ATLANTA (AP) - Freddie Freeman’s 30-game hitting streak ended Thursday night when he struck out in the eighth inning of a tie game. That certainly didn’t slow the Atlanta Braves as his teammates quickly scored four runs to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 in their final homestand in Turner Field.
The longest hitting streak in the majors since 2011, when Atlanta’s Dan Uggla went 33 straight, is over yet the Braves continue winning - especially against Philadelphia.
Moments after Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez (3-5) struck out Freeman, Matt Kemp doubled off the wall in right field. That scored rookie Dansby Swanson, who walked before Freeman’s at-bat, for a 2-1 lead.
Jace Peterson added an RBI single and pinch-hitter Emilio Bonafacio added a two-run single to give the Braves their seventh straight victory over the Phillies, and their 10th win in 11 games.
“Some guys drive runs in,” Atlanta interim manager Brian Snitker said of Kemp, who has 38 RBIs and 11 home runs since being traded from San Diego on Aug. 2 to help the Braves average 5.3 runs in that time. “He’s just one of them guys you can count on.
“You kind of feel good about our offense. … The umpires say, ’Play ball,’ and our guys are expecting to win right now I think. We’re going to go out there and win the game somehow.”
Philadelphia’s heading home in the other direction. The Phillies lost six of seven games on a road trip on which they were outscored 68-33.
Philadelphia starter Jeremy Hellickson, who entered 12-10 with a 3.78 ERA, left with a 1-0 lead after 3 1/3 innings because of a sprained right knee. He hurt himself running the bases as he scored in the third on Odubel Herrera’s soft hit to left field.
Philly’s bullpen was fine until Gomez came on in the eighth and gave up four earned runs, hitting a batter, walking two and allowing three hits in 1/3 of an inning.
Atlanta tied the game in the sixth on Swanson’s third home run, his first in Turner Field.
Mauricio Cabrera (5-1) became the first Braves rookie reliever since Mike Stanton in 1991 to record at least five wins and five saves (6) when he retired the only batter he faced in the top of the eighth. He induced cleanup hitter Tommy Joseph to line out to left field with a runner at second.
Braves started Josh Collmenter, acquired Sept. 14 from the Cubs for cash, allowed one run in seven innings. He earlier appeared in relief in 15 games for the Diamondbacks before Arizona released him.
In three starts with the Braves, he’s 2-0 with an ERA of 2.37.
“The whole atmosphere is not that of a club that’s in the position we’re in,” he said. “It’s a laid-back environment and everybody’s excited to come here every day. To think that my season was prematurely over a few weeks ago …”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Philadelphia LF Roman Quinn, who left Tuesday’s game against the Braves with a strained oblique after registering hits in his first three at-bats, may be finished. “I doubt if he’ll play the rest of the year,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Hellickson’s knee sprain is not believed serious.
TIGER TALES
Atlanta’s final opponent is shuffling. The Tigers will start LHP Daniel Norris (3-3, 3.59) Friday against the Braves after his scheduled Thursday start against the Indians was postponed by foul weather. RHP Jordan Zimmermann was to start Friday against Atlanta, he will instead go Saturday. RHP Justin Verlander will start Sunday for the Tigers, who are chasing a wild card spot in the American League.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
While surging late in the season to counter a dreadful first half, Atlanta has won 19 games in the last at-bat, the most in the National League.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Philadelphia returns home for a day off and then will close the season with two games against the Mets.
Braves: RHP Matt Wisler (7-12, 4.86) will make his final start Friday. It will be his first against visiting Detroit.
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