Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward shine as Atlanta Braves humiliate Philadelphia Phillies 8-2 – MLB
First baseman Freddie Freeman and right fielder Jason Heyward lead the offence as the Atlanta Braves humiliate the Philadelphia Phillies 8-2 at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 22, 2012 in the second game of the three match series.
As the post-season nears, the Braves are becoming more competitive. Ever since the sweep of the Washington Nationals, their confidence has boosted immensely. Every opposition they come across now is being beaten by them easily.
Heyward and Freeman continue to ensure the team an early lead through their uncanny ability to produce home-runs and huge hits in the beginning of the innings. On Saturday, they did not allow the Phillies to settle down.
By putting them under pressure, they turned out to be the main architects of their failure.
As soon as Atlanta jumped to a substantial lead, Philadelphia needed to bounce back and reduce the deficit. However, the innings thrown by the Braves’ starter Mike Minor offered them little to score runs and launch a counter-attack.
Throughout the game the Phillies were below par. Not on a single occasion they were in a position to challenge enormous lead of the Braves.
Heyward added four RBIs and struck two hits in four at-bats. Similarly Freeman slammed a three-run homer in the match.
Phillies’ starter Roy Halladay was roughed up time-and-again on Saturday.
Due to his poor pitches, he lasted for just little more than one inning.
He leaked seven runs and struck-out three. He will be extremely disappointed because he had just started to improve and with a dismal outing his confidence has been dented now.
Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel has elaborated that it was one of those days in the lives of the pitchers which they like to forget.
"He didn't have a whole lot," Manuel said. "He had a hard time putting the ball where he wanted it. Just one of those days. Rough day."
Still one more game is left in the series. If the Phillies cannot see their starting pitcher putting up a better performance, their fate is least likely to change in the next match.
It will be interesting to see whether they can be successful in keeping the Braves from winning the last game.
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