April 25, 2015
Matt Slocum)/AP
Freddy Galvis celebrates after scoring the game-winning run on a fielding error by Atlanta's Freddie Freeman during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2015, in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — Freddie Freeman mishandled Ben Revere's ground ball to first, allowing Freddy Galvis to score in the ninth to give the Phillies a 1-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
Galvis led off with a single to center against Jim Johnson (1-2), went to second on Cesar Hernandez's sacrifice bunt and third on a passed ball.
Revere hit a chopper toward first base and Galvis broke for home. Freeman had a play at the plate but he bobbled the ball. It was one of four errors for the Braves, who have lost four straight and eight of 11.
Ken Giles (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
Aaron Harang struck out six and walked one while allowing just two hits in eight shutout innings.
The Braves got their only hits off Harang in the fifth inning when A.J. Pierzynski stayed hot with a one-out double followed by Chris Johnson's line-drive single. But that was all Atlanta could manage off Harang, who retired his final 10 batters.
But Philadelphia's struggling offense couldn't get Harang the lead despite several chances. The Phillies entered the game last in the majors in both runs (41) and average (.213) and showed why on Friday.
Revere grounded out with a man on second in the fifth, Carlos Ruiz popped out to left with the bases loaded in the sixth and Odubel Herrera grounded out with a man on second in the seventh.
Their best chance to score before the ninth came in the eighth with runners on first and third with one out. But Cody Asche, who entered batting a team-best .333, popped out to first after a surprising bunt attempt and Ruiz struck out.
Alex Wood didn't allow a run in 5 2-3 innings, giving up five hits while striking out one and walking two. Cody Martin and Luis Avilan combined for two scoreless innings of relief.
The Phillies played a flawless game in the field after committing five combined errors while getting outscored 15-2 in losses to Miami on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Braves were leading the majors in fielding percentage (.993) and entered with four errors on the season.
Braves: Andrelton Simmons took a hard bump from first baseman Ryan Howard at the bag while trying to beat out a double play in the fifth inning. After walking it off, Simmons stayed in the game.
Phillies: RHP Chad Billingsley will make his third rehab start on Saturday night. Billingsley, who is trying to recover from two right elbow surgeries that limited him to 12 innings the last two seasons, missed his last start due to a stomach virus.
Braves: RHP Shelby Miller (2-0, 1.69) aims to continue his strong start when the Braves play the second of three games in Philadelphia at 7:05 Saturday night.
Phillies: RHP David Buchanan (0-3, 9.22 ERA) will look to get back into the form he displayed in spring training.
