PHILADELPHIA – After their flamethrowing rookie Mauricio Cabrera struck out three Phillies to escape a jam in the eighth inning and preserve a 4-4 tie, the Braves had the hot-hitting top of their order up to start the ninth. They did not disappoint. None of them.
The Braves got five consecutive hits to start a four-run ninth inning that sent them to an 8-4 series-opening win at Citizens Bank Park, their eighth win in 12 games and fourth in a row.
Ender Inciarte Adonis Garcia, Freddie Freeman, Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis all got hits in the ninth before the Phillies got their first out in the inning, that on a Tyler Flowers sacrifice fly that pushed the lead to 8-4.