Nola shines as winning streak hits 4
ATLANTA » Aaron Nola allowed a run over eight innings, Odubel Herrera doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth and the Philadelphia Phillies survived a ninth-inning scare to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Nola (3-3) earned his first win since April 20 and became the Phillies’ first starter to pitch past the seventh inning this season.
Nola spent almost a month on the disabled list with a lower back strain before losing his three decisions in May.
The Phillies have won four straight and are 5-0 against the Braves this season, including a three-game sweep at Philadelphia on April 21-23. Howie Kendrick had homer in the fourth. Hector Neris gave up one-out singles to Matt Kemp and Matt Adams in the ninth. Pat Neshek struck out Adonis Garcia and ended the game on Kurt Suzuki’s popup to catcher Cameron Rupp for his first save.
By winning their first two games at SunTrust Park, Philadelphia took back-to-back road wins for the first time this season.
Nola gave up five hits. His eight innings matched the longest start of his career.Cesar Hernandez led off the sixth with a double to left off Jaime Garcia (2-4) and scored on Herrera’s double to the right field corner for a 2-1 lead.
Herrera’s last nine hits have been for extra bases. He was 1 for 4, ending his streak of three straight games with two doubles, including a three hits, including two a homer.
Herrera moved to third on Kendrick’s single to right and scored on Garcia’s balk with straight with two doubles and Tommy Joseph at the plate.
Garcia allowed three runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings. The left-hander retired 11 consecutive batters to open the game before Kendrick’s two-out homer in the fourth tied it at 1. Kendrick’s homer, only his second, landed about three rows deep in the leftcenter seats.
The Braves scored a first-inning run when Brandon Phillips doubled and scored on a single to left field by Nick Markakis. Kendrick’s throw from left field was up the firstbase line, preventing a possible play at the plate.
Before the game, the Braves placed struggling right-hander Bartolo Colon on the 10day disabled list with a strain in his left side. The team recalled right-hander Jason Hursh from Double-A Mississippi to pitch in relief and has not named a replacement for Colon in Saturday’s doubleheader against the Mets. Hursh pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Herrera has 19 doubles. He began the night one double behind Colorado’s Nolan Arenado for the most in the majors.
UP NEXT
PHILLIES » RHP Jerad Eickhoff (0-6) will look for his first win of the season in Wednesday night’s game. Eickhoff is 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA in his last three starts. BRAVES » RHP Mike Foltynewicz is 2-1 with a 4.68 ERA in five career games, including four starts, against the Phillies. He allowed one run in seven innings and did not receive a decision in Atlanta’s 5-2 loss at Philadelphia on April 23.