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Phillies, Braves battle for series victory

Jul 10, 2011 - 2:33 PM (Sports Network) - If this series between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies is any indication of how the rest of the season will go, expect the National League East rivals to battle all the way down to the wire.

After needing extra innings to decide the first two contests of this three- game set, the top two teams in the NL battle for a series victory this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies hold the best record in the majors at 56-34, but own just a 2 1/2-game lead over the Braves for first place in the division. Philadelphia had extended that advantage when Raul Ibanez blasted a walk-off homer in the 10th inning in Friday's opener, but Atlanta responded with yesterday's 4-1 triumph in 11 innings.

Dan Uggla had accounted for Atlanta's only run of the game with a solo homer in the fifth inning as All-Star Cliff Lee hurled eight strong innings. However, Tommy Hanson matched the Phils southpaw with seven great frames of his own, with his lone mistake coming when he yielded Lee's first career homer on a 10-pitch at-bat in the third inning.

Atlanta finally broke through in the 11th inning, getting a go-ahead RBI single from Alex Gonzalez before Brian McCann provided some breathing room with a two-run homer, sending the Braves to their 15th victory in 19 games.

"It was basically the same game as last night," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "The teams are so evenly matched and runs are so hard to come by. The starting pitching has been great, so you're going to get games like this."

With the Phillies getting just six hits in the game and leaving the bases loaded in the 10th inning, Lee nearly had to do it all. John Mayberry Jr. had Philadelphia's only other extra base-hit besides Lee's homer with a double in the sixth inning.

"Anything I can do to help the team win is important, whether it's on the mound or with the bat," said Lee. "I take [hitting] very seriously. It was the first of my career and it's a very good feeling."

Philadelphia lost for the fourth time in 12 games, but could have third baseman Placido Polanco back in the lineup today. Scheduled to start Tuesday's All-Star Game, Polanco hasn't played since Monday due to a bulging disc in his back.

Atlanta lost its All-Star third baseman on Saturday after putting Chipper Jones on the 15-day disabled list due to a meniscus tear in his right knee. Jones had successful arthroscopic surgery and is expected to miss 2-to-3 weeks of action.

Yet another All-Star takes the hill today for the Phillies, with Cole Hamels scheduled to make his 19th start of the season. The former World Series MVP is 10-4 with a 2.40 earned run average after a victory over the Marlins on Tuesday.

Hamels limited Florida to a pair of runs over eight innings, striking out five while showing no ill-effects of a right hand injury that forced him out of his previous start against Boston on June 30 after just four innings. Of course, plenty of run support also helped the southpaw in a 14-2 win over Florida.

"Getting that many runs, it makes it a little bit easier when you make that mistake," Hamels said. "It's not as stressful to get outs when you know you have a big lead."

The 27-year-old hasn't allowed more than three runs in 10 straight outings, but the last time he did was against the Braves on May 8. Hamels yielded four runs over six innings of a no-decision and is 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts against Atlanta this season.

Hoping to erase a slow start to the season, Derek Lowe goes for a third straight winning start today for the Braves.

Lowe improved to 5-6 with a 4.21 ERA with a win over the Rockies on Tuesday. However, it matched the right-hander's win total from September of last year, when he went 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts. He gave up three runs on five hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings against Colorado, but also helped his own cause by driving in three runs.

The 38-year-old had snapped a nine-game winless streak (0-3) on June 29 by picking up a victory in Seattle, his first since besting the Phillies on May 6. Lowe threw six shutout innings of two-hit ball in that road victory, upping his career mark versus Philadelphia to 8-5 with two saves and a 2.99 ERA.

The Braves have now taken six of 11 from their division rivals this year, with the Phillies winning three of five so far in Philadelphia.