Arrieta, Phillies shut down Braves
Jake Arrieta struck out seven in 6 2/3 sharp innings and Carlos Santana’s swinging bunt broke a scoreless tie as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 Wednesday night.
The Phillies took two of three to win their first series against the NL East-leading Braves in four tries this year and closed to within a halfgame of first place in the division.
Arrieta (4-2) allowed seven hits and lowered his ERA to 2.45. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner showed exactly why the Phillies are paying him $30 million this season.
Seranthony Dominguez retired the four batters he faced after entering with runners on second and third in the seventh inning. Hector Neris pitched the ninth to complete the eight-hitter.
Braves starter Luiz Gohara (0-1) gave up two runs and four hits in four innings.
Gohara retired the first two batters in the third inning before Rhys Hoskins walked, Odubel Herrera reached on an infield single and Aaron Altherr walked to load the bases. Santana beat out a slow roller to third to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead.
That’s all Arrieta and the bullpen needed.
Arrieta escaped a jam in the second inning after the Braves put runners on second and third with no outs. Ender Inciarte led off with a single and Johan Camargo hit a double, but Dansby Swanson grounded out to third, Gohara struck out and Ozzie Albies bounced to first.
Cesar Hernandez had an RBI single in the fourth, Maikel Franco added an RBI double in the fifth and pinch-hitter Nick Williams notched an RBI double in the eighth.
The Braves are 7-5 vs. the Phillies this year, but the teams won’t play again until they meet seven times in September during the final two weeks of the regular season.
Atlanta heads to Boston for a three-game interleague series. The Braves will start left-hander Sean Newcomb (5-1, 1.29) on the mound in tonight’s opener. It will be his first appearance against the Red Sox.