The Sports Xchange
Aug 28, 2017
PHILADELPHIA -- Aaron Nola returned to form with seven strong innings and added an RBI single as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 6-1 on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.
It was the sixth win in the past 10 games for the Phillies (49-81), who have the worst record in the major leagues. They improved to 12-2 against their division rival this season and have won each of the past seven matchups against the Braves (57-72).
There was no home run Monday by Rhys Hoskins, the Phillies rookie who was quicker than anybody in major league history to 10 homers, hitting 11 in his first 18 games.
However, the sweet-swinging righty did come up with two hits, He drove in the go-ahead run -- his 25th RBI since an Aug. 10 call-up -- in the seventh inning, when he followed up Nick Williams' double with one of his own to put the Phillies up 2-1.
Maikel Franco followed two batters later with a single to left, scoring Hoskins.
That was enough to back Nola (10-9), who allowed one run on five hits to earn his second win of the month.
The Phillies' projected ace of the future struggled in his previous two outings, giving up 12 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings in a pair of losses. However, his fastball-curveball combination frustrated the Braves to the tune of six strikeouts and no walks.
Only two Atlanta hitters got past first base.
Nola also got the Phillies on the board in the third inning, singling in Pedro Florimon after the center fielder tripled to lead off the inning. It was the second career RBI for Nola and first since his second career start back on July 26, 2015.
It took until the sixth inning for the Braves to equalize.
Brandon Phillips, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a fourth-inning single, singled home Dansby Swanson, who had led off the sixth with a double. That made it a 1-1 game.
Lucas Sims (2-4) took the loss for the Braves. The rookie, making his sixth career start, acquitted himself well, holding the Phillies to four hits and one run through the first five innings.
Sims departed with one out in the seventh, having given up eight hits and four runs. He fanned seven and walked one.
Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp added a solo home run, his 14th of the season, to lead off the seventh inning. Rupp also drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning, and pinch hitter Andres Blanco followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.
NOTES: The series continues on Tuesday night, as Phillies RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (2-3, 3.86 ERA) goes against Braves RHP R.A. Dickey (8-8, 4.06 ERA). ... The Phillies are now 26-25 against the rest of the NL East this season, with 26 games remaining against the division. They haven't had a winning record in their division since 2011, the last of nine consecutive years with a winning mark vs. NL East foes. ... Braves 2B Brandon Phillips is one hit away from 2,000 for his career. ... Atlanta is a season-worst 15 games under .500.