Phillies 6, Braves 5
PHILADELPHIA -- While the Braves will be heading to the National League playoffs this fall, the Phillies will be going home with their first losing record since 2002.
But the Phillies, despite a roster heavy on players that spent at least part of the season in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, are doing more than just playing out the string.
Philadelphia defeated Atlanta 6-5 Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, giving the Phillies two straight victories heading into Sunday afternoon's finale of the three-game series.
Freddy Galvis hit a walk-off solo home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning for the Phillies.
Carlos Ruiz had three RBI to pace the Phillies' offense, which held a 15-7 edge in hits.
The NL-East leading Braves are only 34-36 on the road but built their double-digit divisional lead via an MLB-best 51-20 home record.
Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick recorded eight strikeouts (in six innings) to tie his career high. Justin DeFratus and Jake Diekman blanked the Braves until closer Jonathan Papelbon allowed a two-run homer by left fielder Andrelton Simmons on a 2-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth.
Atlanta relief pitcher Scott Downs left the game with a non-displaced fracture of the right ring finger after being hit in the glove hand by a sixth-inning single off the bat of Chase Utley. It appeared he suffered a cut on the finger.
Third baseman Chris Johnson lined an RBI double in the sixth to close Atlanta's deficit to 4-3.
Kendrick retired the first six batters before Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a two-run, two-out single with the bases loaded to make it 2-0 in the top of the third inning.
The Phillies tied it in the bottom of the third on a two-run, two-out single by Ruiz off Atlanta starter Alex Wood. Ruiz brought in Cesar Hernandez (single) and Kevin Fransen (double).
In the fifth, Utley and Ruiz hit consecutive doubles and Galvis singled in Ruiz, giving the Phillies a 4-2 lead.
NOTES: Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said injured OF Ben Revere will be going to the team's minor league complex in Clearwater, Fla., to continue rehabilitating his broken foot. The team expects Revere to play some games this month in Florida, with the idea of getting him mentally ready to play at the start of the 2014 campaign. ... Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has guided Atlanta to an NL-best 268-196 record since he arrived in 2011. ... Atlanta has been as many as 32 games above .500 this year, marking its highest total since finishing 101-61 (40 over) in 2003.
