Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Nate McLouth's leadoff homer in the 10th inning gave the Braves a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over the Phillies in the opener of a three-game set between these NL East foes.
Jason Heyward Keys Late Atlanta Rally Over Phillies
The Braves had recorded just four hits and were down 3-0 heading into the ninth inning, but Chipper Jones worked a one-out walk against Ryan Madson and Troy Glaus followed two batters later with a two-out, two-run homer.
Star rookie Jason Heyward then stepped in and crushed an 0-1 changeup into the right-center field seats to send the game to extra innings.
Billy Wagner (1-0) retired the side in order in the top of the 10th, and McLouth worked a 2-2 count to start the bottom half off Jose Contreras (0-1), whose next offering was a hanging breaking ball that was redirected into the right field seats for the game-winner.
Tommy Hanson allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings for Atlanta, which has won five of its last six games.
The late rally spoiled a stellar start from Kyle Kendrick, who scattered four hits and two walks in eight scoreless innings for Philadelphia, losers of three straight.
Chase Utley provided most of the Phillies' offense with two hits and two RBI.
Kendrick, who didn’t make it out of the second inning in his previous start, faced the minimum nine batters through three innings.
The Phillies broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, as Utley led off with a double and came around on Ryan Howard’s hard ground ball to the right side of the infield. The ball glanced off the glove of Glaus and was ruled a base hit.
Kendrick got Glaus to ground into a inning-ending 5-4-3 double play to get out of bases-loaded jam in the bottom half, and Utley greeted Eric O'Flaherty with a single to score Placido Polanco, whose double chased Hanson with two outs in the fifth.
In the seventh, Shane Victorino reached on an infield hit, moved to third on Polanco's single and raced home on a fielder's choice groundout by Utley.
This was the start of a nine-game road trip for the Phillies...Heyward also hit a game-winning, two-run single in the ninth inning to beat Colorado 4-3 on Sunday...Kendrick had pitched to a 17.47 earned run average in his first two starts this season...Hanson faced the Phillies twice during his rookie season a year ago, going 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA...Martin Prado had two hits for the Braves.
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