ATLANTA - The Phillies kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park on Tuesday night.
The Phils got two-run homers from Rhys Hoskins and Jose Pirela - both against Atlanta's Dallas Keuchel - and Vince Velasquez and the bullpen held the Braves to two runs over the final eight innings. All in all, it was a good way to open an 11-game road trip.
The Phillies' bullpen survived two late homers as the Braves made it a one-run game.
Hector Neris allowed a leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth and got the final two outs of the game with runners on the corners.
The standings
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The Phillies entered the night five games out in the NL wild-card race. The victory left them with a chance to pull to within four games of the second wild-card playoff spot depending on the outcome of the Chicago Cubs-Cincinnati Reds game.
The Phils have 13 games left. They are 77-72 overall. They need five wins to have their first winning season since 2011.
Velasquez' night
Though he lasted only five innings, Velasquez did a pretty good job for the Phillies. He had a tough first inning in which he threw 30 pitches and that prompted early action in the Phillies' bullpen. But the right-hander maintained his composure and held the Braves to just two runs in the inning. It could have been worse, but Velasquez' ability to limit damage was huge.
After the first inning, Velasquez racked up four scoreless innings and held the Braves to two hits.
Keuchel's night
The left-hander who had been passed over by the Phillies earlier in the season came into the game on a big roll - five straight wins in which he'd allowed a total of just four runs.
Keuchel sailed through the first three innings then allowed a pair of infield hits and a pair of two-run homers as the Phillies rallied for five in the fourth inning to take the lead.
Hoskins hits one
There have been times this season when Hoskins has looked pull-happy at the plate. He's a better hitter when he uses the whole field like he did in the fourth inning when he clubbed a two-run homer to right-center to tie the game at 2-2. It was his 29th homer of the season and first solidly to the opposite field. He had four opposite-field homers last season.
Hoskins did a good job staying back on a high changeup to the outside part of the plate from Keuchel. He hit the ball right where it was pitched. He has homered in back-to-back games and has nine since the All-Star break.
Pirela rewards Kapler
Looking to get right-handed bats in the game against Keuchel, manager Gabe Kapler started Sean Rodriguez at third base and Pirela in left field. (Kapler did not start Maikel Franco at third because he did not believe Franco would fare well against Keuchel's sinker.) Pirela rewarded his manager's faith with a two-run homer with two outs in the fourth. He had previously been 0 for 5 with two strikeouts against Keuchel.
Braves set team mark
Adeiny Hechavarria's home run in the eighth was the Braves' 236th of the season, a team record.
Phillies pitchers have allowed 238 homers this season. That is a team record. The old one was 221.
Up next
Zach Eflin (8-12, 4.20) opposes right-hander Julio Teheran (10-9, 3.50) on Wednesday night.
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