Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a two-run homer and the Atlanta Braves didn’t look back on Sunday in Game 1 of the double header over the Philadelphia Phillies.  Atlanta scored five runs in the 5th inning and Vince Velasquez left the game with a runner on base.

In came the Phillies Bullpen and Acuna went deep off Deolis Guerra for a 2-1 lead. We used four pitchers in the fifth. FOUR PITCHERS IN THE FIFTH. The bullpen, coming off a rare outing in a combined shutout in the series opener was rocked again. Adam Duvall hit a three-run double just below the 334-foot sign in left off Adam Morgan for a 5-1 lead and sent the Braves on their way to the seven-inning victory.

Braves lefty Will Smith got out of a jam when he retired Didi Gregorius on a pop up with two runners on to end the fifth inning. McCutchen knocked in a run on a sac fly and then another on a fielders choice. The rest of the bats were silent.

The Phillies are playing seven doubleheaders in 45 days for the first time since 1978.

In Game 2, Spencer Howard made his major league debut for a crowd of card board cut-outs. I’m sure this was what he always dreamed of when making his first appearance in the big leagues.

Ronald Acuna Jr. homered twice and Freddie Freeman also went deep to spoil Howard’s anticipated start and lead the Atlanta Braves to a doubleheader sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies with an 8-0 win in Game 2.

Howard started off well, striking out Marcell Ozuna swinging on a nasty 85 mph slider that the Phandemic Krew outside the ballpark absolutely loved as air horns and banging cowbells echoed through CBP. The 24 year old flashed more poise and promise in a 13-pitch 2nd inning.

Then, Howard ran into some issues. Freeman hit a 2-run HR in the 3rd and Acuna had a solo shot to the opposite field in right for a 3-0 lead.

Howard ended his debut and allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The kid knew he was off: “I wouldn’t say I felt sharp, just a little out of sync with my mechanics,”. 

NOTES:

Freddie Freeman is a Phillies killer.

Freddie Freeman has raised his batting average 76 points in today’s doubleheader. He’s on the Mt. Rushmore of Phillies killers.

— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) August 9, 2020

At the Plate: Phillies hitters went a combined 7-for-48 with seven walks and two runs scored in both games today. Just two extra-base hits in an absolutely brutal day for the lineup.

Next up: Aaron Nola is on the mound against Sean Newcomb on Monday to wrap the 4-game series. Nola struck out a career-high 12 batters in his last start against the Yankees.

The Phillies are in desperate need of a series split and there’s no one better to get them one than Nola. A split would put them at 5-6, one game below .500.

Ring that bell, baby.