PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler returned to his All-Star form for seven innings, Bryce Harper stole three bases, including home, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 Friday night.
J.T. Realmuto hit his 10th homer and Jean Segura had a tiebreaking, two-run double in helping Philadelphia snap a three game losing streak. The Phillies moved ahead of Atlanta into second place in the NL East, four games behind the division-leading New York Mets.
Wheeler (8-5) has been stellar at Citizens Bank Park this season, going 5-2 with a 2.08 ERA in 12 starts at the notoriously friendly hitter’s park. He mixed pitches and had the Braves out in front of a lot of pitches. He worked his way out of his biggest trouble in the fifth inning, coaxing Austin Riley to ground out to short to get out of a bases loaded jam.
It was a reassuring sight for the Phillies, who saw Wheeler allow 11 runs — eight earned — in just 11 2/3 innings during his last two starts.
Freddie Freeman had two hits, including a third-inning RBI single that produced Atlanta’s lone offensive support for Max Fried.
The Phillies’ offense generated enough offense despite going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Realmuto took Fried deep in the first, turning on a fastball and sending it high into the bleachers in left field to record double figures in home runs for the seventh straight season.
Freeman tied it in the third with a single to score Albies, who had a one-out double.
Segura laced an ankle-high, two-strike curveball from Fried just over the third base bag and down the left field line, allowing both Ronald Torreyes and Luke Williams to score to make it 3-1.
Harper, who went 2 for 3, scored after a (roductive trip around the bases in the fifth. He hit a leadoff single, stole second, advanced on Andrew McCutchen’s groundout and then raced home on the back end of a double steal with two outs after the Braves tried to get Rhys Hoskins at second base.
Hoskins’ double in the seventh scored Realmuto.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: C Travis d’Arnaud had a second day of work on the field as he looks to return from a sprained left thumb sprain that has kept him on the injured list since May 2. The Braves hope d’Arnaud can return during a four-game series next week at the New York Mets.
Phillies: 3B Alec Bohm was reinstated from the IL and back in the starting lineup after being on the COVID-19 list since July 10 after a reported positive test.
UP NEXT
LHP Drew Smyly (7-3, 4.50 ERA) of the Braves and RHP Vince Velasquez (3-4, 5.00 ERA) of the Phillies are scheduled to start Saturday night in the third game of the four-game series.
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