Zach Eflin was dominant Wednesday night. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)
Final: Phillies 4, Braves 1
The Philadelphia Phillies (78-72) defeated the Atlanta Braves (93-60) to win their first series against Atlanta at SunTrust Park this season. With tonight’s win, the Phillies also clinch the season series against the Braves. The team temporarily sits 3.5 games back of the last NL Wild Card spot with 10 games to play.
A huge positive to take out of the 2019 season has been an all-around improvement defensively. That improvement was not on display tonight as the Phillies started the game with three errors in two innings. César Hernández began the second inning with his second throwing error in as many innings, allowing Nick Markakis to reach base safely. Matt Joyce followed up with a fly ball to left field. Adam Haseley tried to make the underhand grab, but could not come up with it. The ball sailed past him and the Braves had runners on first and third with nobody out. Brian McCann knocked in a a run on a fielder’s choice that scored Markakis.
Much has been made on Bryce Harper’s prior numbers against Braves starter Julio Teheran coming into this game. He came into this game with an OPS over 1.500 and seven home runs in 45 career at-bats against the 28-year-old. Harper knocked in his ninth round tripper against Teheran and his 32nd home run of the season to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead:
Death, taxes and Bryce Harper homers off Julio Teheran.
pic.twitter.com/j5JjisREGM— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) September 19, 2019
The offense ran Teheran out of the game in the sixth. Hernández redeemed himself after a couple of early miscues with a home-run into the Chop House in left, giving the Phillies a 3-1 lead. Another run would come in on a RBI walk from Jean Segura:
Can I interest you in some fine dining?
pic.twitter.com/DzIij5MpPm— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) September 19, 2019
Phillies starter Zach Eflin dominated Braves hitters throughout the game, silencing the Chop. He would pitch seven strong innings, giving the overworked Phillies bullpen some much needed rest. José Álvarez and Héctor Neris pitched two scoreless innings. Álvarez and Neris, who have established themselves as the two most reliable arms out of the bullpen throughout the season, combined to strike out four Braves hitter in route to a second straight Phillies victory.
It’ll be a battle of the aces tomorrow afternoon in Cobb County as Aaron Nola will face Mike Soroka in the matinee series finale. With tonight’s victory, the Phillies will also avoid seeing the Braves clinch the NL East at home for the second consecutive season.
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance
Zach Eflin: 7.0 IP, 5H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 4SO
Julio Teheran: 5.0 IP, 3H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 6SO
Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Zach Eflin
It’s highly unlikely, but if the Phillies find themselves in the NL Wild Card game with Aaron Nola unavailable to pitch, Zach Eflin should get the nod. He surely made the case to his manager tonight as he threw a gem against a team he struggled against for much of this season. When Eflin is on his game, he is inducing a ton of ground balls. The 25-year-old induced 13 ground balls in total tonight and bailed out his teammates when they struggled in the field. While the rest of the rotation has struggled through this last month of the season, Eflin seems to be finding his groove once again.
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