PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Backup catcher Rafael Marchán hit a two-run homer, drove in the go-ahead run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and caught two runners stealing, helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 in in a doubleheader opener Thursday.
Phillies star Bryce Harper was did not play in the opener and was not in the starting lineup for the second game, two days after he was hit on the right elbow by a 95.3 mph pitch from Spencer Strider. The NL East-leading Phillies won for the 23rd time 29 games and dealt the Braves their sixth loss in seven games.
Jordan Romano walked three and allowed a single in the ninth before Eli White took a slider on the low, outside corner for a game-ending called third strike, giving the closer his eighth save in 10 chances.
Marchán put the Phillies ahead 2-0 in the third scored with a headfirst slide on Trea Turner’s fifth-inning infield single. He was nicked on a shin protector by a bounced slider from Daysbel Hernández (3-1).
Marchán threw out Fairchild for the final out of the fourth and Ozzie Albies for the first out of the ninth, both on attempts to steal second.
José Ruiz (1-0) retired Nick Allen on a groundout to strand a runner on second in the eighth.
Sean Murphy homered and had an RBI single, and Ronald Acuña Jr. had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Braves. Acuña entered in the fourth after Fairchild appeared to hurt a finger on his right hand during a slide.
Braves starter A.J. Smith-Shawver left with a strained right elbow in the third, one batter after taking a 96.6 mph line drive off his right ankle, a ball hit by Bryson Stott. The 22-year-old right-hander appeared to say “pop” toward Brian Snitker, and the manager said: “It doesn’t look good.”
Key moment
Kyle Schwarber homered off Pierce Johnson for a 4-2 lead in the seventh, his 19th home run this season, one batter after the right-hander relieved lefty Aaron Bummer.
Key stat
Harper had started the Phillies first 54 games.
Up Next
Braves LHP Chris Sale (2-3, 3.36 ERA) and Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (6-1, 2.42) in the second game, Sale won last year's NL Cy Young Award and Wheeler finished second in voting,
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Anthony Sanfilippo, The Associated Press
