LDN - Sports

Kemp carries Braves past Phillies

[September 03, 2016] PHILADELPHIA -- The Atlanta Braves might have the worst record in the National League, but thanks to some clutch hitting in the middle of their lineup, they're now one of baseball's hottest teams.

"We know we have a pretty bad record," Braves left fielder Matt Kemp said after hitting a three-run homer and finishing with four RBIs in Friday night's come-from-behind 8-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

"But we want to feed off these last two months, especially September, and try to carry that over into next year."

The Braves (52-83) have won five straight games and Kemp, who bats cleanup, and first baseman Freddie Freeman, who bats third, are two big reasons. Freeman, who delivered the winning single in a four-run ninth inning, leads the Braves with 28 home runs. Kemp is right behind him with 27.

"I never feel we're out of a ballgame," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "About the time you do, it's like 'wham, wham, wham!' We're knocking on the door."

The Phillies (60-74) have now lost four in a row and six of their last seven. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead on a three-run homer by catcher A.J. Ellis but saw the Braves tie it in the fifth and break it open in the ninth.

Phillies reliever Jeanmar Gomez allowed two runs and four hits and was removed without retiring a batter. Gomez, who fell to 2-3 with the loss, was charged with all four runs by the Braves.

"I don't think he's tired," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It's the last month, everybody gets a little bit tired, but I don't see that."

The Braves opened the top of the ninth with back-to-back singles by center fielder Ender Inciarte and third baseman Adonis Garcia before Freeman gave Atlanta its first lead of the game with an RBI double. Kemp followed with an RBI single and the Braves made it 8-4 on RBIs from right fielder Nick Markakis and catcher Tyler Flowers.

The Phillies threatened in the eighth when third baseman Maikel Franco and first baseman Ryan Howard opened the inning with singles, but Braves reliever Mauricio Cabrera (3-0) wriggled out of the jam by striking out the side with some hard heat.

"Anybody that hits 103 (mph) is pretty impressive," Kemp said of Cabrera. "There's only one other guy who can hit 103 and that's (Aroldis) Chapman. I haven't seen a righty hit 103, so that's pretty cool."

Both starting pitchers left the game with the score tied at 4 and received no decisions.

Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson (104 pitches) allowed four runs and five hits in six innings to remain 10-8 this season, and Braves starter Joel De La Cruz (0-7) surrendered four runs and six hits in five innings and failed to pick up his first win of the season.

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"I'd like to have that one back," Hellickson said of Kemp's home run. "Just a curveball that stayed in the zone too long.

"The guys give me a four-run lead. That's got to stand. For me to make that mistake in that situation definitely overshadows the rest of the game. It doesn't really matter what I did in the other 17 outs. Guys give me a 4-0 lead we have to win that game."

The Phillies opened the scoring on an RBI double by Howard in the first inning. Howard lined a pitch from De La Cruz down the left-field line, scoring second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who began the inning with a walk and moved to second on a groundout.

The double marked Ryan's 46th RBI of the season and was his 25th extra-base hit in his last 42 hits.

The Phils pushed their lead to 4-0 in the second when Ellis belted a first-pitch, three-run shot into the right-field seats for his second homer of the season. Phillies left fielder Darin Ruf, who had singled, and shortstop Freddy Galvis, who had doubled, trotted home ahead of Ellis to give Hellickson an early cushion.

Thanks to two fine defensive plays by Hernandez in the first two innings, Hellickson carried a two-hit shutout into the fifth but saw that shutout and the Phillies'lead disappear.

After an infield single by Inciarte chased home shortstop Gordon Beckham, who opened the inning with a double, Hellickson walked first baseman Freddie Freeman. With two on and two out, Hellickson got ahead of Kemp with two strikes, but Kemp reached down to hit an ankle-high changeup into the deepest part of the ballpark for his 27th home run of the season, tying the score at 4.

NOTES: Phillies 1B Ryan Howard was back in the starting lineup, three days after Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin said he planned on reducing Howard's playing time in September. Howard entered the game hitting .303 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs since the All-Star break. ... Before the game, the Braves reinstated RHP Williams Perez from the 60-day disabled list Perez is 2-2 in nine appearances for the Braves this season with a 4.62 ERA. ... The weekend series between the Phillies and Braves continues Saturday night when Atlanta RHP John Gant (1-3, 4.59 ERA) faces Phillies RHP Vince Velasquez (8-6, 4.21 ERA).

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