With Tense Win, Phillies Take Series From Braves

It might still be a tad premature to say, but Ryan Howard may be joining the likes of Freddy Galvis and Ben Revere on official hot streaks. Howard homed for the second consecutive day Sunday afternoon to help lift the Phillies to an eventual 5-4 win over Atlanta at Citizens Bank Park. The homer, Howard’s third of the season (all of which came last week), gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead in the first inning after Phillies starter Jerome Williams allowed two runs in the opening frame and help set the tone for what would require the Phillies to claw out a hard-earned series win. The Braves would later tie the game in the third at 3-3 before a one-out triple by Revere in the fifth plated Galvis, who raised his batting average to .361 with three hits, gave the Phillies a lead they wouldn’t surrender – though it took another run in the seventh, which came on yet another Atlanta error in the series, to give Philly the insurance it would need when closer Jonathan Papelbon allowed a pinch-hit home run to Alberto Callaspo in the top of the ninth en route to earning his fourth save of the season. Willaims got the win, his second, after settling down somewhat to allow three runs over 6.2 innings. For more on this game, click here.