ATLANTA - Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin though his team's hitters deserved better results. The Phillies finally broke through Sunday for a rare win.
Ryan Howard hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, and Philadelphia beat the AtlantaBraves 4-0 Sunday to stop a six-game losing streak.
"We've been swinging well, well enough to win games," Mackanin said after the Phillies, a big league-worst 28-56, won the second time in 10 games since he replaced Ryne Sandberg.
Odubel Herrera singled off Nick Masset (2-2) leading off the 10th and broke for second when Cesar Hernandez lined a single into left field for his third hit. Masset walked Mikael Franco, loading the bases, and Howard's fly ball to right field off left-hander Dana Eveland scored Herrera.
"I knew they were going to bring in a lefty in that situation," Howard said. "I just wanted to hit a pitch up and try to put it in play, hopefully to the outfield."
Carlos Ruiz hit a two-run double to off rookie Jake Brigham and scored on a single by Freddy Galvis.
Following the game, Masset and Eveland were designated for assignment. The Braves recalled right-hander Arodys Vizcaino from Gwinnett and selected the contract of right-hander David Carpenter from the Triple-A farm team.
Luis Garcia (3-3) pitched out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the ninth. With left fielder Cody Asche positioned beside second base in a five-man infield, Pedro Ciriaco flied to Herrera in shallow center. Asche returned to his normal position, and pinch-hitter Juan Uribe struck out.
"The bottom of the ninth was the key to the whole game," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Philadelphia's Cole Hamels allowed six hits in seven innings with no walks and six strikeouts.
Atlanta's Shelby Miller gave up seven hits and struck out eight in 6 1-3 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.07. He is 0-3 in eight starts since a May 17 win at Miami despite a 2.80 ERA in that span.
Franco singled leading off the eighth and was running from second base when right fielder Nick Markakis charged toward the infield to make a diving catch of a weak fly ball hit by Carlos Ruiz off Jim Johnson. Franco scrambled back to second base before Asche grounded out to Simmons.