By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: | Updated:
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Kyle Schwarber scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on Alec Bohm´s sacrifice fly and the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Friday night.
Schwarber, who became the 21st player in major league history to hit four home runs in a game on Thursday, hit a one-out single in this one, went to third on Bryce Harper´s single off Dylan Lee (2-4) and scored on Bohm´s flyout to right field off Pierce Johnson.
Jhoan Duran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save in nine chances since joining Philadelphia at the trade deadline, and 24th in 26 tries overall this season.
Orion Kerkering (7-4) tossed a scoreless eighth after Matt Strahm and David Robertson each didn´t allow a run in one inning. Phillies starter Ranger Suárez tied his season high with 10 hits allowed, but surrendered just one run – thanks in part to three inning-ending double plays.
A night after becoming the fourth Phillies player to go deep four times in a game, Schwarber grounded out, walked and popped out to shortstop before his eighth-inning hit. He leads the NL in homers (49) and RBIs (119) and received “M-V-P! M-V-P!” chants when introduced by PA announcer Dan Baker.
Matt Olson had three hits for the Braves, who finished with 12 total. Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Sean Murphy had doubles.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Alec Bohm watches after hitting an RBI-sacrifice fly against Atlanta Braves pitcher Pierce Johnson during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia had just six hits a night after scoring 19 runs on 20 hits, including seven homers and 10 extra-base hits, and 19 RBIs in a 19-4 win in the opener of the four-game series.
The loss ruined a strong outing by Braves starter Bryce Elder, who allowed one run and three hits in seven innings.
Schwarber hustled to third base on Harper´s one-out single in the eighth to set up Bohm’s go-ahead RBI.
Harper extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games with a fourth-inning bunt single after the Braves shifted Harper to his pull side.
LHP Cristopher Sánchez (11-5, 2.66) starts for the Phillies in the third contest of the four-game set on Saturday night. Atlanta hadn’t announced its starter.
