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 Disappointing seasons came to a conclusion Sunday for both clubs
at Citizens Bank Park when the Braves beat the Phillies 2-1.
Now, it's the offseason -- instead of the playoffs -- for two teams
that have a combined eight postseason berths since 2007.
Atlanta (79-83) sat in first place of the National League East on
July 18, but staggered to the finish line, going a
major-league-worst 7-18 in September to complete its first losing
season since 2008.
"It's been hard, it's been difficult," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez
said of the season. "There's a lot of good things that happened and
we'll talk about it (Monday) when we get home, but it's always nice
to leave the place when we've won a series. It's been awhile since
we've won a series and it's nice to end the season on a positive."
Atlanta got to Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels (9-9) from the
onset, putting the first four batters aboard to score two runs in
the opening frame before going silent. But that was all it needed to
win Sunday and take two of three games from the Phillies this
weekend.
Sunday was a fitting end to Philadelphia's (73-89) season, wasting
another strong start by its ace to finish off the Phillies' first
last-place season in the National League East since 2000.
"Last place? It's the first time I've done it, I'll tell you that
much," shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. "It's not a place anyone wants
to be. But it is the place we ended up. And that's all I can say
about it."
After allowing the first four batters of the game to reach base,
Hamels retired 20 in a row before hitting right fielder Joey
Terdoslavich with a pitch in the top of the seventh inning. The
left-hander went eight innings and allowed two earned runs for the
loss. Since June 1, Hamels posted a 1.91 ERA, second-best in the
majors to only the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.38). However, the
offensively challenged Phillies went 15-15 in Hamels' 30 starts this
season.
"It's tough. It's not what you ever plan," Hamels said. "But you
just have to keep putting everything in the backburner and focusing
on the next start and hope things turn around. I think now it's the
hope that things will turn around next year."
Braves leadoff man and center fielder Emilio Bonifacio hit a solo
home run on the fourth pitch of the game to put Atlanta ahead 1-0.
The following three batters all reached with one scoring on an RBI
single by first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Freeman finished 2014 with 1,449 innings played to set the Braves
franchise record for most innings in a season. He played in all 162
games of the season.
"It's an accomplishment, personally," Freeman said. "Always wanted
to do that and never been able to have the chance. To stay healthy
all year and be able to grind out 162 games, it's definitely kind of
a nice little reward at the end of the season."
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Atlanta reliever James Russell made his first start since 2011 in
place of starter Alex Wood (mild left forearm strain). Russell gave
the Braves four innings of scoreless ball, allowing just two hits
before Luis Avilan (4-1) took over in the fifth to earn the win with
two scoreless innings.
Braves closer Craig Kimbrel saved his 47th game and his 26th in a
row, the longest active streak in the majors.
"The job James Russell did today and our bullpen was just
unbelievable," Freeman said. "That's an unbelievable job (Russell)
did. To be told last night that he's starting today, to come out and
do that and give us four innings, it's a big deal."
With runners on first and third and no outs in the eighth, center
fielder Ben Revere grounded into a double play, scoring
Philadelphia's only run of the day.
The Phillies have missed the playoffs the last three seasons after
winning the National League East the previous five.
"Rebuild was something we started this year," Rollins said, "and we
played like a rebuilding team in all honesty."
The Braves remained positive Sunday despite falling short of
expectations after winning the division last season.
"You can take something from it, it's a nice win going into the
offseason," Freeman said. "Everybody seemed to be out there playing
hard until the end of the season and that's what you want to do, you
don't want to give up and we definitely didn't do that this year."
NOTES: Braves OF Emilio Bonifacio hit his second career leadoff home
run. ... Phillies LHP Cole Hamels made his 30th start Sunday, giving
him 30 or more starts in seven consecutive seasons (2008-14), which
is the longest such streak by a Phillies pitcher since Hall of Famer
Steve Carlton did so in nine straight seasons from 1972-80. ...
Braves reliever LHP James Russell made just his sixth career start
and first since 2011, replacing LHP Alex Wood, who was originally
scheduled to start. The Braves announced Saturday that Wood would
miss his start because of a mild left forearm strain. According to
manager Fredi Gonzalez, the Braves do not believe it's serious and
pulled Wood for precautionary reasons.
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