Atlanta Braves

Phillies look to finish sweep of Braves (Apr 23, 2017)

Published Apr. 23, 2017 2:29 a.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA -- Two clubhouses with opposite post-game atmospheres told the story of a wild Saturday night affair between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.

On one end, Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco was blaming reserve utility man Andres Blanco for beating him up in celebration of Franco's walk-off hit that gave the Phillies a come-from-behind, 4-3, 10th-inning win over the Braves.

In the other clubhouse, silence and long faces.

But as wacky and deflating a loss -- with infield hits and errors abound -- the Braves suffered, young shortstop Dansby Swanson said it best, and even smiled a little.

"That's how baseball works," Swanson said of a couple bounces making the difference. "It sucks but there's always another day tomorrow. That's the beauty of this game. So we'll come out and be ready to play."

The Braves (6-11) wrap up a three-game set with the Phillies (8-9) on Sunday afternoon.

Atlanta send right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (0-2, 4.26 ERA) to the mound to try to help stop a five-game losing streak. He'll be opposed by RHP Zach Eflin (0-0, 3.60), who will attempt to help the Phillies extend a three-game winning streak.

Foltynewicz, 25, is 2-1 in four games (three starts) against the Phillies over his career. In 18 innings pitched he's amassed a 6.00 ERA with 19 strikeouts against seven walks. He's surrendered five homers to the Phillies, with four of those coming at Citizens Bank Park.

Eflin, 23, had one of the best starts of his rookie year last season against the Braves in his only career appearance against Atlanta. The righty threw a complete game, allowing one run on six hits while striking out six against no walks.

Eflin, who started the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, is making his second start of 2017. He took the rotation spot of the injured Clay Buchholz (forearm surgery, 60-day disabled list) and figures to be in the rotation a while.

"After what he did last year, he's the guy we wanted (to take the spot)," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin told the Philadelphia Inquirer last week.

The Phillies are enjoying their first three-game winning streak since July 4-6, 2016 and have back-to-back series wins over National League East opponents for the first time since May 10-18, 2016.

Foltynewicz, meanwhile, is trying to change Atlanta's luck. Each of the Braves' last three losses have been decided by one run and seven of their last nine losses have been decided by two or fewer runs.

Manager Brian Snitker mentioned after a loss Friday he didn't think his team was far off in terms of turning the corner. The Braves hit a lot of balls hard Saturday night but the Phillies made some impressive defensive plays and had some balls hit right at them.

Snitker commended his team's ability to play all 27 outs and grind out games. Brandon Phillips showed that was true with a two-out, game-tying homer in the ninth Saturday night to send the game to extra innings.

Still, it wasn't enough. So the clubhouse was somber. But, like Swanson said, there's always tomorrow.