- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,135,177
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images
Apr 24, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) reacts after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
It was a second straight heartbreaker as the Philadelphia Phillies (8-18) blew two leads en route to their 10th straight loss and fourth within that span to come at the hands of the rival Atlanta Braves (19-8) by a score of 5-3 on Friday Night Baseball.
Andrew Painter made his fifth career start, his second on the road and his second consecutive against the Braves.
The Phillies opened the scoring against Braves’ starter, Grant Holmes, in the top of third inning when Trea Turner followed a Garrett Stubbs’ leadoff single with a two-run home run to right field, his third of the year.
Ronald Acuña, Jr. answered Turner’s shot in like-fashion in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff single by Eli White to tie the game at two.
In the top of the fourth, walks to Alec Bohm and Turner and Stubbs’ second hit of the night loaded the bases but Kyle Schwarber struck out to end the inning.
Bryce Harper continued his productive April with a tie-breaking opposite field solo shot to begin the fifth inning, his sixth of the season.
Other than the mistake to Acuña, Painter kept the Braves in check until the bottom of the sixth inning, when he allowed a one-out infield single to Dominic Smith and a walk to Mauricio Dubon. After Painter got Mike Yastrzemski to fly out, Michael Harris II, who was 2-2 with a home run against Painter last weekend, pinch hit for Eli White and stroked a two-RBI double to give the Braves the lead. Another run would come across the plate on a wild pitch before Rob Thomson finally took Painter out of the game, having surrendered five earned across five and two thirds.
Kyle Backhus, Chase Shugart and Tim Mayza held the line in relief of Painter, with Mayza withstanding a bases loaded threat in the eighth.
A leadoff walk by Turner and a one-out hit by Adolis Garcia provided a glimmer of hope against Braves’ backend stopper, Robert Suarez, but Brandon Marsh hit a weak grounder to end the threat and seal the loss.
The ten-game skid is the Phillies’ longest such streak since September of 1999 when Rico Brogna & Co. lost 11 straight.
Garcia grew his hitting streak to five games with three hits on the night.
The teams are back at it tomorrow night as Zack Wheeler is scheduled to make his first start since being shut down last August with the shoulder injury which required offseason surgery. Wheeler will be opposed by Braves’ right-hander, Bryce Elder.
Continue reading...
