Foltynewicz delivers gem in rout of Phillies

June 7th, 2017

ATLANTA -- Mike Foltynewicz produced another gem and Dansby Swanson made sure this one wouldn't go to waste. Swanson hit a three-run homer off that provided the Braves with some breathing room as they ended the Phillies' four-game winning streak with a 14-1 win Wednesday night at SunTrust Park.
Foltynewicz ran his scoreless streak to 14 consecutive innings as he scattered four hits over seven innings. The Braves' right-hander pitched around 's one-out double in the first inning, and faced just one more than the minimum through the first five innings. This marked the fourth time this season he's allowed two earned runs or less through seven innings, but the first time he's done so and received more than two runs of support.
"He's making strides," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "He wasn't as sharp as he was [Friday in Cincinnati]. He built on that one and had to work himself out of a couple situations. He did a great job. I felt like when he cocked his arm, you knew he had a pretty good idea about where the ball was going. He was just very confident."
Eickhoff faced the minimum until he surrendered a one-out, fourth-inning double to , who also had a pair of two-run doubles. This marked the third time in his career Markakis recorded three doubles in a game. His five RBIs were one shy of his career-high.

"He's a true pro," Swanson said of Markakis. "It's a pleasure to be able to play with him and be able to watch him. He hits the ball to all fields and just takes what they give him. He does it well and doesn't want any credit for it. He's awesome."
With two outs in the six-run eighth inning, Phillies infielder made the first pitching appearance of his career. Blanco surrendered a two-run homer to Matt Adams before ending the frame.

The defeat gives Eickhoff his seventh loss, and he's still searching for his first victory of the season. He's the first Phillies starter to go winless through his first 12 starts since Cliff Lee did it in 2012.
"It's happening to me because I can take it," said Eickhoff, who is 0-7 with a 5.15 ERA. "I'm one of those guys that can handle it. I'm going to keep pushing on like I always do. Honestly, this felt like a building block. Out of the windup, I felt really good. Bullpen, I felt really good. Things were flowing. I was executing pitches. For one pitch to dampen that, I'm not going to let that happen."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Flowers' spark: Braves catcher Tyler Flowers began the three-run fifth inning with a scorching grounder that third baseman whiffed at and had trouble corralling as he slipped while nearing the left-field corner. The grounder, which had a 111.6 mph exit velocity -- second-hardest-hit ball by a Braves player this season, resulted in a three-base error. Two batters later, Swanson drilled a slider that, per Statcast™, traveled a projected 397 feet over the left-center-field wall.

Scary save: With two on and none out in the seventh inning, laced a liner that came off his bat at 103.6 mph and headed directly toward Foltynewicz, who displayed some survival instincts as he gloved the ball just below his face as he fell toward the left side of the mound. After a brief exhale, he threw to second base to complete a double play.

"I just saw it for a split second and then all of the sudden it was in my glove," Foltynewicz said. "It about took my whole glove off there. I surprised myself that I stayed in the game right there and threw it to second base to get those two huge outs and get our guys back in there hitting. It was a freaky moment."
QUOTABLE
"I'm not going to get too high on my confidence. I'm just going to stay right where I'm at right now. I'm going to keep working on my pitches and keep working on my fastball command, which I think has been huge for me over the past month. I'm just able to throw pitches in certain counts and able to throw my fastball in, out, up and down. That's something I haven't been doing the past couple years. I'm just learning how to pitch." -- Foltynewicz, on his seven shutout innings
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
had a pair of hits for Triple-A Gwinnett Wednesday afternoon and then learned he had been recalled to Atlanta to replace , who was placed on the disabled list. Adams entered Wednesday night's game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. He became the first player to play in a Minor League and Major League game on the same day since Colorado's on June 16, 2014.
Herrera doubled in the first and ninth innings to join Bobby Abreu (2000) and Heinie Sand (1925) as the only players in Phillies history to double in five consecutive games.

His last 11 hits have been extra-base hits (eight doubles, two home runs). The last Phillies player to have 10-or-more consecutive extra-base hits was , who had a 10 extra-base hit streak from April 14-24, 2007.
INCIARTE'S GEMS
increase his MLB-leading 5-star catch total to six in the second inning, when he raced 47 feet toward right-center field to snare a Franco liner that had a 105.3 mph exit velocity and nine percent catch probability.

Franco drilled another liner with a 105 mph exit velo to the same area in the fifth inning, but because it had a 67 percent catch probability, Inciarte was awarded with just a 3-star catch.
RODRIGUEZ DFA
The Phillies announced after the game that left-hander had been designated for assignment. He went 1-2 with a 6.33 ERA in 26 appearances. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin indicated Rodriguez's replacement likely is not on the 40-man roster.
"Poor command," Mackanin said about Rodriguez. "Couldn't locate his pitches."
WHAT'S NEXT
Phillies: Right-hander (1-0, 1.29 ERA) makes the second start of his career Thursday night in the final game of a four-game series against the Braves at SunTrust Park at 7:35 p.m. ET. He allowed four hits, one run and three walks in seven innings Sunday against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park.
Braves:R.A. Dickey will take the mound when Thursday's series finale against Philadelphia begins. After walking five Saturday in Cincinnati, Dickey said he was "embarrassed" by the way he's pitched this season. He has allowed a team-high nine home runs at SunTrust Park.
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