Braves at Phillies
Odubel Herrera continues to reach base, and the Philadelphia Phillies center fielder looks like he has found his power stroke entering the middle contest of a three-game home series with the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. Herrera extended his streak of reaching base to 27 consecutive games - dating back to last season - with a pair of homers in Friday’s 7-3 victory, driving in four runs to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
Herrera, who now has homered 12 times in 61 career games against the Braves, had hit just one longball in 85 at-bats this season before he cranked a three-run shot in the first inning as Philadelphia rallied from an early 3-0 deficit. Atlanta rookie left fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. collected the second multi-hit game in his third major-league game, finishing 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI, and is 6-for-13 since being promoted from the minor leagues. The Braves finished with three doubles, extending their single-season franchise record for most two-base hits in April (60). It is a familiar pitching matchup as Atlanta’s Mike Foltynewicz and Philadelphia’s Nick Pivetta meet for the third time in the season’s opening five weeks.
TV: 6:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS South (Atlanta), NBCS Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (1-1, 2.77 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (1-0, 2.57)
Foltynewicz struggled with his control and needed 103 pitches to last just 4 2/3 innings Monday at Cincinnati, getting a no-decision after walking four and striking out seven with two runs allowed. He has walked four hitters in each of his past two starts (10 2/3 innings) after issuing only five in his first three outings (15 1/3 innings). Foltynewicz has allowed three earned runs with 15 strikeouts in 11 innings against the Phillies in two appearances this season.
Pivetta has pitched well through the season’s first month even though he only has one decision in five starts. He struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings Sunday against Pittsburgh, giving up two runs on five hits with two walks - his first two free passes since his season debut against Atlanta on March 30. Pivetta has pitched nine innings in two starts against the Braves this season, giving up four earned runs with five strikeouts and 10 hits allowed.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia C Jorge Alfaro snapped a 1-for-17 skid with three hits and three RBIs in the series opener.
2. Atlanta activated C Tyler Flowers - who suffered an oblique injury in his initial at-bat on Opening Day against the Phillies - was activated from the disabled list before Friday’s game.
3. Philadelphia LF Rhys Hoskins singled in his first plate appearance Friday, becoming the first Phillies player to post a .500 on-base percentage through the first 100 plate appearances of a season since Von Hayes in 1989.