Phillies 4, Braves 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Aaron Harang ended a personal eight-game losing streak in his return from the disabled list, as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Thursday night.
Right fielder Domonic Brown hit his first homer of the season for Philadelphia, which is 10-2 since the All-Star break. The Phillies (39-64) nonetheless have the major leagues' worst record.
Atlanta, which consummated a three-team, 13-player trade earlier in the day, lost seven of eight.
The Phillies, meanwhile, have yet to officially announce a widely reported eight-player trade that would send veteran pitcher Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers.
Harang, out since July 1 with plantar fasciitis of the left foot, went five innings and allowed one run and nine hits, while striking out three and walking one. Now 5-11 this season, he had not won since beating Pittsburgh on May 14.
Ken Giles, the last of five Philadelphia pitchers, worked the ninth for his second save. Giles is replacing Jonathan Papelbon, traded to Washington on Tuesday, as the team's closer.
Braves starter Shelby Miller (5-8) dropped his seventh straight, going six innings and allowing four runs and 11 hits, while striking out four and walking one.
Atlanta made the trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins, sending pitchers Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Bronson Arroyo, as well as minor league infielder Jose Peraza, to the Dodgers and receiving infielder Hector Olivera and pitchers Paco Rodriquez and Zachary Bird from Los Angeles.
The Braves loaded the bases with none out in the third, but first baseman Freddie Freeman struck out and left fielder Adonis Garcia grounded into a forceout at the plate. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski then legged out a single to deep short, driving in the game's first run.
Philadelphia went on top when catcher Carlos Ruiz blooped a two-run single to center in the fourth.
Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard made it 3-1 with an RBI single in the fifth.
Brown lined Miller's first pitch of the sixth, a change-up, into the seats in right field. It was his first homer in 46 games, his last having come Sept. 16, 2014, at San Diego.
NOTES: The key acquisition in the Braves' three-team, 13-player trade is regarded as Cuban INF Hector Olivera, who Atlanta tried to sign as a free agent in the offseason, only to be outbid by the Dodgers. Manager Fredi Gonzalez scouted Olivera in the Dominican Republic during the winter and also met with him. "He passed all the tests, as far as makeup and character," Gonzalez said. The 30-year-old Olivera, whose best position is third base, has been out with a hamstring pull recently but is expected to return soon. "We look at our club and we look at this as the first building block to building the team," general manager John Hart said. "He can play third, he can play second, he can play left, but we just like the bat and we felt this was going to be a good piece." ... When Phillies RHP Aaron Harang was activated from the disabled list, he took the roster spot vacated when RHP Jonathan Papelbon was traded to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. ... The Braves will activate RHP Williams Perez (foot) from the disabled list to start Friday's game against the Phillies. A corresponding roster move has yet to be announced. ... The Braves called up LHP Matt Marksberry, RHP Jake Brigham and RHP Ryan Kelly from Triple-A Gwinnett.