ATLANTA (AP) - The Braves don’t look like they are missing two of their best hitters.
Two offseason additions are helping to fill the void.
Marcell Ozuna homered twice and drove in four runs as Atlanta roughed up Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies 11-2 on Friday night.
Travis d’Arnaud and Ozuna hit back-to-back homers off Nola in a four-run third inning. D’Arnaud, who drove in three runs, and Ozuna each got three hits.
Ozuna and d’Arnaud were free-agent signings who are proving to be valuable additions. The two have helped keep Atlanta atop the NL East despite outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and second baseman Ozzie Albies being on the injured list.
“With a couple of guys going down, guys needed to step up and obviously they’ve been a big part of our offense so far,” said Max Fried (4-0), who allowed one run in five innings.
Ozuna added a three-run drive that carried 438 feet into the left-field seats off Cole Irvin in a seven-run fifth. Phillies rookie third baseman Alec Bohm committed two errors in the inning.
Ozuna has hit seven homers, d’Arnaud has four and the two share the team lead with 17 RBIs.
The Braves have won four of their last five games.
“It will be nice to see when we get everybody back what we could do,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We’re doing really good without two of our bigger pieces.”
The Phillies bolstered their bullpen with two trades on Friday. In the biggest deal, announced during the game, Philadelphia obtained right-handed pitchers Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-handers Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold.
Philadelphia’s bullpen ranked last in the majors with an 8.07 ERA at the start of the day. There was more shaky relief against the Braves, but an unusually short start from Nola forced the Phillies to play from behind in their fourth straight loss.
Nola (2-2) allowed six hits and four runs in 2 2/3 innings.
“It stinks,” Nola said. “Learn from it. Get back at it tomorrow.”
Following a single by Freddie Freeman in the third, d’Arnaud’s homer cleared the center field wall, landing with a splash in the waterfall pool. Ozuna’s homer landed in the same pool.
Two of d’Arnaud’s four homers have come off Nola, including a shot in a 13-8 loss at Philadelphia on Aug. 10.
Cristian Pache, one of Atlanta’s top prospects, started in left field in his major league debut. He hit a grounder through the infield into right field in the sixth for his first hit and clapped his hands after crossing first base.
The start of the game was delayed one hour by rain.
BULLPEN HELP
Workman had four saves in four opportunities and a 4.05 ERA as Boston’s closer this season.
Right-hander David Hale could join the Phillies’ active roster on Saturday after being acquired from the New York Yankees in a deal for minor league right-hander Addison Russ. Hale, 31, had a 3.00 ERA and one save for New York before he was designated for assignment Monday. He participated in pregame workouts.
PLAY OF THE DAY
Philadelphia’s highlight came on Scott Kingery’s leaping catch at the wall in center field on a drive hit by Camargo in the second inning. Kingery fell to the warning track after hitting the wall.
AARON CELEBRATION
The Braves set up 31 cardboard cutouts of Hall of Famer Hank Aaron in uniform in the front row of the Aaron Terrace in left field. Aaron’s 44 was painted on the grass in center field and etched on the back of the mound for games this weekend.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: LHP José Álvarez was placed on the 10-day IL with a testicular contusion. He was carted off the field on Thursday after he was hit in the groin area by a 105-mph line drive. The team recalled LHP JoJo Romero from Lehigh Valley. … 2B Jean Segura (hamstring) started after sitting out Thursday’s second game. … Phillies manager Joe Girardi said Bryce Harper was held out because he looked “exhausted” after playing both games on Thursday’s doubleheader against Toronto in Buffalo.
Braves: Acuña (left wrist inflammation) is expected to take swings at at the team’s alternate training site at Gwinnett on Saturday. Snitker said he hopes Albies (bone contusion in right wrist) feels better after resting three straight days. … RHP Chris Martin (esophageal constriction) was activated from the 10-day IL and pitched a scoreless ninth. Martin said he is relying on shakes for his nutrition even after a procedure to open the esophagus. RHP Kyle Wright was optioned to the alternate training site.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (3-0, 2.81) is 6-5 with a 4.04 ERA in 14 career starts against the Braves.
Braves: LHP Robbie Erlin (0-0, 5.40) will make his second start for Atlanta after throwing four scoreless innings against Miami on Sunday.
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