A fielding mistake allowed Atlanta to score the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, and the Braves hung on to beat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 on Saturday, extending their winning streak to four games.
With runners on the corners in the seventh, Philadelphia reliever Jose Alvarado entered the game with one out. He got Freddie Freeman to hit a one-hop comebacker to the mound, but when he turned to start a double play, there was no one covering second base. He wheeled around and fired home, but Ehire Adrianza beat the throw without a slide.
Adrianza opened the inning with a pinch-hit double and went to third on a single by Ronald Acuna Jr.
The winning pitcher was Sean Newcomb (1-0), who worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out four. Tyler Matzek pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Will Smith worked a perfect ninth to earn his second save.
Related: MLB power rankings 2022 – Houston Astros, New York Yankees battle for No.1 spot
Archie Bradley (0-1) was the losing pitcher. He allowed one run on two hits in one-third of an inning.
Neither starter figured in the decision. Atlanta’s Ian Anderson pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Philadelphia’s Zach Eflin worked six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits, one walk and two strikeouts.
Philadelphia scored two runs in the first inning on a bases-loaded single by Didi Gregorius, who extended his hitting streak to seven games.
Atlanta answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Acuna and Ozzie Albies had back-to-back doubles and Freeman hit a two-run homer. It was the second straight game in which Freeman has homered and his third of the season.
Andrew McCutchen squared the game for Philadelphia with a solo homer, his first, in the fifth inning, and Bryce Harper tied the game with his first homer of the season in the sixth.
Related: MLB trade rumors – Latest MLB rumors
But the Braves tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth on Dansby Swanson’s RBI double.
–Field Level Media