Braves at Phillies
Ryan Howard, Domonic Brown and the Philadelphia Phillies are showing no signs of slowing down while the visiting Atlanta Braves seemingly can't pick themselves off the ground. The red-hot Phillies vie for their 13th win in 15 outings since the All-Star break when they attempt to complete a four-game sweep of the listless Braves on Sunday afternoon.
Howard collected an RBI single among his three hits in Philadelphia's 12-2 rout on Saturday to improve to 12-for-25 (.480) with two homers, 12 RBIs and eight runs scored in his last seven contests. Brown is clicking as well, going 15-for-38 (.395) with eight RBIs and seven runs scored in his last 10 games, but is 1-for-15 versus Sunday starter Julio Teheran while Howard is 3-for-18 versus the right-hander. While the Phillies are putting the pieces together, the Braves are completely puzzled by losing a season-high six in a row and 16 of their last 20 while getting outscored 46-16 in their last 10 games. Nick Markakis homered to lead off Saturday's contest and extend his hitting streak to nine games (12-for-38).
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (6-6, 4.71 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Adam Morgan (2-2, 4.05)
Teheran suffered his second straight loss and remained winless in his last four outings on Tuesday after allowing five runs on as many hits in four innings of a 7-3 setback to Baltimore. The 24-year-old Colombian improved to 4-3 in his career versus Philadelphia after permitting one run in seven strong frames of a 2-1 triumph on July 3. Teheran has struggled with his control, issuing 16 walks in his last five outings.
Morgan settled down after allowing a leadoff homer to Devon Travis to pitch six strong innings and pick up the win versus Toronto on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has yielded three or fewer runs and six or fewer hits in five of his six trips to the mound. Morgan was under the bar on both of those numbers, but suffered a hard-luck loss to Atlanta on July 3 despite logging seven frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta C A.J. Pierzynski has six hits in the series to improve to 13-for-31 (.419) during his eight-game hitting streak.
2. Philadelphia OF Odubel Herrera is 9-for-23 (.391) with seven runs scored during his five-game hitting streak.
3. Braves 1B Freddie Freeman is 5-for-13 with two RBIs and two runs scored in this series after being mired in a 2-for-18 slump.