Michael Mercado surrenders three home runs in Phillies’ series-deciding loss to Braves

Final Score: Braves 6, Phillies 0

Michael Mercado’s second major-league start did not go nearly as good as his first. After pitching five innings of two-hit, one-run ball at Wrigley Field last Tuesday, the 25-year-old right-hander’s afternoon lasted just 57 pitches on Sunday.

Mercado tossed only 1 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on three home runs to the Braves. His command — something that has plagued him at times in the minor leagues — was very shaky. He walked three batters in the first inning and landed just 29 of his 57 pitches for strikes.

After getting out of the first frame unscathed, Atlanta tagged the rookie for those five runs on three home runs in the second inning. Adam Duvall led off the inning with one of them. Jarred Kelenic launched a three-run shot three batters later. And, after Mercado induced back-to-back fly outs, Matt Olson swatted another home run to give Atlanta a 5-0 lead. After Olson’s at-bat, Mercado’s day was done.

Meanwhile, Mercado’s counterpart, Reynaldo López, dominated the Phillies’ lineup. The right-hander pitched six scoreless innings and allowed only two hits. He also struck out six batters and walked three.

The Phillies’ recent struggles with runners in scoring position continued on Sunday. As a team, they went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners on the bases. They recorded five hits overall and struck out nine times.

After losing two of three to the Braves this weekend, Rob Thomson’s club will head back to Philadelphia with a 58-32 record and an eight-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East. They have Monday off and will begin a three-game series against the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Highlights

• Duvall’s home run came on a 3-2 fastball and landed in the second deck.

• After back-to-back singles by Orlando Arcia and Eli White, Kelenic pulled his home run on 1-1 cutter.

• Olson’s home run had an exit velocity of 108.4 mph and landed 430 feet from home plate.

• White made it a 6-0 game with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Notes

• South Jersey native Tyler Phillips made his major-league debut Sunday afternoon. The right-hander entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning and struck out the side in order on 12 pitches. Altogether, Phillips was impressive as he pitched four innings, struck out seven total batters and allowed one run on three hits.
• As noted by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Phillips is the first Phillies pitcher since Cole Hamels (2006) with seven strikeouts in his major-league debut.
• Trea Turner was hit in the head by a pitch in the eighth inning but remained in the game.
• Per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Bryce Harper ran the bases close to 100% on Sunday and manager Rob Thomson said Tuesday “is in play”
  for the two-time NL MVP to be activated from the injured list, but it’s not a certainty. Kyle Schwarber is still expected to be activated Tuesday.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Tuesday, July 9 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park
• 6:40 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia and TBS (out-of-market only)
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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