• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Braves homer way to series win over Phillies

May 9, 2011 - 4:19 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Alex Gonzalez and Eric Hinske both hit two-run homers and Freddie Freeman added a solo shot, as the Atlanta Braves took the rubber match of their three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-2, at Citizens Bank Park.

The National League East rivals traded shutout wins in the first two games of the set, and Sunday's matchup featured more pitching prowess, with Jair Jurrjens getting the better of Cole Hamels.

Jurrjens (4-0) stayed unbeaten on the year after holding the Phillies to one run on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

"You always want to beat the team that's above you [in the standings]," Jurrjens said.

Hamels (4-2) was done in by the long ball in his seven-inning start, getting charged with three runs on five hits while fanning nine in defeat.

Placido Polanco knocked in both Philadelphia runs, one coming in the eighth inning when he followed Shane Victorino's triple with an infield hit, cutting the deficit to 5-2.

The Phillies brought the tying run to the plate later in the inning, but pinch-hitter John Mayberry flew out to center field to strand two runners.

After Danys Baez got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, the Phillies again put two runners on in their half. Craig Kimbrel survived the threat, though, striking out Victorino on an outside pitch and getting Polanco on a flyout to center to close out his eighth save.

Gonzalez golfed a low 2-1 changeup over the left field wall in the second inning. Freeman singled in front of the blast with two away, then crushed a leadoff shot in the fifth inning.

"The changeup to Gonzalez was down but I cut it right into his barrel," Hamels said. "The pitch to Freeman, I made the pitch I wanted to and it was in the spot I wanted it. He just hit it out."

The rookie's fourth home run of the season made it a 3-1 after Polanco's bleeder up the middle scored Jimmy Rollins in the third.

That was the only offense mustered off Jurrjens by Philadelphia, which grounded into double plays to end the sixth and seventh innings.

Michael Stutes relieved Hamels to start the eighth and walked Nate McLouth before serving up a middle-in fastball that Hinske, fresh off the bench as a pinch-hitter, clubbed high into the right-field seats.

Game Notes

Atlanta has won seven of eight overall...Freeman ended with three hits...Before the game, the Phillies placed catcher Carlos Ruiz on the 15-day disabled list with lower back inflammation...Despite the loss, Hamels posted his sixth straight quality start...Gonzalez left the game early due to a groin strain...Philadelphia ended its homestand with a 6-3 record.