Cesar Hernandez poked a single into left field in the ninth inning to drive in two runs and help the visiting Philadelphia Phillies turn the tables on the Atlanta Braves and take a 6-5 come-from-behind win on Saturday.
The Phillies quickly got runners at second and third to start the ninth inning when Scott Kingery singled and reliever Luke Jackson threw wildly after fielding a sacrifice bunt by Sean Rodriguez. Hernandez worked the count full, then placed a single just beyond the grasp of shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Hernandez went 2-for-4 and finished with three RBIs, including his seventh home run of the season, to end Atlanta's winning streak at eight. The Braves had beaten Philadelphia with a ninth-inning rally on Friday night.
Edubray Ramos (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth to pick up the win, and Hector Neris, who blew the save opportunity in the series opener Friday, threw a perfect ninth and earned his 15th save.
It was the sixth blown save of the season for Jackson (3-2).
The Braves scored a run in the second inning when rookie Austin Riley hit a solo homer, his 11th.
The Phillies rallied for three runs in the third, which included a scary incident that saw Atlanta starter Sean Newcomb struck in the back of the neck by J.T. Realmuto's 102 mph line drive. Newcomb was able to leave on his own power while Realmuto was credited with a double.
The Phillies scored after reliever Touki Toussaint entered the game. One run scored on Josh Donaldson's fielding error and two more crossed on Kingery's double to right. Jay Bruce was cut down on a relay to the plate when a video replay reversed the call. But Bruce had to leave the game with left hamstring tightness.
The Braves got a run back in the third when Freddie Freeman's groundout allowed Ronald Acuna Jr. to score. But the Phillies added to the lead in the fourth on Hernandez's solo homer.
But Atlanta went ahead 5-4 when Josh Donaldson slammed a three-run homer that traveled 432 feet.
The Phillies lost Realmuto in the fifth inning when he took a foul ball to the groin. Realmuto finished the inning but was replaced by Andrew Knapp to start the bottom of the sixth.
--Field Level Media
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