The Atlanta Braves hit four home runs to win a key series against the Philadelphia Phillies

ATLANTA (AP) — Reynaldo López pitched six strong innings and the Atlanta Braves hit four home runs in a 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Lopez (7-2) lowered his league-best ERA to 1.71, allowing just two hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

Adam Duvall, Jarred Kelenic and Matt Olson all homered in a five-run second inning off Phillies rookie Michael Mercado, and Eli White added a solo home run in the sixth inning.

Mercado (1-1), making just his second career start, failed to get out of the second inning, lasting just 1 2/3 innings and allowing just five runs, five hits and three walks.

Kelenic went 1 for 3 with three RBIs and Duval went 3 for 4 with a double and a single to go with his home run. White, who started the game 0 for 7 since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, went 2 for 3 with two runs scored.

The Braves have won two of the first three series of the season between the National League East rivals. Both teams have seven regular-season games remaining. The Phillies have eliminated the Braves in the playoffs in the last two series.

Philadelphia reliever Tyler Phillips made his major league debut and allowed one run in four innings. He struck out the first four Braves he faced and allowed the home run to White. Phillips allowed one run and three hits while striking out seven.

The Braves loaded the bases with three walks in the first inning but didn’t score. That changed in the second when Duvall led off with a home run to left field. After singles by Orlando Arcia and White, Kelenic hit a three-run home run from 427 feet away to make it 4-0. Olson added a solo home run later in the inning.

Pierce Johnson hit Trea Turner in the helmet with a curveball in the eighth inning, but Turner stayed in the game.

FOLLOWING

Phillies: Right-hander Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.74 ERA) will face Dodgers right-hander Bobby Miller (1-1, 6.12 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series between the division leaders in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Braves: Left-hander Chris Sale (11-3, 2.71 ERA) will likely face Diamondbacks rookie Yilber Diaz, who will make his major league debut in the opener of a four-game series at Arizona on Monday.

___

AP Major League Baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb