NL East rivals will close out a big three-game series on Wednesday afternoon with the Philadelphia Phillies hosting the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. After the Phillies won Monday's opener 6-4 to cash in as a big +154 underdog, the teams will meet again Tuesday after the time of publishing. Atlanta is in second place at 58-40, with Philadelphia one spot back at 50-46 for the season.
This season series is currently deadlocked at four wins apiece.
After tying the Mets atop the NL East over the weekend, the Braves have fallen two game behind since with back-to-back losses as ace Max Fried couldn't hold down the Phillies on Monday. Atlanta got off to a great start by plating three runs in the second thanks to an error plus a wild pitch, yet its only other scoring would come in the sixth on Marcell Ozuna's RBI single.
Fried went six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out eight. A.J. Minter was charged with both the loss and a blown save, allowing three runs in just one inning. Ozuna had a three-hit game, while Austin Riley recorded a pair of doubles.
“That really was a weird game,” manager Brian Snitker said to MLB.com. “Just some weird-hit balls, how the runs scored — a lot of strange things happened in that game.”
The Braves are still down narrowly on the money line f or the season as they are a huge favorite in most matchups while going 50-48 on the run line. Overs are 50-45-3 for the Braves, with each of their last seven games going over the betting total.
This is the fourth-highest scoring offense in baseball at 4.76 runs per game on a .754 OPS, also fourth. Atlanta pitching is also solidly within the top 10 at a 3.64 combined ERA including a mark of 3.15 from one of baseball's best bullpens.
Austin Riley is having a terrific season with a .294/.356/.589 line with 28 homers and 63 driven in. Dansby Swanson is also having a big year heading into free agency, posting a .290/.348/.468 line with 15 homers, 14 stolen bases and 63 runs scored.
Veteran Charlie Morton will make his 20th start of the season hoping to continue a solid recent run of form after he went six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out seven. After a slow start, the 38-year-old is now 5-4 with a 4.20 ERA and 121 strikeouts across 105 innings.
Outfielder Adam Duvall underwent season-ending wrist surgery last week, while second baseman Ozzie Albies (foor surgery) and catcher Manny Pina (wrist surgery) are also out. Starting pitcher Mike Soroka is still recovering from multiple Achillies tears. Relievers Darren O'Day (strained calf), Kirby Yates (Tommy John surgery) and Luke Jackson (Tommy John surgery) also remain sidelined.