Phillies at Braves
The Philadelphia Phillies endured a rough June in which it went 11-16 and tumbled out of first place in the National League East, but are optimistic after winning five of their past seven games entering Tuesday’s road series opener at the division-leading Atlanta Braves. Philadelphia pitching struggled throughout the month, posting a 5.63 ERA that ranked 28th in the majors while its relief corps pitched to a 6.62 ERA as opponents slashed .317/.389/.579.
Right fielder Bryce Harper, who has slumped at times during the first year of his 13-year contract, homered and drove in four runs in Sunday’s 13-6 victory at Miami - moving him within one homer of 200 for his career and one hit shy of 1,000. The Braves completed a 10-game, three-city road trip at 6-4 but let a victory get away Sunday night at the Mets, as the bullpen allowed five runs in the eighth inning of an 8-5 defeat. The Braves enjoyed a productive month, moving from three games behind the Phillies in the East to 5 1/2 games in front by winning 20 of 28 games in June and hitting a franchise-record 56 homers. First baseman Freddie Freeman set a club record with his 33rd RBI of the month in Sunday’s loss, and is seventh in the NL in hitting (.312) and homers (22), while sitting third in RBIs (65) entering the week.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Aaron Nola (6-2, 4.22 ERA) vs. Braves LH Dallas Keuchel (1-1, 5.06)
Nola gets the nod in the series opener after his most dominant start of the season - seven shutout innings of one-hit pitching with one walk and 10 strikeouts against the New York Mets on Thursday. The 26-year-old also fanned 10 in his previous start on June 21 against Miami, allowing one earned run in eight innings, after he began June by surrendering 14 earned runs in 16 1/3 frames. Nola surrendered five runs over 4 1/3 innings against Atlanta in a no-decision on June 15, and began his season by holding the Braves to one run on two hits with five walks and eight strikeouts across six innings on March 28.
Keuchel picked up his first victory in his second start with Atlanta on June 26 at Chicago, allowing three runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of a 5-3 win over the Cubs. The 31-year-old, who signed with the Braves on June 7 and pitched in two minor-league tune-up starts, gave up four runs (three earned) in his Atlanta debut on June 21 at Washington, losing 4-3. Keuchel is 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA in two career starts against the Phillies, but has not faced Philadelphia since 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta placed RHP Anthony Swarzak (right shoulder inflammation) on the injured list before Sunday’s game, a big blow considering he has a 0.52 ERA in 17 appearances since being acquired from Seattle.
2. Phillies C J.T. Realmuto, named to the NL All-Star team Sunday, was removed from the series finale at Miami in the sixth inning for precautionary reasons after tweaking his left hamstring.
3. Philadelphia outscored the Braves 23-11 in sweeping the season-opening series in March, but Atlanta scored 29 runs in winning two of three at home against the Phillies on June 14-16.