Atlanta Braves’ Kris Medlen throws a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, in Philadelphia.PHILADELPHIA – Patience helped the Atlanta Braves keep their winning streak going.
After the Braves couldn’t take advantage of a bases-loaded opportunity in the fourth inning, they used a five-run fifth inning, including consecutive homers from Brian McCann and Chris Johnson, for their eighth straight victory, 6-4 over the Phillies.
“Everything’s a run,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “You get a good run of hitting or you get a good run of pitching – seems like our good run of pitching has been really consistent the whole year. But you see some guys with some good approaches, good at-bats, keep the lineup moving.”
McCann’s two-run shot gave the Braves a 4-2 lead just two batters after Justin Upton tied it on an RBI single.
“(It was) just a mistake pitch,” Phillies rookie Ethan Martin (0-1) said on McCann’s homer. “They’ll make you pay for mistakes.”