by

Charles Odum, Associated Press

Atlanta Braves

Gotta run!.

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).

Comment Below!.

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.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

Published: Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 1:14 a.m.

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

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.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—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(notes) hit the go-ahead RBI single and Brian McCann(notes) 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 2 1/2 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(notes) accounted for the Phillies’ only run with his
first career homer off Tommy Hanson(notes), but both pitchers were gone by the time
this one ended.

Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske(notes) led off the 11th for the Braves with a walk off
Michael Stutes(notes) (3-1), and pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez(notes) went to second on Jordan
Schafer’s(notes) sacrifice. First baseman Ryan Howard(notes) 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(notes) (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(notes) 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(notes) 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(notes) 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(notes) 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(notes) 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(notes) missed his fifth straight game with a back injury. … The last
Philadelphia pitcher to homer was Chan Ho Park(notes), on April 25, 2009, against
Florida.

That’s all the news for today.

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Alex Gonzalez hit the go-ahead RBI single and Brian McCann added a two-run homer in the 11th inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

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

The Braves (54-37) have won 10 of 12, and closed the Phillies’ lead in the NL East to 2.5 games. Philadelphia (56-34) remains one win shy of tying the club record for victories in the first half.

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.

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

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.

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 past 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Hanson, who entered holding hitters to a league-low .192 batting average, retired 10 straight after Lee’s homer before Mayberry’s two-out double to left in the sixth. After walking Chase Utley to put runners on first and second, Hanson struck out Howard with a 75 mph curve.

Atlanta got a runner to second with two outs in the eighth when Schafer reached on a bunt single and went to second on Lee’s throwing error. But Lee struck out Gonzalez to end the threat.

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. Manager Fredi Gonzalez came out to argue, as well, although neither was ejected.

Philadelphia left-hander Juan Perez, who struck out the side on nine pitches Friday, struck out two in a perfect 10th.

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.

JONES OUT: 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 two or three weeks.

What are your opinions.

Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.

Leave your comments on the news below.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 15, 2011

ATLANTA — Dan Uggla needed a breakout game.

The surprise was the Braves second baseman found his hitting stroke against Phillies ace Roy Halladay.

Uggla hit a tiebreaking home run off Halladay in the eighth inning to cap a productive afternoon, and Atlanta beat Philadelphia 3-2 on Sunday to win twice in the three-game series.

Uggla, who began the day hitting only .196, had two hits and a walk and scored each of the Braves’ runs. It was his first multihit game since having three hits against Milwaukee on May 4.

“You see how bad I’ve been scuffling so far this year,” Uggla said. “It feels good to be able to feel like you contributed.”

Uggla came to the Braves in an offseason trade with Florida. Atlanta was looking for a right-handed power bat in the middle of lineup.

“It just helps you feel more a part of the team,” Uggla said. “I already do. The guys have made me feel welcome. Even so, you still want to do your part.”

Uggla hit a 3-2 pitch from Halladay for his seventh homer, barely clearing the wall in left-center to lead off the eighth. It was only the second homer given up by Halladay this season.

“Uggla’s been struggling,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He stays at it. He kept swinging until he hit one. When he gets going, he gives them some big pop in the middle of their lineup.”

Ernie Banks, Morgan Freeman and Carlos Santana received Beacon Awards and Hank Aaron was honored before baseball’s annual Civil Rights Game.

Freddie Freeman drove in two runs for Atlanta, Jonny Venters (3-0) pitched a perfect eighth and Craig Kimbrel recorded the final three outs for his 10th save.

Pinch-hitter Ben Francisco led off the ninth with a walk, and he moved to second with two outs on a wild pitch. Kimbrel ended the game on Jimmy Rollins’ soft fly ball to left field.

John Mayberry had a two-run homer for Philadelphia.

Halladay (5-3) gave up eight hits and three runs in eight innings, striking out seven with a pair of walks.

The Braves won two of three from the Phillies for the second time in 10 days after winning a series in Philadelphia on May 6-8.

“It keeps us inching to where we want to be,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “We’re not there right now.”

Tim Hudson pitched seven strong innings and combined with Venters and Kimbrel on a four-hitter.

“Our hitting’s got to pick up,” Manuel said. “We’ll find somebody. We’ll look until we find somebody.”

Hudson had an injury scare in the fourth when he slipped and appeared to hurt his right leg trying to spring off the mound and cover first on Ryan Howard’s grounder to Uggla at second base.

He remained in the game after taking warmup throws as Gonzalez watched.

“He felt his hip pop,” Gonzalez said. “When he came off he just said ‘That was old age.’ ”

The 35-year-old Hudson pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks, one shy of his career high. He struck out three.

The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, when Uggla singled and scored on Freeman’s infield hit. The Phillies answered in the sixth when Placido Polanco led off with a walk and scored on Mayberry’s line-drive homer to left-center with two outs.

Atlanta tied it at 2 in the sixth. Uggla walked, moved to on Eric Hinske’s single to right and scored on Freeman’s sacrifice fly.

Notes

• 3B Chipper Jones was a late scratch with a sore right knee. Brooks Conrad replaced him in Atlanta’s lineup.
• he Braves placed RHP Brandon Beachy on the DL with a strained oblique and recalled RHP Scott Proctor from Triple-A Gwinnett.
• Phillies GM Ruben Amaro said he doesn’t think CF Shane Victorino, who left Saturday’s game with a sore right hamstring, will be placed on the DL. Victorino did not play Sunday as Michael Martinez made his second start in center field.
• C Carlos Ruiz singled in the second to end an 0-for-26 slump.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

There is the quick update of the day.

By the end of the weekend, the Phillies will have played at least two series against each of their National League East rivals and three series against the Atlanta Braves, the team considered the biggest threat to deny them a fifth straight division title.

We’ve learned from the first six weeks that the division is improved, but there is no reason to believe either the Braves or the Florida Marlins are ready to dethrone the Phillies as NL East champs.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Philadelphia’s injury list was far too long for Charlie Manuel before Shane Victorino joined the line.

Now the Phillies’ manager is left to hope the team’s latest injury is not serious.

Martin Prado homered and drove in three runs, Jair Jurrjens took a perfect game into the sixth and the Atlanta Braves beat the Phillies 5-3 on Saturday.

Victorino was 0 for 3, ending his 15-game hitting streak. He left the game in the eighth with a sore right hamstring and will not play in Sunday’s final game of the series, according to manager Manuel.

“We’ve got guys falling like flies,” Manuel said.

The Phillies already are without second baseman Chase Utley, closer Brad Lidge, outfielder Domonic Brown and right-hander Roy Oswalt.

The Phillies do not believe Victorino’s injury will force him to the disabled list.

“It’s sore, but I don’t think it’s that bad,” Victorino said.

He said he’s never had a hamstring injury but hopes he’ll be back in the lineup after a couple days off.

Jurrjens (5-0) beat the Phillies for the second time in a week, following a 5-2 win in Philadelphia on Sunday. He gave up three hits and three runs, two earned, in 7 1-3 innings.

Jurrjens, who opened the season on the disabled list with a right oblique strain, has not allowed more than two earned runs in six starts.

Prado and Nate McLouth hit back-to-back homers in the first inning for the only runs allowed by Joe Blanton (1-2) in five innings.

Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

Prado has six homers, including three in the last five games — one of them a grand slam. He added a two-run single in the sixth inning against Philadelphia.

Prado, Atlanta’s leadoff hitter, pulled Blanton’s second pitch of the game into the left-field seats. Only three pitches late, McLouth cleared the center-field wall to give the Braves back-to-back home runs for the first time this season.

The 2-0 lead stood until the sixth, when pinch-hitter Michael Martinez ended Jurrjens’ perfect game with a two-out single to right field. Jimmy Rollins followed with a run-scoring double but was caught in a run-down between second and third to end the inning.

Jurrjens was backed by the Braves’ strong defense. In the sixth, Wilson Valdez hit a grounder off Jurrjens’ foot that bounced toward second base. Dan Uggla made the barehanded scoop and threw out Valdez at first.

Ryan Howard hit a long drive off Jurrjens in the seventh, but McLouth made a running catch at the wall in center field to end the inning.

A controversial call by second-base umpire Gary Darling helped the Braves score three runs in the sixth. J.C. Romero issued a one-out walk to Uggla before Freddie Freeman hit a grounder that Rollins fielded at shortstop while running toward third base. He threw to second base, and Darling called Uggla safe.

Manuel came out of the dugout to argue that Rollins’ throw beat Uggla to the bag. Freeman was credited with an infield hit.

“He was totally out,” Manuel said. “Not even close. I can’t believe he didn’t see it because he’s standing right there. He had a tremendous view of it.”

Darling’s call proved crucial when Uggla scored from third on a two-out squeeze by David Ross against Kyle Kendrick, who slipped while attempting to field the ball. Ross, credited with a hit, moved to second when Kendrick walked Jurrjens. Prado followed with a two-run single to center for a 5-1 lead.

The Phillies scored two runs in the eighth. Raul Ibanez walked and scored on a double by Valdez, who moved to third on a passed ball by David Ross and scored on pinch-hitter John Mayberry’s groundout.

Each team wore Negro Leagues throwback uniforms — Atlanta Black Crackers and Philadelphia Stars — as part of the Civil Rights Game weekend.

For Sunday’s Civil Rights Game at Turner Field, the teams will wear throwback uniforms from 1974, the year Atlanta’s Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career record with his 715th home run.

NOTES: Jurrjens struck out six and issued one walk. … Braves RF Jason Heyward missed his fourth straight start with inflammation in his right shoulder but entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth. … RHP Brandon Beachy was examined by a team doctor for an oblique injury he sustained Friday night. The rookie likely will be placed on the DL. … The Braves plan to recall RHP Scott Proctor from Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday. The move was planned before Beachy’s injury.

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Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.