ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves have the worst record in the majors, but they managed to take two games of four games from the Phillies at Turner Field.
The Braves won Sunday’s game, 2-1, on the strength of a two-run homer by Jeff Francoeur in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Andrew Bailey gave up the homer and took the loss for the Phils, who went 4-6 on their 10-game road trip.
The Phillies received a tough break in the game when a weather delay in the sixth inning forced Jerad Eickhoff to leave the game after he’d cruised for five innings.
The Phils are 48-59.
The Braves are 37-68.
MLB
Starting pitching report
Eickhoff pitched five scoreless innings and gave up just two singles. The right-hander cruised through those five innings on 51 pitches, but was lifted after sitting through a long top of the sixth and a 24-minute rain delay before the start of the bottom of the sixth.
The Braves used their bullpen to get through the game. Starter Joel De La Cruz pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings and gave up just three hits.
Bullpen report
Bailey allowed three hits, two walks and two runs in the seventh.
Atlanta’s bullpen allowed just one run in 4 2/3 innings.
Mauricio Cabrera got the win. Jim Johnson got the save.
At the plate
The Phillies got on the board when Jimmy Parades clouted a solo homer in the top of the eighth.
The Phils had just five hits.
Francoeur’s homer was his seventh and first at home for the Braves this season.
Health check
Jeremy Hellickson said his sore right hand was feeling better. He suffered a bruise on the hand when he was jammed by a pitch while batting in Saturday night’s game. He remains a strong candidate to be traded (see story).
Up next
Monday is an off day for the players, but the front office will be working the phones until the 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.
The Phillies open a quick three-game homestand against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. Here are the pitching matchups:
Tuesday night – RHP Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.23) vs. LHP Madison Bumgarner (10-6, 2.09)
Wednesday night – RHP Aaron Nola (6-9, 4.78) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (13-3, 2.63)
Thursday afternoon – RHP Vince Velasquez (8-3, 3.32) vs. RHP Jeff Samardzija (9-7, 4.30)