Drake Baldwin blasted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the ninth inning as the visiting Atlanta Braves topped the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Sunday night to salvage the finale of their four-game series.
Jake Fraley began the decisive inning by hitting a routine grounder that reliever Jose Alvarado (4-2) missed, resulting in an infield single. Following a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Baldwin hit a first-pitch sinker over the fence in left field.
Brandon Marsh had a solo homer to account for all the Phillies’ offense. Philadelphia struck out 13 times against five Braves pitchers, including Tyler Kinley (4-3), who worked a 1-2-3 eighth, and Raisel Iglesias, who struck out two batters in a dominant ninth.
Philadelphia starter Jesus Luzardo allowed only two hits with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Atlanta counterpart Hurston Waldrep gave up just one run and four hits with nine strikeouts over 5 2/3 frames.
Neither team had a baserunner in the first 2 1/2 innings. Philadelphia made some noise in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out before Waldrep retired Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to escape the jam.
Luzardo compiled another 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, setting the stage for Marsh’s homer against Waldrep — the first one the right-hander has allowed in six starts this season.
Waldrep struck out two batters in the fifth and two more in the sixth before giving way to John Brebbia, who notched a strikeout of his own — against Harrison Bader — to end the frame.
The Braves put two runners on in the seventh, but they still couldn’t score. Michael Harris II’s single ended Luzardo’s night and Fraley delivered a pinch single against David Robertson before the veteran reliever retired Nacho Alvarez Jr. on a soft grounder to preserve the lead.
Schwarber tripled against Dylan Dodd with two outs in the seventh, but Harper lined out on the next pitch as the score remained 1-0.
However, Atlanta drew even in the eighth, thanks to three straight baserunners against Orion Kerkering to open the frame. Tanner Banks came on and limited the damage, although Matt Olson’s soft grounder plated a run to forge a 1-1 tie.
