It was a ballgame in the bottom of the fifth. Jerad Eickhoff and Mike Foltynewicz matched each other pitch for pitch, until the wheels fell off for Eickhoff and the Phils after the Braves scored three in the fifth. The inning started with a routine grounder from Tyler Flowers that Maikel Franco took off to the side and scooted under his glove into the outfield. Howie Kendrick tripped while attempting to cut the ball off, which allowed Flowers to advance to third base. After Rio Ruiz walked, rookie Dansby Swanson hit a three-run home run to center field, giving Atlanta an insurmountable 4-0 lead. Just wait, it got worse from there.
Eickhoff, who drops to 0-7, went five innings and allowed four runs (three earned). Adam Morgan was called on in relief and pitched 1.1 while surrendering four earned runs. His ERA is now 9.58. Luis Garcia also gave up four runs in relief. It got so bad, Pete Mackanin summoned Andres Blanco from the bench to record the final out in the eighth. The utility infielder threw in the whopping low-to-mid-70s.
The Phils registered just four hits against Foltynewicz in seven innings. This season, the Braves’ starter has tossed 14 innings, allowed eight hits, and one run in two starts against he Phils.
After an embarrassing 14-1 thrashing, the Phils have been outscored 53-10 in their last five losses.
The series concludes tomorrow night as Ben Lively will make his second career start against R.A. Dickey.
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