Categories: 2023 Postgame Recaps

Craig Kimbrel earns career save No. 400 as Phillies defeat Braves

Craig Kimbrel recorded his 400th career save Friday. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

Finale Score: Phillies 6, Braves 4

Last night, the Braves got the best of the Phillies in a back-and-forth game. The seesaw theme appeared as though it would continue between the two teams tonight, but after taking the lead in the sixth inning, Philadelphia pitchers were able to keep Atlanta’s offense contained to help secure a 6-4 victory.

After making quick work of the Braves in the first, Taijuan Walker found himself in a pickle in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third with nobody out, Ozzie Albies grounded a ball to Alec Bohm at first base. Bohm stepped on first for an out and then threw across the diamond where Marcell Ozuna was tagged out by Josh Harrison for a 3-5 double play:

Walker induced another ground ball — this one by Orlando Arcia — to get out of the inning.

A half inning later, Nick Castellanos stepped up to the plate with Bryson Stott and Trea Turner on base after they worked back-to-back walks earlier in the inning. Castellanos proceeded to drive the second pitch of his at-bat into the right-center field gap for a triple to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead:

Atlanta cut Philadelphia’s lead in half later on in the bottom of the fourth. After a Travis d’Arnaud double and an Ozuna single put runners on the corners with one out, Eddie Rosario flied a ball to left field for a sacrifice fly that brought d’Arnaud home from third.

An inning later, the Braves took a 3-2 lead after a two-run, opposite-field home run by reigning NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris II:

In the sixth, the Phillies were able to retake the lead. Braves manager Brian Snitker went to his bullpen with two outs in the inning and Castellanos on first. Reliever Joe Jiménez walked the first two batters he faced in J.T. Realmuto and Bohm to load the bases. It was then Brandon Marsh’s turn to hit and he delivered a two-run single to put the Phillies ahead 4-3:

Turner added to Philadelphia’s lead in the seventh. With Stott on second base, the Phillies shortstop doubled to bring the club’s second baseman home. Turner then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryce Harper to extend the Phillies lead to 6-3.

After a lengthy top of the seventh, Walker was sent back to the mound for the bottom half of the inning. He found himself in a jam as there were runners on first and second with one out as Ronald Acuña Jr. stepped into the batter’s box. Walker got Acuña to fly out, which advanced the lead runner to third.

With the left-handed hitting Matt Olson up next for the Braves, Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson decided to pull Walker in favor of the left-handed Matt Strahm, who got Olson to ground out to end the inning.

Strahm continued in the eighth and allowed a solo home run to Ozuna to make it a 6-4 ball game.

With a two-run lead in the ninth, Thomson called upon former Braves closer Craig Kimbrel for the save. Kimbrel got the first two batters he faced to fly out to center field. He then walked Harris to bring the tying run in Acuña to the plate.

Kimbrel got Acuña to ground out and earned his 400th career save — becoming just the eighth pitcher in Major League Baseball history to do so.

Shibe Vintage Sports Notes

Taijuan Walker battled through 6 2/3 innings tonight as he allowed three runs on 10 hits. The veteran right-hander has now pitched 24 2/3 innings over his last five starts while allowing 11 earned runs (4.01 ERA).
Bryson Stott and Nick Castellanos both put together multi-hit performances tonight — their 18th and 19th such performances of the year.
With their win tonight, the Phillies (24-27) are now seven games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East.

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