Atlanta, GA – Chris Johnson collected three RBI to back a solid start from Brandon Beachy, as the Atlanta Braves downed the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-3, Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series at Turner Field.
Jason Heyward smacked a solo homer and scored twice, while Freddie Freeman and Paul Janish plated a run apiece for the Braves, who claimed their sixth straight series victory by notching their 17th win in their last 19 games.
"I don't know how long it's been since we lost a series," Janish said. "I think that's the key going into every series, especially at this point of the year. If you can win series from here on out, you're in good shape."
Beachy (2-0) held the Phillies to two runs on six hits while striking out four without issuing a walk to earn his second straight win.
Philadelphia starter John Lannan (3-6) failed to make it out of the second inning and was charged for five runs on four hits and three walks over 1 1/3 frames before leaving with a left knee sprain.
"I felt strong throwing in the outfield, and then it just kind of wears down on me," Lannan said of his knee. "There's really nothing I can do about it. Every time I push off, there is a pain there in the knee."
Domonic Brown launched a two-run homer among his three hits and Darin Ruf added a solo shot for the Phillies, who wrapped up a six-game road trip at 1-5.
A nearly two-hour rain delay prior to the first pitch seemed to affect Lannan's rhythm, as Heyward sent the left-hander's third offering over the wall in left-center to make it 1-0.
Justin Upton followed with a walk and Freeman singled before both runners moved up a base on Evan Gattis' fly out to the warning track in right.
Brown then made a diving grab in left-center on a Johnson blooper, but Upton was able to trot home for a 2-0 lead.
Lannan ran into trouble again in the second, as he walked Beachy with one out before Heyward scorched a sharp grounder that ate up Cody Asche at third and trickled into left, allowing Heyward to race into second with a double.
Lannan then walked Upton to load the bases before being lifted after tossing 45 pitches. Zach Miner took over on the mound and served up a sacrifice fly to Freeman to push the margin to 3-0 before plunking Gattis. Johnson then laced a single back up the middle to plate two more runs for a 5-0 cushion.
The Phillies finally broke through against Beachy in the sixth when Michael Young smacked a leadoff single and Brown followed two batters later with a towering drive to right-center to bring the visitors within 5-2.
Atlanta added an insurance run in the seventh when Andrelton Simmons led off with a ground-rule double, moved to third on a fly out and scored on Janish's sacrifice fly to right-center.
Ruf led off the ninth with a homer off David Carpenter, who then walked Asche to end his outing, as closer Craig Kimbrel was called in from the bullpen.
Kimbrel made quick work of the Phillies, as he fanned John Mayberry, flied out Carlos Ruiz and grounded out pinch-hitter Kevin Frandsen to secure his 38th save of the season.
Game Notes
Atlanta second baseman Tyler Pastornicky left the game in the fourth inning with a sprained left knee ... Beachy improved to 1-3 in nine career meetings with Philadelphia ... The Phillies finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.
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