Alec Bohm’s two-run double in the eighth inning sparked a seven-run rally and helped the visiting Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Atlanta Braves 9-4 on Sunday and salvage a contest from their three-game series.
Philadelphia (83-67) cut Atlanta’s lead in the National League East to five games with the victory. Atlanta’s magic number to win the division remains seven. The Braves (88-62) won the season series 9-4.
Facing reliever Dylan Lee (6-1) with the score tied 2-2, the Phillies had runners at second and third when Bohm drove a two-out liner to center field to score Bryce Harper and Trea Turner. Bryson Stott and J.T. Realmuto followed with run-scoring singles that stretched the lead to 6-2. Kyle Schwarber added a two-run single and Trea Turner singled home a run.
Realmuto and Stott each had three of the team’s 16 hits and were among six players with multiple hits.
Neither starter figured in the decision. Philadelphia’s Andrew Painter pitched five strong innings and allowed one run on six hits and four walks, striking out three. Atlanta’s Grant Holmes was able to pitch only four innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks.
The Braves scored a run in the first. Michael Harris II led off with a single, advanced to third on Matt Olson’s single and scored on Drake Baldwin’s sacrifice fly. It was Baldwin’s fourth RBI of the series.
But Philadelphia scored twice in the second inning to take the lead. Realmuto hit a two-run homer, his 11th, that carried 405 feet into the left field seats.
Atlanta first baseman Olson saved a run with his glove in the fifth inning. With runners on the corners, Kyle Schwarber grounded sharply to Olson, who stepped on the bag, checked the runner at third and threw out Justin Crawford at second base.
The Braves tied the game in the seventh against reliever Jose Alvarado (4-3), the winning pitcher. Harris singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Olson’s one-out single. It ended a nine-game scoreless streak for Alvarado.
Olson, who went 3-for-5, added a two-run homer in the ninth inning, his 39th.
