Martin Perez tossed six scoreless innings and Austin Riley hit a pair of opposite-field home runs as the visiting Atlanta Braves smashed the Philadelphia Phillies 9-0 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.
After getting designated for assignment and re-signed by Atlanta earlier in the week, Perez (1-1) allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out four. Jose Suarez logged the final three innings for the save, helping the Braves improve to 7-2 in their last nine.
The Phillies, meanwhile, have dropped seven of nine. They managed only six hits in this one, including three by Bryce Harper and two by J.T. Realmuto. Starter Taijuan Walker (1-3) was charged with seven runs and seven hits in four frames.
Atlanta’s first three batters of the game reached against Walker, who eventually allowed two runs in the inning capped by Mike Yastrzemski’s run-scoring infield single.
Philadelphia threatened in the bottom half, but Perez retired Edmundo Sosa and Realmuto with the bases loaded to escape the jam.
The Braves’ offense put together another rally in the second inning as Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuna singled with one out. Walker recovered to strike out Drake Baldwin, but Matt Olson delivered an RBI single and Riley followed with a three-run shot over the right-field wall to make it 6-0.
Dominic Smith’s homer in the third increased the lead to 7-0.
Harper tripled with one out in the third, but the Phillies could not bring him around. Perez had no major issues in the fourth, fifth or sixth before handing it off to the bullpen.
Suarez allowed a one-out walk to Trea Turner in the seventh, but he retired the next two hitters. He logged another strong inning in the eighth, giving up a two-out single to Realmuto before setting down Alec Bohm on a popout.
Harris’ homer in the eighth and Riley’s blast in the ninth — the third of the season for both — extended the margin to 9-0.
Suarez took care of the ninth to complete his third career save and the Braves’ fourth shutout in 20 games.
