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DEL.ICIO.USPhillies happy to see Braves, Turner Field
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whenever the Phillies need a pick-me-up, they know where to go. Turner Field has been like a second home for them in recent years — without as many boos as they hear whenever things go sideways in Philadelphia.
The National League East leaders came in lugging cold bats, but the Phillies warmed up quickly with five runs in the first two innings against rookie Charlie Morton during an 8-3 series-opening win.
The fourth-place Braves went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and lost for the sixth time in seven games against the Phillies this season, falling to five games behind the division leaders.
“We got our butts beat tonight,” said third baseman Chipper Jones, who returned to the lineup after missing eight starts with a quadriceps injury. He went 1-for-3 with two walks as his majors-best average dropped a point to .393.
The Phillies had been 2-9 with a .191 batting average since June 17, but you’d have never known they way they hit Tuesday. They pounded out 14 hits including homers by Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino, who had four RBIs.
Morton (1-2) surrendered five runs and eight hits and was replaced after giving up six consecutive hits to start the third inning.
“Mort just wasn’t sharp tonight — at all,” Cox said of the hard-throwing right-hander, who had not allowed a homer in 98 innings this season - minor and major leagues — before giving up shots to Pat Burrell in the second inning and a two-run shot to Braves nemesis Shane Victorino in the third.
“It’s only his fourth start, and his first one that wasn’t good,” Cox said.
For the Phillies, it was their 19th win in 28 games at Turner Field, where they’ve won seven of their past nine series.
Morton said his arm lacked zip, but not because he’s already pitched as many innings as he did last season.
“That was as bad as my arm’s felt in a couple of years, in terms of life on the ball,” said the right-hander, who had one walk and one strikeout. “I don’t feel tired in any way. I just had no life whatsoever on my pitches.”
Braves have dropped eight of their past 12 at Turner Field since a 23-5 home surge that briefly gave them the best home record in baseball.
The Phillies have held onto first place in the NL East despite losing six consecutive series since their sweep of the Braves at Turner Field June 6-8.
“They’ve got a great lineup,” Cox said. “We know they were cold, but if you’re not sharp with your pitches, you’re going to give up runs against anybody.”
Victorino has become an unlikely Braves nemesis. Nine of his 22 RBIs this season are against the Braves, and two of his three homers. He’s hit .377 with three triples, four homers and 12 RBIs in his past 13 games against the Braves.
The Braves had chances early, but failed repeatedly.
They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position in the first two innings, and 0-for-11 before pinch-hitter Greg Norton’s two-run double in the seventh. That cut the lead to 5-2 and chased starter Kyle Kendrick (8-3) from the game.
The Braves got another run in the inning when second baseman Chase Utley bobbled Mark Teixeira’s bases-loaded grounder and had to settle for one out.
After the Utley mistake, lefty reliever J.C. Romero escaped further damage when Brian McCann grounded out. The Braves stranded at least one runner in scoring position in six of the first seven innings.
“Everybody was optimistic that we were going to come back,” Norton said. “We just didn’t push enough across, and they kept piling on.”
The Phillies added three runs in the ninth off Blaine Boyer to quash any lingering hopes of a Braves rally.
“We really need to get on that guy,” Johnson said of Kendrick, who is 3-0 in five starts against Atlanta. “We had a chance to score runs early and get an early lead, and we didn’t - again. It’s a little bit baffling.”
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