Braves 7, Phillies 1
Jason Heyward slugged a leadoff home run among a career-high five hits and rookie David Hale picked up his first win in the majors to lift host Atlanta in the opener of a four-game set to end the regular season.
Evan Gattis had three RBIs and Freddie Freeman reached base four times and drove in a run as the Braves regained the top spot in the race for home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs. Atlanta (94-65) is tied with idle St. Louis for the NL's best mark but owns the tiebreaker by virtue of winning four of seven meetings with the Cardinals.
Hale (1-0), making his second career start, allowed a run and seven hits in six innings while striking out five. He did not walk a batter and has 14 strikeouts against just one free pass since being called up.
Heyward hit the first pitch thrown by Philadelphia starter Tyler Cloyd (2-7) over the wall in right to kick off a five-run first. Freeman, Gattis, Chris Johnson and Jordan Schafer each had run-scoring hits in the frame and Gattis made it 7-1 with a two-run double in the second that chased Cloyd.
Cloyd, who was charged with seven runs and eight hits in one-plus inning before five relievers combined on seven scoreless frames, did pick up his first career RBI with a groundout in the second. Jimmy Rollins recorded three hits for the Phillies, who have lost seven of their last eight.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Braves C Brian McCann left in the second inning due to a right adductor strain. He is considered day-to-day. ... The first four hitters in the Atlanta lineup combined to go 10-for-16 with five RBIs and four walks. ... Philadelphia is 6-22 in its last 28 road games, scoring two runs or fewer 17 times in that stretch.