Jones' 11th-inning homer gives Braves a wild win over Phillies
ATLANTA -- Chipper Jones hit a loud fly ball just foul on a 2-2 pitch, then launched a two-run homer on the 3-2 pitch to give the Atlanta Braves a 15-13 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in 11 innings Wednesday night at Turner Field.
"I'm just glad it's over," Jones said. "I'm spent."
It was the Braves' first victory over the Phillies in nine games. Atlanta hadn't beaten Philadelphia since July 9, 2011, at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies blew leads of 6-0 and 12-8.
"I can't even describe it, to tell the truth," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Carlos Ruiz drove in a career-high seven runs over three consecutive plate appearances to put the Phillies up 12-8 after eight innings. However, Jose Contreras and Michael Schwimer combined to cough up five runs in the eighth, and Brian Sanches gave up the game-winner.
Not many pitchers outduel Phillies ace right-hander Roy Halladay, and Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson didn't either, as Hanson was knocked out in the fourth inning with Atlanta trailing 4-0. However, the Braves came off the deck in the fifth, pounding Halladay for six runs, including a grand slam by Brian McCann, the eighth of his career.
With the score tied 6-6, the teams traded jabs. Jason Heyward came off the bench to drive in two on a pinch-hit single in the sixth, chasing Halladay from the game. Then Ruiz hit a three-run homer off Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty in the seventh. The Phillies pounced on Kris Medlen for three more in the eighth.
Halladay, efficient through four innings, hit a snag in the fifth, beginning with Jones' leadoff single. Five Braves came to the plate with the bases loaded; Michael Bourn and Martin Prado singled to drive in a run apiece, and then McCann took care of the rest.
"Honestly, I felt good," Halladay said. "They battled. We put them down, and they fought it off. We made a mistake, and they got it."
The Phillies batted around in the third inning, scoring four runs, three of them on a double to right by Laynce Nix that flew just beyond the outstretched glove of right fielder Eric Hinske.
Hanson gave up three consecutive one-out hits and a walk to load the bases for Ty Wigginton, which brought pitching coach Roger McDowell loping out to the mound as right-hander Cristhian Martinez started stretching in the bullpen. Wigginton popped out foul, but Nix didn't waste his opportunity with a runner on every base.
The Phillies struck again in the fifth, adding on two runs, including Wigginton's belly-flop at home after chugging around from first base on Ruiz's double.
"I think that's what hurts most," Halladay said. "When you have games like this, your teammates are out there grinding and getting it done, and I didn't. And that was the difference, really. That's the toughest one, letting those guys down who really got it done today."
NOTES: The Phillies placed first baseman Jim Thome on the 15-day disabled list with tightness in his lower left back. Thome hadn't played since he left the April 28 game against the Cubs after his second plate appearance. Catcher Erik Kratz was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill the roster spot. He's a right-handed hitter, which the Phillies need, and he has played some first base as well. ... Philadelphia left-hander Cliff Lee threw a regular bullpen session Wednesday afternoon and said he felt no pain in his strained left oblique on any of his nearly 40 pitches. If he still feels no pain Thursday morning, then the plan is for him to throw one more bullpen session Saturday before being activated from the DL. ...
Jones was back in the lineup for the Braves after missing Tuesday's game with pain in his surgically repaired left knee. Manager Fredi Gonzalez has planned all along to give Jones regular days off, but it has turned out that, rather than looking at the schedule and mapping out off days, it works better that they talk by phone every morning. When Jones wakes up pain-free, he's in the lineup. Otherwise, Gonzalez goes with Juan Francisco. "It's good because you don't have to mess with (infielder/outfielder Martin) Prado," Gonzalez said. Before Francisco started hitting well, Prado had been moving to third from left field and back again. ... Heyward did not start for the third consecutive game due to a tender right oblique.
