Altherr homers twice to rout Braves
PHILADELPHIA » Jake Thompson didn’t have time for nerves or negative thoughts.
Thompson pitched five scoreless innings in an emergency start and Aaron Altherr homered twice to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
Tommy Joseph and Cameron Rupp also homered and Freddy Galvis had three hits for the Phillies, who have scored 19 runs on seven homers and 14 extra-base hits while winning the last two.
Thompson (1-0) replaced Jeremy Hellickson, who was scratched an hour before the game.
“Usually when you have a start, you’re thinking about it for hours,” Thompson said. “I didn’t have time to actually think about it. Thankfully, I had enough time to get ready.
“I was just kind of hanging out in my chair and then they told me and I had to put on my cleats pretty quick. I really didn’t have time for much. I just grabbed my stuff and went out there and got ready.”
The Phillies did make a trade on Friday, dealing veteran infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick to Washington for a minor league pitcher.
Thompson, who the Phillies acquired from Texas in the 2015 trade that sent Cole Hamels to the Rangers, gave up five hits while striking out five and walking two. He was making his fourth appearance this season but first start since last September.
“He just threw good strikes,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. “He rose to the occasion and did a great job.”
The Braves Thompson.
“He did a good job on short notice like that. Tip your hat to him,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I don’t know if it was we hadn’t seen him that much. He was keeping us off balance because we weren’t swinging at him real good, I know that.”
The Phils scored seven runs on five hits, including three homers, in the fifth. Altherr and Rupp led off with back-to-back homers to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. After pinch-hitter Ty Kelly walked, Galvis lined a shot to right field. Nick Markakis made a diving attempt, but the ball went all the way to the wall. Kelly scored easily and Galvis scored when Brandon Phillips’ cutoff throw got past third baseman Freddie Freeman. had no answers for