Braves hit four home runs to win series against Phillies

ATLANTA — After committing three errors and allowing 15 hits in Friday’s series-opening loss to the Phillies at Truist Park, the Braves looked like a different team the rest of the weekend.

Atlanta pitchers allowed just one run over the final 20 innings of the series and the Braves hit nine home runs — including four in a 6-0 victory Sunday afternoon — to earn a series win and move one game ahead of the East leaders. The Braves (49-39) now sit eight games behind the division-leading Phillies (58-32) after outscoring them 17-7 over the weekend.

“It was a good series,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We came into the series wanting to win every day. We were down a run. We’ve bounced back pretty well the last few days.”

Reynaldo López improved to 7-2 with a solid six-inning scoreless performance in which he allowed two hits and walked three while striking out six. López lowered his ERA to an MLB-best 1.71.

A five-pitch first inning set the tone for Lopez’s start.

“Fortunately, everything went well today,” López said through his interpreter Franco García. “I felt like my pitches were working, which is good. We achieved the goal, which was to reach at least six innings, which obviously I haven’t been able to do in my last two outings.”

It was a short afternoon at the office for Phillies starting pitcher Michael Mercado, a rookie making his second MLB start. The right-hander escaped a first-inning mess in which he gave up three walks, but Mercado wasn’t so lucky in the second, when he gave up five runs on three big balls before being pulled with two outs.

Adam Duvall got the party started with a solo home run, then Orlando Arcia and Eli White singled to set up Jarred Kelenic’s three-run home run. Matt Olson finished the inning scoring with a solo home run.

The three circuits covered over 400 feet and a combined distance of 1,259 feet.

“He was struggling a little bit to find his zone,” Olson said. “Kelenic had a big swing. (Duvall) was able to get things moving a little bit when (Mercado) was in the zone. We were able to be a little selective when he was crazy early in the inning. It was a good inning.”

Mercado, who entered the game with a 1.50 ERA, allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and one strikeout in 1 2-thirds innings. His ERA climbed to 7.04.

The Braves provided their starters with early run support Saturday and Sunday. Atlanta’s fifth run in the second inning Sunday came after allowing Spencer Schwellenbach to score three runs in the first inning Saturday.

“It definitely helps me (having an early lead),” Lopez said. “I feel like it takes some of the stress out of the game and allows me to not get too comfortable working around the zone. Once I got that (five-point) cushion, I was like, ‘It’s time to start attacking and living in the middle of the zone.’”

Duvall hit 3-for-4 with a double, a single and his aforementioned home run. His seventh home run of the season was his first against a right-handed pitcher.

“He’s a great bat,” Snitker said. “He’s got good passes to the ball, he’s hitting breaking balls and stuff. It’s good to see because I know he’s been working really hard. When you have a guy like that, if you can get him in shape, he can do a lot of damage.”

White added a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Although Max Fried was roughed up for five runs on 11 hits Friday, Atlanta’s pitching staff – namely the bullpen – was brilliant against Philadelphia.

The Braves bullpen went nine innings and allowed three runs (one earned) with 12 strikeouts and just one walk.

“The bullpen continues to be really solid, all together,” Snitker said.

The Braves have won four of six games against the Phillies this season.

“It’s definitely a good feeling,” Lopez said of winning the series. “I wasn’t on the team last year, but I watched the playoffs and I know what happened. It’s a good feeling to have won both series so far. That’s kind of the expectation: If we have a rematch, we’ll win this series too.”