Phillies at Braves
Ryan Howard has terrorized the Atlanta Braves throughout his career, but it appears he has passed the torch to Maikel Franco as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies play the second contest of a four-game series Friday between the National League East rivals. Franco smashed a three-run homer in the first inning Thursday, his fifth homer in 10 outings against the Braves this season, as Philadelphia won the fifth consecutive game in the series.
Howard – who has 51 career homers in 176 career games against the Braves – did not play Thursday but his replacement at first base, rookie Tommy Joseph, followed Franco’s opening-frame blast with his 14th homer as the Phillies rolled to a 7-5 victory. Atlanta’s modest two-game winning streak ended thanks to allowing five runs in the first inning. First baseman Freddie Freeman had reached base in nine consecutive plate appearances (six hits, three walks) before an eighth-inning fly out. Third baseman Adonis Garcia is hitting .405 during his current 10-game hitting streak, but the Braves left 14 runners on base in the series opener to drop to 4-9 since the All-Star break.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (8-2, 3.34 ERA) vs. Braves RH Tyrell Jenkins (0-2, 6.17)
Velasquez has shined since coming to Philadelphia on Dec. 12 in the Ken Giles trade, using a solid slider-changeup-curve combination with a mid-90s fastball to average 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He gave up four runs on seven hits in a no-decision Sunday at Pittsburgh, after posting a 2.20 ERA in his previous six outings. Velasquez, who has made five starts since returning from a right biceps injury, gave up four runs on six hits in six innings May 12 in his only appearance against Atlanta this season.
Jenkins made a solid impression in his first two starts, but was hammered for seven runs on eight hits with five walks in 3 1/3 innings Sunday at Colorado. Control has been an issue for the 24-year-old through his first seven major-league appearances, walking 16 in 23 1/3 innings while posting a 1.89 WHIP and allowing six homers. Jenkins made his first career start at Philadelphia on July 6, giving up one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Braves have allowed seven or more runs 31 times in 102 games.
2. Phillies RF Aaron Altherr, who broke his left wrist in spring training, went 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored in his season debut Thursday.
3. Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte extended his hitting streak to nine games with a ninth-inning single Thursday.