 a loss in the bottom half. With two out and the bases loaded, Adam Duvall ended the game with a single back up the middle.On the play before Duvall's hit, the winning run was wiped out by a video review. Shortstop Didi Gregorius threw home on Travis d'Arnaud's grounder. Umpire Chad Whitson called pinch runner Alex Jackson safe before a review showed catcher J. T. Realmuto tagged the plate.Harper also hit the second-longest homer of his career in the first inning of the Phillies' fifth consecutive loss. His sacrifice fly in the ninth drove in Neil Walker, who slid in safely despite a strong throw by rookie left fielder Cristian Pache.It was the first blown lead in five tries for Braves closer Mark Melancon.Hector Neris, whose role as Philadelphia's closer is in question, gave up two hits, including a run-scoring single by Marcell Ozuna, and a walk to open the eighth.Adams' double down the left-field line drove in Freddie Freeman and Ozuna, who scored the go-ahead run from first.The Phillies' slumping bullpen wasted a strong start by Zack Wheeler, who allowed two runs in seven innings.Harper's two-run shot off Robbie Erlin in the first traveled an estimated 470 feet, landing deep in the seats in right-center. The homer, Harper's seventh, drove in Rhys Hoskins, who walked.It was the second-longest homer at Truist Park, which was known as SunTrust Park when it opened in 2017. The New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton hit a 477-foot homer off R. A. Dickey on Aug. 4, 2017.It also was Harper's second-longest homer, as tracked by Statcast. While with Washington, Harper hit a 473-foot homer off the Phillies' Nick Pivetta on May 4, 2018, at Nationals Park.Wheeler allowed five hits and set a season high with eight strikeouts.Andrew McCutchen connected for Philadelphia in the seventh, going deep against Grant Dayton. But Austin Riley responded with a two-run shot off Wheeler in the bottom half, cutting Philadelphia's lead to 4-2.The Phillies added Workman, Heath Hembree and David Hale to their 28-man roster before the game. They were acquired in a pair of trades Friday.TRAINER'S ROOMPhillies: OF Jay Bruce (left quad strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Friday. Manager Joe Girardi said Bruce could only run at 50 or 60% percent and needs the time off ''so he can be a complete player for us.'' Braves: Ronald Acuna Jr. (left wrist inflammation) will be checked on Sunday after taking swings and doing other work with the team during batting practice. ''Everything went really well,'' said manager Brian Snitker, who said Acuna may take more swings Sunday if he has no discomfort from Saturday's work. ... Snitker said 2B Ozzie Albies (bone contusion in right wrist) is ''feeling really good'' and may take batting practice on Monday.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Zach Eflin (0-1, 5.14 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season in Sunday night's final game of the series.Braves: RHP Josh Tomlin (1-0, 2.35 ERA) will make his second start of the season following eight relief appearances.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Braves' Erlin faces Phillies, eyes continued successBraves left-hander Robbie Erlin will be matched against the Philadelphia Phillies' Zack Wheeler, a right-hander who was born and raised in the Atlanta area, in Saturday's middle game of a three-game series at Atlanta.The Braves won the opener 11-2 on Friday and have won three of five meetings between the two clubs this year.Erlin (0-0, 5.40 ERA) was released by the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates three weeks ago and selected off waivers by Atlanta on Aug. 7.After one relief appearance, Erlin started against Miami on Sunday and fired four scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing only one hit in a 4-0 win. A similar outing would cement his spot in the rotation."A lot of credit goes to (catcher Tyler Flowers) back there," Erlin said. "Just taking control of the game, incorporating the reports on how I like to pitch. Everything was great. I tried to really just throw the ball into his glove. Easy as that." "That was nice," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said after Erlin's first start. "He's a strike-thrower who can change speeds. I thought he looked pretty good."Had some good changeups, a little funky delivery. I think his fastball plays off that. Just the ability to throw the ball over the plate is so refreshing here." The Braves opted to skip the starts scheduled for Kyle Wright, who was sent to the alternate training camp on Thursday, and Touki Toussaint, instead opting to use Erlin and Josh Tomlin in the final two games of the Philadelphia series.Erlin has made six career appearances against Philadelphia, three of them starts. He is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 24 innings against the Phillies. He faced them in his Atlanta debut on Aug. 10 and gave up four runs, including three home runs, in 2 2/3 innings.Wheeler (3-0, 2.81 ERA) is living up to the high expectations that came when he signed as a free agent in the offseason.In his latest start on Sunday, Wheeler defeated the New York Mets -- his team for the previous seven seasons -- by pitching seven innings and allowing two runs on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts. He has been a workhorse, pitching no fewer than 5 2/3 innings in any of his four starts."It's kind of always been my thing, get ahead, stay ahead and just get quick outs so you can go deep in games," Wheeler said. "When I first came up in the big leagues, all the older guys were telling me you want to go seven innings or more, and so that kind of always stuck with me. That was always my goal." Wheeler will be making his first appearance of the season against Atlanta. He made 14 starts against the Braves while a member of the Mets, going 6-5 with 4.04 ERA.Wheeler made his major league debut against Atlanta in 2013. Last season he was 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA in four starts against the Braves.The Phillies will have a new-look pitching staff for the rest of the series.Right-hander David Hale was obtained Friday from the New York Yankees in exchange for right-hander Addison Ross. Philadelphia also acquired right-handed pitchers Brandon Workman, a possible closer, and Heath Hembree from Boston for two right-handers, Nick Pivetta and minor-leaguer Connor Seabold.--Field Level Media
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