By GEORGE HENRY Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — Brian McCann capped Atlanta’s three-run ninth inning with a two-run single off Héctor Neris, and the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-8 on Friday night for their eighth straight win.
Atlanta improved to 23-9 since May 10 and opened a 2 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia in the NL East. It was the first game between the division rivals since the Phillies swept three games from the Braves in late March.
Most of the sellout crowd of 41,975, the largest of the season at SunTrust Park, stood on its feet after Dansby Swanson led off the ninth with a single. Nick Markakis walked with two outs, and Swanson scored on rookie Austin Riley’s single.
McCann then reached down and drove an opposite-field single into the gap in left-center, giving him 1,000 RBIs for his career.
Neris (1-3) was 15 for 15 in save chances this year, but couldn’t find the formula on his 30th birthday. He recorded two outs and allowed three hits in Philadelphia’s fourth loss in five games.
Jerry Blevins (1-0) pitched the ninth for the win.
Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins each hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, and Scott Kingery added a solo drive.
Philadelphia dropped to 34-7 this season when scoring at least four runs. It had won 15 of its last 17 previous such games.
Harper, booed all night long, put Philadelphia up 3-1 in the third with his 12th homer, which sailed into the Atlanta bullpen in right-center. Kingery’s eighth homer landed in the left-field seats in the fourth.
Hoskins’ 15th homer, coming off Dan Winkler, made it 7-2 in the seventh. Kingery, who went 3 for 4, doubled in the eighth and scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 8-4.
Phillies starter Nick Pivetta allowed four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Atlanta starter Max Fried was chased with two outs in the fifth. He was charged with five runs and seven hits, leaving him with a 7.52 ERA in his last four starts.
McCann and Josh Donaldson each hit a solo shot for the Braves. Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña Jr. each had two hits.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: RHP Seranthony Domínguez (right ulnar collateral ligament) decided not to have surgery and underwent a platelet injection instead. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (6-1, 4.58 ERA) is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts this month. He went 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA in six May starts. In 13 career starts against Atlanta, Nola is 8-3 with a 2.05 ERA.
Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (1-0, 2.59 ERA) will make his first start since getting recalled May 4 from Triple-A Gwinnett.
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