by

Charles Odum, Associated Press

Atlanta Braves

ATLANTA — While Freddie Freeman continues to add to his Rookie of the Year credentials, the Braves’ biggest offseason addition, Dan Uggla, is finally coming up with big hits, too.

Uggla belted a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning, and Brandon Beachy combined with two relievers on a three-hitter to help the Braves beat Florida 5-0 on Friday night in the series opener.

Freeman went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI while raising his batting average to .295 and raising his RBI total to 52.

The Braves’ victory ended the Marlins’ five-game winning streak.

Uggla extended his hitting streak to 20 games and leads Atlanta with 19 homers. He entered July with a .176 batting average but is up to .206 after going 1-for-4 on Friday.

“It really felt good,” Uggla said.

“I tried not to put too much on it other than it put us ahead and put us in position to win.”

The Braves acquired Uggla from Florida over the winter, sending left-hander Mike Dunn and infielder Omar Infante to the Marlins.

The Braves remained five games behind the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies, who beat Pittsburgh 10-3 on Friday and also acquired All-Star right fielder Hunter Pence from Houston.

“They’re good. They’re making every move you can make to go for it,” Uggla said of the Phillies. “They’re a good team, but we are, too, and there are a lot of other good teams that are going to make the playoffs.”

Emilio Bonifacio’s 26-game hitting streak came to an end with an 0-for-4 night.

It was the second-longest in Marlins history.

Beachy (4-2) yielded two hits, walked three and struck out six in 7 1-3 innings. He pitched into the eighth for the first time in his career.

“Outstanding performance,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He went up and down the strike zone, down and in. He was dominant today.”

Eric O’Flaherty recorded the final two outs in the eighth and Scott Linebrink pitched around Gaby Sanchez’s one-out double in the ninth, striking out Logan Morrison to end the game.

Jose Constanza, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game, had a run-scoring single against Dunn in the eighth for his first hit in the major leagues.

Constanza scored from third on Freeman’s fly ball to left.

Uggla connected on an 0-1 pitch from Hensley, raising his right fist in the air as the ball cleared the wall in center.

NOTE: Uggla’s hitting streak is the longest for the Braves since Kelly Johnson hit in 22 straight games from Sept. 1-24, 2008.

PHILADELPHIA — The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies started their key NL East series by splitting two close, dramatic games.

The third one was a no-doubter, sending the five-time defending division champs into the All-Star break on a high note.

The Braves were shut down again by Philadelphia’s dominant starting pitching, and the Phillies set a season high with 20 hits in a 14-1 victory on Sunday.

Atlanta (54-38) fell 3 1/2 games back in the division, but remained optimistic about its chances of catching Philadelphia in the second half.

“I think we’re pleased where we are,” Atlanta catcher Brian McCann said. “They haven’t dominated us. We know we can play with them. They’re a great team and so are we.”

Cole Hamels (11-4) limited the Braves to one run and three hits in eight innings, following fellow All-Stars Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee with another strong peformance. Halladay pitched seven innings of two-run ball in the Phillies’ 3-2 win in 10 innings in the series opener, and Lee gave up one run in eight innings Saturday night

but the Braves won 4-1 in 11.

“The first two were great games,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “This one, just forget about it.”

Hamels, who was selected to his second All-Star team but won’t pitch due to Sunday’s start, allowed just one hit after the second inning and retired his final 13 batters.

While Hamels was cruising, the Phillies got to Derek Lowe for four runs and 10 hits in six innings and tagged reliever Cory Gearrin for six runs in one-third of an inning.

“They’re a good team,” Lowe said. “Sometimes you have to say you got your butt beat.”

Dan Uggla doubled and scored for the Braves, who had won nine of 10 entering the series.

“It should be fun over the next couple of months,” Lowe said. “I think both teams will be right there.”

Gonzalez only wishes the Braves could start their chase today. “The only thing that bothers me is we don’t play tomorrow,” Gonzalez said. “So we’ll have a bad taste in our mouth until we come back.”

Raul Ibanez homered and drove in six runs for Philadelphia, which had 17 hits in the first two games of the series. John Mayberry Jr. had three doubles and drove in a career-high four runs, and Michael Martinez, filling in for injured All-Star third baseman Placido Polanco, added four hits.

Philadelphia led 4-1 before breaking the game open in the seventh with six runs on five hits and two walks. All of the runs were charged to Gearrin.

The crowd of 45,853, the 172nd sellout and third-largest in Citizens Bank Park history, did the Tomahawk Chop in the inning in mock imitation of Braves fans at Turner Field.

Philadelphia added four more runs in the eighth, highlighted by Ibanez’s three-run drive to right off Scott Proctor.

E-Uggla (9), Howard (4). DP-Atlanta 2. LOB-Atlanta 6, Philadelphia 7. 2B-Uggla (14), Heyward (12), Ruiz (11), Mayberry 3 (9). HR-Ibanez (12). SB-Utley 2 (8). S-Hamels.

WP-Gearrin, Proctor. T-2:49. A-45,853.

(43,651).

Raul Ibanez homered and drove in six runs to back eight strong innings by Cole Hamels in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 14-1 rout of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
Hamels (11-4) allowed three hits while striking out six and walking two. The left-hander, who was selected to his second All-Star team but won’t pitch due to Sunday’s start, allowed just one hit after the second inning and retired his final 13 batters.
Philadelphia, which had 17 hits and scored four runs in 21 innings in the first two extra-inning games of the series, finished with a season-high 20 hits.
John Mayberry Jr. had three doubles and drove in a career-high four runs and Michael Martinez, filling in for injured All-Star third baseman Placido Polanco, had four hits for the Phillies.
Martinez, who entered batting .192, raised his average to .229.
The Phillies took two of three in the series to increase their lead to 3½ games over Atlanta in the NL East. Philadelphia (57-34) matched the club record for wins in the first half, tying the 1993 team.
Derek Lowe (5-7) allowed 10 hits in four innings, and the Phillies tagged reliever Cory Gearrin for six runs in one-third of an inning.
Dan Uggla doubled to extend his hitting streak to six games and scored for the Braves (54-38), who had won nine of 10 entering the series.
Hamels was the third straight All-Star starter to face the Braves in the series, following Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. Unlike his two heralded teammates, who earned no-decisions despite pitching well, Hamels earned a victory thanks to the offensive support.
Philadelphia led 4-1 before breaking the game open in the seventh with six runs on five hits and two walks. All of the runs were charged to Gearrin. The scoring was capped by Mayberry’s two-run double, his third of the game. Ibanez and Brown also had two-RBI hits in the frame in which the Phillies sent 10 batters to the plate.
The crowd of 45,853, the 172nd sellout and third-largest in Citizens Bank Park history, did the Tomahawk Chop in the inning in mock imitation of Braves fans at Turner Field.
Philadelphia added four more runs in the eighth, highlighted by Ibanez’s three-run homer to right off Scott Proctor.
The Phillies broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the third inning on RBIs from Ryan Howard and Ibanez. Martinez reached with a one-out infield single, went to third on Chase Utley’s single to right and scored on Howard’s single to center. Utley, who went to third on Howard’s hit after stealing second during the at-bat, scored on Ibanez’s grounder to second.
Notes: The Phillies and Braves are the only major league clubs not to have been swept in a three-game series this season. … The Phillies’ previous best offensive output was 18 hits at Florida on July 5. … Polanco missed his sixth straight game with a back injury. … Atlanta’s Brandon Hicks struck out pinch-hitting in the seventh and has one hit in his last 21 at-bats.

Alex Gonzalez hit the go-ahead RBI single and Brian McCann added a two-run homer in the 11th inning to lift the Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Phillies on Saturday. It was the second straight extra-inning game for the teams, following Philadelphia’s 3-2 victory in 10 innings Friday.

“We have to keep close to these guys,” said Gonzalez after the Braves pulled within 2½ games of the Phillies. “Both teams have great teams. We’re still fighting and we want to keep it close.”

The Braves (54-37) have won 10 of 12. Meanwhile, Philadelphia (56-34) remains one win shy of tying the club record for victories in the first half.

“It’s basically the same game as (Friday) night,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Our bullpen held today and we win. The teams are so evenly matched. Runs are hard to come by. Starting pitching has been outstanding both games. You’re going to get games like this.”

Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee accounted for the Phillies’ only run with his first career homer off Tommy Hanson, but both pitchers were gone by the time this one ended.

Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske led off the 11th for the Braves with a walk off Michael Stutes (3-1), and pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez went to second on Jordan Schafer’s sacrifice. First baseman Ryan Howard could have gotten the second out, but he failed to make a tough over-the-shoulder catch of Gonzalez’s foul pop fly. It was ruled “no play,” and two pitches later, Gonzalez lined a single to center, scoring Ramirez and putting the Braves ahead 2-1.

“He usually catches that ball most of the time,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.

Added Howard: “It kind of slipped through my glove. I thought I had it and I should’ve made the play, but you can’t do anything about it now.”

McCann followed by launching Stutes’ 1-2 pitch into the seats in right.

“I was getting my pitches up and I paid for it,” Stutes said.

George Sherrill (2-1) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th to earn the victory, allowing two hits and striking out one. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 11th for his 28th save in 33 chances.

“It’s big. We want to come in here and win the series and that’s what we try to do with everybody,” Hanson said. “Playing in a tough place against a really good team, it’s good to even the series and have a chance to win it tomorrow. … It’s a huge series and I think everybody knows that.”

Neither Lee nor Hanson earned a decision, although both were worthy of a win. Lee pitched eight innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine while walking two. Lee had won each of his last six home starts and now stands at 7-1 at home while lowering his ERA to 1.61 at Citizens Bank Park this season.

After having his 34-inning scoreless streak snapped in his last start at Toronto, when he gave up seven runs — six earned — in 7 1-3 innings, Lee was back to being the pitcher who went 5-0 with a 0.21 ERA in June. His only blemish Saturday was Dan Uggla’s homer on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Other than that, Lee allowed just one baserunner to reach second.

“We know it’s a good series,” Lee said. “They’ve been playing well and are right behind us. They have an unbelievable bullpen and starting pitching and it showed the last couple of days.”

Hanson was equally dominant, scattering four hits while striking out six and walking one. Aside from Lee’s third-inning solo homer, the only Phillies batter to advance to second was John Mayberry Jr., who doubled in the sixth. The right-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning after tossing seven innings, and the no-decision snapped Hanson’s career-high streak of five straight wins.

“Going up against a pitcher like (Lee), you always want to go up against the best and see what you’ve got against the best,” Hanson said. “Besides the ball he hit out, I felt like I did a pretty good job.”

Lee homered on a 3-2 count, on the 10th pitch he saw, into the first row in right-center to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the third. He pumped his fist slightly while rounding first once the ball cleared the fence. Lee, who entered 8 for 39 (.205), was given a curtain call by the crowd of 45,637, the Phillies’ 171st straight sellout.

“He put a good swing on it,” Hanson said. “Nothing you can do, just tip the hat and he got me.”

Added Lee: “Anytime you do anything to help the team in a positive way, you definitely feel good. It was a first for me in my career and hopefully I get an opportunity to do something like that again.”

After Lee had retired 11 straight, Uggla tied it at 1 by belting Lee’s first pitch of the fifth inning to deep left field.

Philadelphia reliever Antonio Bastardo pitched a scoreless ninth, extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings. The left-hander has allowed just one hit in 45 at-bats during the stretch.

Bastardo struck out Uggla to end the ninth, and the Braves’ second baseman dropped his bat, argued with plate umpire Mike Everitt before tossing his helmet toward the dugout in frustration. Fredi Gonzalez came out to argue, as well, although neither was tossed.

The Phillies loaded the bases in the 10th off Sherrill, but the left-hander got Mayberry to ground out to first to end the frame.

“Our pitching is right there,” McCann said. “You’ve seen the last two nights. We’re going to hang in there until the end. Our guys are coming in and putting zeros out of the bullpen on a nightly basis. Our pitchers are matching them pitch for pitch. It’s been fun to be a part of.”

Notes: Braves All-Star 3B Chipper Jones was placed on the disabled list before Saturday’s game with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Jones had a procedure Saturday in Atlanta and likely will miss 2-3 weeks. … Utley went 0 for 4 and had his 11-game hitting streak snapped. … Phillies All-Star 3B Placido Polanco missed his fifth straight game with a back injury. … The last Philadelphia pitcher to homer was Chan Ho Park, on April 25, 2009, against Florida.

CBSSports.com wire reports
July 9, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — The Atlanta Braves have a message for the Philadelphia Phillies: They’re not going to let them run away with the NL East.

Alex Gonzalez hit the go-ahead RBI single and Brian McCann added a two-run homer in the 11th inning to lift the Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Phillies on Saturday. It was the second straight extra-inning game for the teams, following Philadelphia’s 3-2 victory in 10 innings Friday.

“We have to keep close to these guys,” said Gonzalez after the Braves pulled within 2½ games of the Phillies. “Both teams have great teams. We’re still fighting and we want to keep it close.”

The Braves (54-37) have won 10 of 12. Meanwhile, Philadelphia (56-34) remains one win shy of tying the club record for victories in the first half.

“It’s basically the same game as (Friday) night,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Our bullpen held today and we win. The teams are so evenly matched. Runs are hard to come by. Starting pitching has been outstanding both games. You’re going to get games like this.”

Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee accounted for the Phillies’ only run with his first career homer off Tommy Hanson, but both pitchers were gone by the time this one ended.

Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske led off the 11th for the Braves with a walk off Michael Stutes (3-1), and pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez went to second on Jordan Schafer’s sacrifice. First baseman Ryan Howard could have gotten the second out, but he failed to make a tough over-the-shoulder catch of Gonzalez’s foul pop fly. It was ruled “no play,” and two pitches later, Gonzalez lined a single to center, scoring Ramirez and putting the Braves ahead 2-1.

“He usually catches that ball most of the time,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.

Added Howard: “It kind of slipped through my glove. I thought I had it and I should’ve made the play, but you can’t do anything about it now.”

McCann followed by launching Stutes’ 1-2 pitch into the seats in right.

“I was getting my pitches up and I paid for it,” Stutes said.

George Sherrill (2-1) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th to earn the victory, allowing two hits and striking out one. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 11th for his 28th save in 33 chances.

“It’s big. We want to come in here and win the series and that’s what we try to do with everybody,” Hanson said. “Playing in a tough place against a really good team, it’s good to even the series and have a chance to win it tomorrow. … It’s a huge series and I think everybody knows that.”

Neither Lee nor Hanson earned a decision, although both were worthy of a win. Lee pitched eight innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine while walking two. Lee had won each of his last six home starts and now stands at 7-1 at home while lowering his ERA to 1.61 at Citizens Bank Park this season.

After having his 34-inning scoreless streak snapped in his last start at Toronto, when he gave up seven runs — six earned — in 7 1/3 innings, Lee was back to being the pitcher who went 5-0 with a 0.21 ERA in June. His only blemish Saturday was Dan Uggla’s homer on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Other than that, Lee allowed just one baserunner to reach second.

“We know it’s a good series,” Lee said. “They’ve been playing well and are right behind us. They have an unbelievable bullpen and starting pitching and it showed the last couple of days.”

Hanson was equally dominant, scattering four hits while striking out six and walking one. Aside from Lee’s third-inning solo homer, the only Phillies batter to advance to second was John Mayberry Jr., who doubled in the sixth. The right-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning after tossing seven innings, and the no-decision snapped Hanson’s career-high streak of five straight wins.

“Going up against a pitcher like [Lee], you always want to go up against the best and see what you’ve got against the best,” Hanson said. “Besides the ball he hit out, I felt like I did a pretty good job.”

Lee homered on a 3-2 count, on the 10th pitch he saw, into the first row in right-center to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the third. He pumped his fist slightly while rounding first once the ball cleared the fence. Lee, who entered 8 for 39 (.205), was given a curtain call by the crowd of 45,637, the Phillies’ 171st straight sellout.

“He put a good swing on it,” Hanson said. “Nothing you can do, just tip the hat and he got me.”

Added Lee: “Anytime you do anything to help the team in a positive way, you definitely feel good. It was a first for me in my career and hopefully I get an opportunity to do something like that again.”

After Lee had retired 11 straight, Uggla tied it at 1 by belting Lee’s first pitch of the fifth inning to deep left field.

Philadelphia reliever Antonio Bastardo pitched a scoreless ninth, extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings. The left-hander has allowed just one hit in 45 at-bats during the stretch.

Bastardo struck out Uggla to end the ninth, and the Braves’ second baseman dropped his bat, argued with plate umpire Mike Everitt before tossing his helmet toward the dugout in frustration. Fredi Gonzalez came out to argue, as well, although neither was tossed.

The Phillies loaded the bases in the 10th off Sherrill, but the left-hander got Mayberry to ground out to first to end the frame.

“Our pitching is right there,” McCann said. “You’ve seen the last two nights. We’re going to hang in there until the end. Our guys are coming in and putting zeros out of the bullpen on a nightly basis. Our pitchers are matching them pitch for pitch. It’s been fun to be a part of.”

Notes

• Braves All-Star 3B hipper Jones was placed on the disabled list before Saturday’s game with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Jones had a procedure Saturday in Atlanta and likely will miss 2-3 weeks.
• Utley went 0 for 4 and had his 11-game hitting streak snapped.
• Phillies All-Star 3B Placido Polanco missed his fifth straight game with a back injury.
• The last Philadelphia pitcher to homer was Chan Ho Park, on April 25, 2009, against Florida.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — With two of the most dominant pitching staffs in the league, not much separates the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves.

When they face each other, winning usually comes down to a key hit — or a crucial mistake. Or, as what happened Saturday, both.

The Braves got a go-ahead RBI single from Alex Gonzalez in the 11th inning and Brian McCann added a two-run homer to lift Atlanta to a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia. Gonzalez’s liner came two pitches after a potential out went off the glove of first baseman Ryan Howard. While the play was a tough over-the-shoulder catch, it’s one Howard admitted he should have had.

And, with such stingy pitching staffs, that might have been the difference.

“It kind of slipped through my glove,” Howard said. “I thought I had it and I should’ve made the play, but you can’t do anything about it now.”

Added Phillies manager Charlie Manuel: “He usually catches that ball most of the time.”

After Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee and his Atlanta counterpart, Tommy Hanson, staged a classic pitchers’ duel, five relievers kept the opposition off the board entering the 11th.

Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske led off the 11th for the Braves with a walk off Michael Stutes (3-1), and pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez went to second on Jordan Schafer’s sacrifice. Howard could have gotten the second out, but he failed to catch Gonzalez’s foul pop fly. It was ruled “no play,” and two pitches later, Gonzalez lined a single to center, scoring Ramirez and putting the Braves ahead 2-1.

Stutes didn’t place blame on Howard.

“It was a tough play,” Stutes said. “He had a long run. It was just another strike.”

McCann followed by launching Stutes’ 1-2 pitch into the seats in right.

“I was getting my pitches up and I paid for it,” Stutes said.

It was the second straight extra-inning game for the teams, following Philadelphia’s 3-2 victory in 10 innings Friday.

“We have to keep close to these guys,” Gonzalez said after the Braves pulled within 2½ games of the Phillies. “Both teams have great teams. We’re still fighting and we want to keep it close.”

The Braves (54-37) have won 10 of 12. Philadelphia (56-34) remains one win shy of tying the club record for victories in the first half.

“I know we’re good, I know we have a lot of talent,” Lee said. “You have to limit your mistakes and play fundamental baseball to win. Anytime you play a team in your division, much less a team that’s been as hot as you are and right behind you, it’s a very important series.”

Lee accounted for the Phillies’ only run with his first career homer off Hanson.

Neither Lee nor Hanson earned a decision, although both were worthy of a win. Lee pitched eight innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine while walking two. Lee had won each of his last six home starts and now stands at 7-1 at home while lowering his ERA to 1.61 at Citizens Bank Park this season.

After having his 34-inning scoreless streak snapped in his last start at Toronto, when he gave up seven runs — six earned — in 7 1-3 innings, Lee was back to being the pitcher who went 5-0 with a 0.21 ERA in June. His only blemish Saturday was Dan Uggla’s homer on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Other than that, Lee allowed just one base runner to reach second.

“We know it’s a good series,” Lee said. “They’ve been playing well and are right behind us. They have an unbelievable bullpen and starting pitching and it showed the last couple of days.”

Hanson was equally dominant, scattering four hits while striking out six and walking one. Aside from Lee’s third-inning solo homer, the only Phillies batter to advance to second was John Mayberry Jr., who doubled in the sixth. The right-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning after tossing seven innings, and the no-decision snapped Hanson’s career-high streak of five straight wins.

“Going up against a pitcher like (Lee), you always want to go up against the best and see what you’ve got against the best,” Hanson said. “Besides the ball he hit out, I felt like I did a pretty good job.”

Lee homered on a 3-2 count, on the 10th pitch he saw, into the first row in right-center to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the third. He pumped his fist slightly while rounding first once the ball cleared the fence. Lee, who entered 8 for 39 (.205), was given a curtain call by the crowd of 45,637, the Phillies’ 171st straight sellout.

“Anytime you do anything to help the team in a positive way, you definitely feel good,” he said. “It was a first for me in my career and hopefully I get an opportunity to do something like that again. I try to take every aspect of the game serious and try to do everything I can to help the team win.”

George Sherrill (2-1) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th to earn the victory, allowing two hits and striking out one. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 11th for his 28th save in 33 chances.

“It’s big. We want to come in here and win the series and that’s what we try to do with everybody,” Hanson said.

Atlanta’s Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty combined to pitch two hitless innings in relief of Hanson, while Sherrill worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth. The Phillies loaded the bases in the 10th off Sherrill, but the left-hander got Mayberry to ground out to first to end the frame.

“Our pitching is right there,” McCann said. “You’ve seen the last two nights. We’re going to hang in there until the end. Our guys are coming in and putting zeros out of the bullpen on a nightly basis. Our pitchers are matching them pitch for pitch. It’s been fun to be a part of.”

Notes: Braves All-Star 3B Chipper Jones was placed on the disabled list before Saturday’s game with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Jones had a procedure Saturday in Atlanta and likely will miss 2-3 weeks. … Utley went 0 for 4 and had his 11-game hitting streak snapped. … Phillies All-Star 3B Placido Polanco missed his fifth straight game with a back injury. … The last Philadelphia pitcher to homer was Chan Ho Park, on April 25, 2009, against Florida.