @ COL, 3 vs. ATL
- St. Louis Cardinals: 3 vs. SFG, 3 vs. MIL, 3 @ CHC
- Hoskins (.503) is on pace to be the first Phillie with at least a .500 slugging percentage in a season, minimum 400 at-bats, since Howard in 2010 (.505), notes StatMuse. The other six players ever to notch 150 home runs faster than Hoskins (192 games) are Rudy York (153), Gary Sanchez (161), Mark McGwire (161), Ryan Braun (171), Aaron Judge (174) and Howard (182), according to MLB.com.
- The Phillies are the only team without a player on the disabled list. The club last finished a season with no players on the disabled list "since at least 1994," MLB.com notes.
- On Wednesday, Hoskins became the first player with multiple extra-base hits against Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard in the same game since the Braves' Freddie Freeman, exactly two years prior on Sept. 19, 2016.
- Santana's 105 walks this season are the third-most in baseball, trailing only Bryce Harper (123) and Mike Trout (115).
- The Phillies have fallen in seven of 12 games against the Braves this season, outscored 57-38 and outhit 112-84. The Phillies won their most recent series against their National League East rivals, May 21-23 at Citizens Bank Park. Gabe Kapler's squad has 42 hits in six games each — at home and on the road — against the Braves this season.
- Second baseman Cesar Hernandez, Alfaro and Kingery are each 3-for-3 this season against Gausman. Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies is 4-for-10 opposite Velasquez this season with a triple, two solo home runs, two walks and four strikeouts spanning 12 plate appearances. (click to expand).
What's Next:
Friday, Sept. 21, 2018: at Atlanta Braves, 7:35 p.m.
- SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga.
- RHP Nick Pivetta (7-13, 4.67 ERA) vs. RHP Julio Teheran (9-8, 3.97 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018: at Atlanta Braves, 1:05 p.m.
- SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga.
- RHP Jake Arrieta (10-9, 3.77 ERA) vs. LHP Sean Newcomb (12-9, 4.04 ERA)
- TV: FOX; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018: at Atlanta Braves, 1:35 p.m.
- SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga.
- RHP Aaron Nola (16-5, 2.44 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz (11-10, 2.90 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: 1210 WPHT
