Categories: 2022 Postgame Recaps

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves spoil series opener for Phillies with 6-run inning

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a dramatic home run Friday night. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Final: Braves 7, Phillies 2

The Philadelphia Phillies may have avoided a decade of having Juan Soto in their division, but they got an untimely reminder Friday of how electric Ronald Acuña Jr. is, and how unfortunate it is for them that he’s employed by the division-rival Atlanta Braves.

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Kyle Schwarber broke the Phillies into both the hit and run columns with a leadoff home run off of Max Fried in the top of the fourth inning, a 410-foot blast that was his second home run in as many days:

By hitting his 39th home run of the season, Schwarber set a new career-high, passing his previous high water mark from the 2019 season. He’s one home run away from becoming the first Phillie to hit 40 home runs in a season since Ryan Howard hit 45 in 2009, the final year of a four-year stretch where the former National League MVP hit 40 or more home runs every year.

The Phillies’ lead was short-lived, however.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, William Contreras hit a towering home run off of Suárez to tie the game:

But for the second consecutive inning, the Phillies led off an inning with a home run, as Jean Segura deposited a ball 404 feet into the left-center field stands:

But after a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh inning, Seranthony Dominguez walked Eddie Rosario to lead off the home half of the eighth. And Ronald Acuña Jr. made him pay in the next at-bat, hitting a go-ahead home run to the opposite field:

Domínguez continued to struggle with his control, ultimately only recording two outs before being pulled in favor of Nick Nelson. Given that he recently returned from the injured list with right triceps tendinitis, it’s especially concerning to see the typically electric reliever throw 28 pitches, with just 13 of them as strikes.

Before the inning was out, the Braves would score six runs. Five of them were charged to Domínguez, with his ERA rising from 1.57 to 2.51 in just one outing:

With the loss, the Phillies fall to 80-64, failing to clinch their second consecutive non-losing season. Meanwhile, as the Braves attempt to keep pace with the New York Mets in the NL East, the defending World Series Champions are now 89-55.

The Phillies and Braves will continue their series Saturday evening, with Aaron Nola slated to square off with Jake Odorizzi.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Ranger Suárez was excellent Friday, allowing just two hits (one home run) over six innings in Atlanta. The 27-year-old’s ERA now sits at 3.53.
Max Fried limited the Phillies to just four hits over six innings, but two of those hits left the yard. On the season, Fried now has a 2.52 ERA and 2.79 FIP across 175 1/3 innings. His 4.6 WAR is sixth among all starting pitchers, according to FanGraphs

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